Jonesboro
Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center
We are closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Please call 870-933-6787 for groups of 25 or more if you would like to schedule a visit. Self-guided visits are always welcome!
- Sunday: Closed
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Nature Center Offerings
About Us
The Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center on the southern edge of Jonesboro tells the story of a unique ridge atop the Mississippi Delta with indoor and outdoor exhibits, films and trails.
The 17,033-square-foot, three-story facility opened August 25, 2004. It features a three-story education, exhibit and meeting facility on 160 acres. The center adjoins the southern boundary of Craighead Forest Park and includes a 5.5-acre prairie, 2.5-acre pond and approximately 100 acres of woodlands.
Inside the center, exhibits reveal the natural forces that formed the 200-mile-long ridge and native wildlife, ranging from large game animals to small insects.
Groups may request special programs or specific activities with advance reservations. Many opportunities are available for volunteers who would like to assist with programs, landscaping and trails. Call 870-933-6787 for specific times and up-to-date offerings.
The center has a multipurpose meeting room that is free to education and nonprofit conservation groups with advance reservations.
Admission to the nature center is free thanks to your support of the Amendment 75 Conservation Fund.
Helpful Links
Bring the Outdoors Into Your Community
Click here to request AGFC support for community events, education outreach in your school and more.
What’s Inside
The main level of the center features an exhibit hall and auditorium which present the story of the ridge’s formation and its wildlife through several hands-on exhibits and 2 special feature films with animation and special effects. A two-story diorama, visible from the main and lower levels of the center, introduces visitors to the special plants, animals, and hydrology of the ridge landscape.
The Crow’s Nest on the upper level of the center presents a bird’s eye view over the center’s diverse landscape to the ridge and Delta south of the site.
The facility also has a Discovery Room, meeting room and office space. Plus, over 30 live species of native wildlife species scattered around the facility in aquariums and terrariums!
Grounds and Trails
The Habitats Trail, a universally accessible trail and boardwalk about a quarter-mile long, can be entered from either the main or lower levels. This trail loops around Willow Pond, taking visitors across a ridge top and man-made levee to the edge of the prairie and back above a seasonally flooded bottomland forest.
For those who like to venture farther, trails through the woods connect to Craighead Forest Park. Colorful blooming gardens in front of the center attract butterflies and other insects. Of course, educational programs – from animal feedings to wildlife walks – happen every day; check the schedule to see what’s going on. Keep your eyes open for amphibians, reptiles, and birds!
The nature center’s hiking trails are open every day from dawn to dusk.
There is no parking in front of the entrance, mailbox, or prairie gate. After-hours access can be granted by using the Craighead Forest Trailhead.
Teacher Resources
The Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center offers recreational and educational programming for people of all ages. Along with daily, weekly and monthly events, there are many special events, workshops, and programs as well. Visit our Volunteer and Event Management System to find the right program for you.
To schedule a class or group field trip at the nature center, give us a call at 870-933-6787.
Classes in these six themes are offered to teachers and students:
- Wildlife with Live Animals
- Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping
- Arkansas Natural History
- Plants and their Wildlife Uses
- Skills (Archery, BB-Guns, Sling Shots and Casting)
Most of these programs support the state curriculum, and the staff can work with teachers to develop customized programs. Some programs are designed for all ages – lower elementary (grades K-3), upper elementary (grades 4-6), middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12).
Professional Development
Teachers and educators, click on the link below for a list of professional development classes or workshops currently scheduled around the state.
Outdoor Skills Workshops
Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center hosts a variety of outdoor skills workshops each year. These workshops are designed to inform those who enjoy the outdoors of our state about opportunities, techniques and skills that will help them be more successful.
Scheduled on a monthly basis, these workshops cover a wide range of topics including all types of fishing, trapping, hunting, and profiles of some of our large game species like black bears. The entertaining presentations are done by a wide variety of individuals including AGFC biologists, outdoor personalities and professionals with the outdoor industry. Door prizes relating to the topic and snacks are typically provided. These workshops are in high demand and seating is limited so pre-registration is required.
Please call the Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center at 870-933-6787 to find out more about these popular workshops.
Nature Center Event Calendar
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Volunteer and Event Management System (VEMS) is your one-stop resource for volunteer opportunities and free events in hunting, fishing, trapping, safety, wildlife, marksmanship and more!
Volunteer Opportunties
The Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center offers a volunteer training program for people interested in assisting or presenting educational programs to school groups. Come and enjoy working with children and teach them about nature.
Get in Touch
For more information regarding the Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center, or to schedule a class or group field trip, give us a call at the phone number above or send us an email and we will contact you.