Batesville, AR Outdoor Activities

At Cabot Miniature Golf, balls tumble down undulating greens past landscapes adorned with well-maintained shrubs and animal statues. Games unfold in all kinds of weather on the illuminated 18-hole course, where giant windmills and miniature ponds obstruct each ball’s path to a hole-in-one. On the adjoining driving range, orbs soar above more than 200 yards of real turf until 10 p.m. as a sand trap tries to swallow balls rolling across the practice putting green in an effort to feed the sand monster living inside of it.

After rounds of golf, a small playground entices kids to play, and two covered, colorfully lit pavilions shelter guests enjoying post-game snacks. Cabot Miniature Golf also includes mini storage units, which are guarded by extra-heavy bar-tube fencing and a coded entry system. This facility can also store large objects such as cars, RVs, and boats.

Amid Hardy's hardwood forests and rocky bluffs resides terrain that the Griffin family has called home for more than 60 years. Throughout the decades, the family has built Griffin Park into a destination to relax, play, and test the latest camouflage fashions amid the area's scenery and wildlife. In 2011, Gregg Griffin and his brothers overhauled the park, removing old fences and flood debris. Their cleanup efforts made way for new campsites, beaches, and a performance venue. Today, the melodies sung by artists such as Neal McCoy frequently fill the park, setting an upbeat mood for adventurous attractions including zipline and horseback rides. The Spring River passes through Griffin Park and carries canoes, kayaks, and tubes down its watery freeways. Fish such as smallmouth bass swim beneath the water's surface while more than 400 bird species sing and beat box overhead.