Things to Do in Heber Springs, Arkansas: Greers Ferry & More (2026)

The best things to do in Heber Springs, Arkansas, are getting out on Greers Ferry Lake, fishing the Little Red River for trout below the dam, and hiking Sugarloaf Mountain. It’s a town of 6,969 people and the seat of Cleburne County.

Max Frauenthal founded the town as Sugar Loaf in 1882, around the mineral springs that still flow in Spring Park. It took the name Heber Springs in 1910, for Memphis physician Dr. Heber Jones. On October 3, 1963, President John F. Kennedy dedicated Greers Ferry Dam, seven weeks before his assassination.

Greers Ferry Lake

The lake covers about 40,500 acres, with more than 340 miles of shoreline. Eight marinas rent boats, water toys and scuba gear. It holds records for a 22-pound, 12-ounce walleye and a 27-pound, 5-ounce hybrid striped bass.

★ Good to know The Corps of Engineers runs more than 1,100 campsites on the lake; reserve through Recreation.gov.

Greers Ferry Dam and William Carl Garner Visitor Center

The Corps built the 243-foot dam from 1959 to 1962 on the Little Red River. The free visitor center at the west end is a stone and redwood building. Inside are local history exhibits, a replica record brown trout and Kennedy’s dedication film. The Mossy Bluff and Buckeye nature trails start right outside.

★ Good to know It opens fewer days in spring and fall and closes in winter, so check first. Free Saturday evening programs run Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Little Red River trout fishing

Cool water released from beneath the dam makes the Little Red a premier trout stream for about 35 miles below the dam. It holds rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout, and it gave up a 40-pound, 4-ounce brown. Public access includes John F. Kennedy Park, Cow Shoals, Barnett Park near the Winkley Bridge, and the Lobo boat ramp.

★ Good to know JFK Park, at 375 Hatchery Road just below the dam, has a boat dock and river access.

Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery

On the same road as JFK Park, this federal hatchery raises about one million rainbow trout a year for local waters. Self-guided tours take you along the outdoor raceways, and about 50,000 people stop in each year. Admission is free.

★ Good to know Leashed dogs are welcome, but drones are banned and you can’t feed the fish.

Sugarloaf Mountain

This 690-foot mountain on the east side of town has five trails. The Summit Trail is only 0.66 miles but steep, and the 1.3-mile Tonawanda Trail loops the base. The Osage called it Tonawanda, and L.E. Robbins gave 80 acres of it as a public park in 1951.

★ Good to know The paved Hidden Pond Trail is wheelchair accessible, and the new 2.6-mile Vanguard Trail is built for mountain bikes and trail runners.

Spring Park

The town started here, and the park at the east end of Main Street still has seven mineral springs. Frauenthal donated the land along with the courthouse square. Today it also has playgrounds, a skate park and amphitheaters.

★ Good to know The Ozark Trail Festival fills the park with arts, crafts and music each October.

Sandy Beach

This five-acre beach on the lake has more than 1,500 feet of shoreline, a volleyball court and a 50-person pavilion. The Cedar Beach Disc Golf Course has 18 holes next to it.

★ Good to know Pair it with a round of disc golf, or a stop at the dam’s visitor center on the same trip.

Trumpeter swans at Magness Lake

Each winter, trumpeter swans gather on Magness Lake off Hays Road, near Highway 110. These are 30-pound birds with wingspans up to 8 feet, and more than 150 have been counted at once. Abram’s Ponds on Hiram Road are another viewing spot.

★ Good to know They usually arrive in mid-November and stay until mid-February.

Also in town

Downtown has galleries, antique shops and coffee shops; the Ruland Junction Toy Train Museum at 12th and Walnut runs ten operating layouts; the Cleburne County Historical Society is in the old post office on East Main Street; and 90-foot Bridal Veil Falls, Collins Creek and the 18-hole Mossy Bluff Disc Golf Course are close by.

When to goSummer is lake season, capped by the Freedom Fest fireworks over Independence Day weekend. Come mid-November through mid-February for trumpeter swans, or October for the Ozark Trail Festival.

How long to stayA weekend covers the lake, the dam area and Sugarloaf; anglers often stay longer for the Little Red.

Heads upThe Garner Visitor Center closes in winter and runs a reduced schedule in spring and fall, so check before you plan around it.

Getting hereClinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock is the closest airport with scheduled airline service, about 1 hour 15 minutes south by car.

When did JFK visit Heber Springs?

President John F. Kennedy dedicated Greers Ferry Dam on October 3, 1963. It was the only presidential visit to Cleburne County, and it came seven weeks before his death in Dallas.

Where is the best trout fishing near Heber Springs?

The Little Red River below Greers Ferry Dam. It holds rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout for about 35 miles, with public access at JFK Park, Cow Shoals, Barnett Park and Lobo Access.

When can you see trumpeter swans in Heber Springs?

Usually mid-November through mid-February, at Magness Lake off Hays Road and at Abram’s Ponds on Hiram Road.

What other small towns in Arkansas are worth a trip?

See our small towns in Arkansas. Mountain View is about 40 miles north, and Mammoth Spring has more Ozark trout water.

Where to find them

Greers Ferry Lake Website Directions
Greers Ferry Dam and William Carl Garner Visitor Center Ark. 25, Heber Springs, AR 72543 Website Directions
Little Red River trout fishing (JFK Park) 375 Hatchery Road, Heber Springs, AR 72543 Website Directions
Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery 349 Hatchery Road, Heber Springs, AR 72543 Website Directions
Sugarloaf Mountain Heber Springs, AR 72543 Website Directions
Spring Park East end of Main St., Heber Springs, AR 72543 Website Directions
Sandy Beach Website Directions
Trumpeter swans at Magness Lake Hays Road off AR 110, Heber Springs, AR Website Directions