LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- To commemorate Veterans Day the Little Rock District of the Army Corps of Engineers will join Corps districts nationwide and waive day use fees at its recreation areas Nov. 11 for veterans, active, reserve and guard service members and their families.
"We began this initiative in 2006 to support and honor the men and women who have served our nation and the armed forces and to encourage them and their families to visit and enjoy one of our many recreational areas,” said James R. Hannon, chief of operations for the Army Corps of Engineers.
Little Rock District lakes in Arkansas and Missouri include Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork, Clearwater, Greers Ferry, Nimrod, Blue Mountain, Millwood, Dierks, DeQueen and Gillham, as well as the Arkansas River in Arkansas. This waiver includes boat launch ramp and swim beach fees. However, camping fees and reservation fees for special facilities, such as group picnic shelters, will not be waived.
The Corps is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation, managing more than 420 lake and river projects in 43 states. The more than 2,400 Corps operated recreation areas nationwide provide a diverse range of outdoor activities to people of all ages, and the Corps estimates that nearly 90 percent of its recreation projects are within 50 miles of metropolitan areas.
Little Rock District is among the most visited Corps districts in the nation. The district operates about 165 public parks and access areas in Arkansas and southern Missouri. Its 25 multi-purpose lakes and navigation pools, combined with project lands, provide nearly 500,000 acres of public land and water that offer a full range of outdoor recreation opportunities.
The district manages these public resources to benefit fish and wildlife and to serve present and future generations. Major activities include sightseeing, camping, boating, swimming, skiing, hiking, fishing, hunting, picnicking, scuba diving, and more.
The central location and the region's natural beauty routinely draw visitors from Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, Dallas and Tulsa, not to mention visitors from every state and several foreign countries. The fact that the country’s population center point is three counties north of Norfork Lake at Plato, Mo., illustrates just how central Little Rock District projects are.
More information about Little Rock District’s recreation program is available at http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/parks/index.html.