The city of Mena in the state of Arkansas, as well as the surrounding region, is perhaps known best for offering many different types of outdoor activities. The city, however, is home to several very unique attractions as well, ones that set Mena apart from other cities for visitors.
Hike in Queen Wilhelmina State Park
The Queen Wilhelmina State Park can be found on top of Rich Mountain, the second highest mountain peak in Arkansas. The park provides visitors with some of the state’s most awe-inspiring views from its lodge. The original lodge, which is now fully renovated, was constructed back in the late 1800’s, and named Wilhelmina Inn after the Netherlands’ Queen. The main attraction at the park is the latest inn, which is the park lodge of today. The Queen’s Restaurant serves Southern fare with first-class hospitality. Queen Wilhelmina State Park (video) features forty-one campsites, as well as hiking trails and picnic area.
Address: 3877 Highway 88 West, Mena, AR 71953, Phone: 479-394-2863
Explore the scenic Wolf Pen Gap Trail
The Wolf Pen Gap Trail in Mena, Arkansas consists of a trail network spanning a total of forty-one miles. The expansive network of trails was developed and is maintained for off-road vehicles and mountain bikes. The trail is a combination of short sections of constructed single-track, abandoned double-tracks, and gravel road. The Wolf Pen Gap Trail ranges in difficulty from easy trails to extreme. Visitors can take a break and find panoramic views while traveling along the trail. The trail network can be found approximately twelve miles away from Mena to the northeast, just past the Caney Creek Wilderness.
Learn about local history at the Mena Kansas City Southern Depot
The Mena Kansas City Southern Depot in the city of Mena is a railroad station constructed back in the year 1920. Located on Sherwood in the heart of the city, the single-story long building was built using brick, and features a Mediterranean style and a roof made out of tile. The Mena Kansas City Southern Depot is one of the state’s most elaborate surviving railroad stations from the early twentieth century, and is noted on the National Register of Historic Places. The station is now the home of a museum dedicated to local history, as well as the Mena Chamber of Commerce.
Address: 524 Sherwood Ave, Mena, AR 71953, Phone: 479-394-2912
Discover crystals at the Board Camp Crystal Mine
The Board Camp Crystal Mine in Mena is open to the public every day, with the exception of being closed typically from the beginning of January through the middle of February. Visitors can join one of the UnXplained Tours and explore the Crystal Mine, dig for crystals, and even stay at the “Crystal Cottage.” Guests can take an UnXplained tour either during the day or at night. Day tours are offered most days of the week, with the exceptions of Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Guests must be at least twelve years old to join the tour, and tours typically last around two hours.
Address: 110 Hickory Ridge Rd, Mena, AR 71953, Phone: 479-243-0771
Stroll through Janssen Park
Janssen Park is located in the heart of Mena, and is one of the city’s municipal parks. The park is bordered by Port Arthur Avenue and Janssen Avenues, as well as 7th Street and 9th Street. Janssen Park is an expansive, grassy space featuring mature trees, and walking paths that radiate out from a central walkway that circles the oldest building in the city, a Shelton log cabin dating back to the 1850’s. In the southern area of the park, visitors will find two ponds, and a clock tower is situated inside of the circle near the old cabin.
Address: 7th St, Mena, AR 71953, Phone: 479-394-8355
Admire local artworks at the Mena Art Gallery
The Mena Art Gallery supports community and individual involvements in creative mediums of art, and strives to serve and inspire artists of any age. The gallery offers art exhibits, art shows, art classes, field trips, seminars, workshops, and more. Art shows are hosted often throughout the year, several of which open entries to anyone. Mena Art Gallery is run by the Southwest Artists organization, a local non-profit that has devoted itself to the promotion of the arts in the city since 1945.
Address: Mena Art Gallery, 607 Mena St, Mena, AR 71953, Phone: 479-394-3880
Visit the Wolfpen ATV Campground, Inc.
The Wolfpen ATV Campground, Inc. is the largest and first of the Wolfpen campgrounds to open in the area, making this campground truly an “original.” The campground gets its name from the World-Famous Wolf Pen Gap ATV Trails located near the city of Mena, and it provides an authentic outdoor experience of Arkansas.Wolfpen ATV Campground offers a range of camping options, from basic tent sites for anyone who likes “roughing it” to cottages fully-furnished with bathrooms, kitchens, heat, air conditioning, and satellite television. There are also full RV sites with hook-ups and rustic camping cabins as other options for camping.
Address: Wolfpen ATV Campground, Inc., 559 Polk Rd 61, Mena, AR 71953, Phone: 479-394-0404
Stop by the Arkansas River Valley Visitor Center
The Arkansas River Valley Visitor Center provides information about Lake Dardanelle and the surrounding Arkansas River Valley region, including Petit Jean State Park, Mount Nebo, and Woolly Hollow. Open during the weekends, the center also offers maps and rates for the state parks in the area. The landscape of Arkansas boasts a natural beauty, including the Arkansas River Valley, which offers plenty of recreational activities for everyone. The area includes several interesting sites, museums, and outdoor activities, and visitors can find information on all of them and places beyond Mena at the Visitor Center for the Arkansas River Valley.
Hike the Fourche Mountain Trail
The Fourche Mountain Trail provides visitors willing to make the trek with stunning vistas of Buck Knob and Fourche Mountain. Sights found along the trail include many breathtaking views of the region’s Ouachita Mountains, an abandoned silver mine, rare plant species, rock glades, and beautiful streams at at the bottom of steep ravines. The network of trails offers ATV opportunities, mountain biking, backpacking, day hiking, and horseback riding. Guests can find parking for the day along the south side of Highway 270. Also located near the highway is the Mill Creek Recreation Area, which offers picnic, swimming, and camping activities.
Go on an adventure with The Blue - Zip Line and Farm
The Blue - Zip Line and Farm is a thrilling canopy tour and zip lines, located on a working cattle ranch close to Mena. Here visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the magnificent landscape as they soar through 300-year old oak trees, along the banks of the Irons Fork River. Most children over the age of 5 (who weigh at least 60 lb) will be able to enjoy a zip line experience, accompanied by an adult. There are between 4 and 10 zip lines which connect a series of platforms high above the grazing cattle on the ground. All participants will be securely harnessed and accompanied by two guides who will be on hand to assist you to enjoy your experience.
Address: The Blue - Zip Line and Farm, 142 Polk Road 185, Mena, AR 71953, 479-216-8639
