Park A Day: Great American Backyard Campout At White Oak Lake State Park

The "Great American Backyard Campout" is June 28, 2008. This annual event is sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), and designed to prevent kids from "nature deficiency disorder." Many naturalists believe that children spend too much time in front of televisions and not enough time outside being stimulated by nature. This annual event is designed to give parents an easy way to have some outdoor fun with their kids.

As the event's name suggests, the NWF encourages you to camp out, even if you just pitch a tent in your own backyard. That sounds fun, but going to a state park would make it more of an adventure. White Oak Lake State Park in Bluff City (about 2 hours from Little Rock: Google Map) is listed as a registered campsite. If a 2 hour drive is too far, I'm sure almost any state park would accommodate your tent.

White Oak State Park is on the shore of White Oak Lake. White Oak Lake is great for fishing and wildlife viewing, especially viewing water fowl. The park has 45 campsites, including 41 class B and four tent sites. You can rent boats and bicycles. They also have a bait shop, picnic area and playgrounds.

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