Lorance Creek

One great thing about living in Little Rock is that while it is a big city (by Arkansas standards), there are still lots of places that you can easily get to and see nature. One such place is the Lorance Creek Natural Area, which is just a short drive from downtown. 

The Natural Area is jointly owned and managed by the Nature Conservancey and the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. The 390 acres of the Natural Area preserve a shallow, groundwater-fed swamp. A short, paved trail (ADA accessible) first cuts through an upland pine-oak forest before a wooden boardwalk stretches out over the swamp. From there you have a great view of a mosaic of cypress and tupelo trees. 

 

In fact, you can find over 600 species of plants here, along with 125 bird species and 25 reptile and amphibian species (along with countless mosquitoes).