Things to Do in Murfreesboro, Arkansas
The best things to do in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, are digging for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park and spending time on Lake Greeson just north of town. Murfreesboro is a town of 1,495 people and the seat of Pike County.
John Wesley Huddleston found the first diamonds here in August 1906. In 1924 mine worker Wesley Oley Basham found the Uncle Sam, 40.23 carats rough. It’s still the largest diamond ever discovered in the United States.
Crater of Diamonds State Park
This is why people come. The park covers 911 acres about a mile southeast of town, and its 37.5-acre plowed field is open to the public. Whatever you find is yours to keep, whatever it’s worth. Visitors find more than 600 diamonds a year, about two a day on average.
★ Good to know The park also has the Diamond Springs aquatic playground, trails and a campground near the Little Missouri River. Families can easily make a full day of it.
Lake Greeson
Narrows Dam on the Little Missouri River formed this 7,260-acre lake about 6 miles north of town, finished in 1950. Fifteen parks ring the shore for camping, boating, fishing and swimming. It’s named for developer Martin White Greeson.
★ Good to know The lake has 45 miles of trails, including the 31-mile Bear Creek Cycle Trail for mountain bikers.
Daisy State Park
This 276-acre state park sits on Lake Greeson in the Ouachita foothills, near the Ouachita National Forest. It has been a state park since 1955 and is built around fishing and water recreation.
★ Good to know Pair it with a day on the water, since the park sits right on the lake.
Little Missouri River
The Little Missouri runs 147 miles from the Ouachita Mountains and passes near Crater of Diamonds. The water below Narrows Dam is popular for trout fishing. Upstream, part of the river was named a National Wild and Scenic River in 1992.
★ Good to know Little Missouri Falls, upriver in the Ouachita National Forest, is worth a side trip for photographers.
Pike County Courthouse
The Art Deco courthouse on Murfreesboro’s square went up in 1931 and 1932. It’s the fourth county courthouse built at or near the same site, and it has been on the National Register since 1986.
★ Good to know It’s a working courthouse, so enjoy it from the square.
Can you keep the diamonds you find at Crater of Diamonds?
Yes. Visitors may keep any gem they find, whatever its value. The search area is a 37.5-acre plowed field.
How far is Crater of Diamonds from Murfreesboro?
About a mile southeast of town, so Murfreesboro is the natural place to base yourself.
What is the biggest diamond found at Crater of Diamonds?
The Uncle Sam, found in 1924, weighed 40.23 carats rough. It’s the largest diamond ever found in the U.S.
Is there a lake near Murfreesboro?
Yes. Lake Greeson is about 6 miles north, with Daisy State Park on its shore. For more trip ideas, see our small towns in Arkansas or nearby Mount Ida.
Where to find them
- Crater of Diamonds State Park Murfreesboro, AR 71958 Website Directions
- Lake Greeson Narrows Dam, north of Murfreesboro, AR Directions
- Daisy State Park Lake Greeson, Pike County, AR Website Directions
- Little Missouri River Directions
- Pike County Courthouse Courthouse Square, Murfreesboro, AR 71958 Directions
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Where to stay in Murfreesboro
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