FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
Senator Missy Irvin
District 24
870-269-2703
missy.irvin@senate.arkansas.gov
December 8, 2025
This afternoon, Governor Sarah Sanders signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Forestry Department and U.S. Department of Agriculture to make Blanchard Springs Caverns and the surrounding area into a new Arkansas State Park.
Senator Irvin’s statement on the signing of the Memorandum:
“Blanchard Springs Caverns is not only one of the most magnificent and largest living cave systems in the world, but it is also the heart of the Ozarks. Today’s announcement is a monumental action that secures the future of this incredibly valuable asset for Stone County and for the entire state of Arkansas. The local economy is driven by tourism and the caves are critical for my rural area of the state and especially for my town of Mountain View.”
“This collaboration between the USDA, U.S. Forestry and the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism is an incredible opportunity to be the best stewards of the resources God has given us and to drastically increase tourism in the state of Arkansas. I am so grateful to President Trump, Governor Sanders, Secretary Brooke Rollins and the entire team at both the Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism and the U.S. Forestry for their commitment and hard work bringing this to fruition.”
Arkansas State Parks was developed by Act 276 of 1923. Currently, the system comprises 52 state parks on 54,400 acres, with 1,800 campsites, 208 cabins, and 5 lodges serving 8 million visitors annually.
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