Strong straight-line winds down trees, damage cabins, and disrupt water service at historic park
A recent straight-line wind event caused significant damage at Devil’s Den State Park, forcing the temporary closure of some park facilities and trails. Arkansas State Parks Region 1 Manager Walt Reding shared details about the impact and recovery efforts following the severe weather.
The most substantial blow came to the park’s water infrastructure. “The real issue that shut the park down was water,” Reding said. “When a tree was uprooted, it took out a section of the water line. We kept chasing the leak underground, repairing and energizing the line, only for it to fail again.”
While the Ridge Runner Cafe area remained mostly undamaged, it had to be closed temporarily due to water issues. Reding noted that the park’s concessionaire was able to reopen soon after water service was restored.
Cabin One sustained the most severe structural damage when a tree fell and destroyed a front corner of the building. Fortunately, the cabin was already off the rental market for a scheduled remodel.
“We had ten cabins off the market on the upper loop for renovation, so that helped limit impact on guests,” Reding said. Overall, five cabins were damaged, though most had only minor issues such as roof or eave repairs.
Reding expressed optimism about the speed of repairs, as a contractor already working on cabin renovations was able to quickly incorporate storm repairs into the existing work through a change order. The first group of remodeled cabins, originally scheduled to reopen mid-summer, will likely be back online in September, followed by work on the second phase of cabins.
Campground Damage
Despite numerous downed trees in the campground, only one caused significant damage—falling onto an RV. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. “We were fairly lucky,” said Reding.
Trail Issues
Trail access has also been impacted. As of this week, the Yellow Rock and Devil’s Den hiking trails are open. Park crews, with assistance from staff at Fort Smith, Prairie Grove, and Dardanelle state parks, are working to clear the remaining trails, particularly those in the Monument Trails system. Reding expects all Monument Trails, including Fossil Flats, to be open by week’s end, with the Butterfield Trail likely following a week later.
“We focused on clearing trails with the least damage first to give visitors something to enjoy,” he explained, noting the importance of addressing hazardous “hangers,” or partially fallen trees, before fully reopening.
Reding praised the coordinated effort of sister parks, whose maintenance teams helped clear debris quickly and safely.
Visitors planning trips to Devil’s Den are encouraged to check for updates on trail and cabin availability as recovery continues.
Photos for this article are courtesy of the Arkansas State Parks.
This article was originally published on ArkansasOutside.com, your trusted source for outdoor news and updates in The Natural State. Unless otherwise credited, all photos included in this piece are the property of Arkansas Outside, LLC. We take pride in sharing the beauty and adventures of Arkansas through our lens—thank you for supporting our work!
