Old Post Park

Old Post Park is located at 1063 Lock and Dam Road in Russellville, and rests along Dardanelle Lake. The park provides recreational and outdoors activities to the surrounding communities, including camping, boating and fishing, picnic areas, sightseeing oppourtunities, and sports fields.

All fourty plus camping facilities provided at the park are equiped with water and electricity hook ups, with disposal and shower facilities also provided.

While the openness of the park and its many recreational fields has made it a favorite location for many intramural and other youth activities, these same features have also made the park an appealing site for more civic-related activities and events.

Valley Fest

Valley Fest is hosted annualy, typically in the Fall, at Old Post Park. The weekend long event is hosted by an association of civic minded and business organizations throughout the River Valley and Central Arkansas, focused around Russellville. The business sponsors of the event set up booths for their employees tend to during the event, providing both social activity and a chance for the public to 'get to know' those behind the business.

It has become tradition over the past years for the businesses and community organiztions to hold a variety of cookoffs and other competitions over the weekend, with recognition going to the top entrants and free food to the public.

Events for children are also promoted as a tag of Valley Fest, with carnival rides and booths, and various concession stands being provided for by the organizing body of the event.

The weekend long activity traditionally ends with a musical performance by a popular artist selected and hired by the organizaing body of the event. The musical performatnce takes place on the openair theater stage in the center of the camping and recreational facilities.

Old Post Challenge

The Old Post Challenge is an annualy held mountain bike competition hosted at the biking trails of Old Post Park. The trails are regarded as some of the most professionally maintained and routed trails in Arkansas, and stretch through an approximate fourteen miles of preserved forest area to the back half of the park.

The event is sponsored by various Bike Shops from Russellville and the surrounding area--the same organizations that act to maintain the quality and care of the Old Post trails.

The Challenge is certified by both the National Off-Road Bycicle Association and the Arkansas Mountain Bike Championship Series of mauntain bike events.

The even draws participants from all across the state, and often many others, and takes full advantage of the many facilities and services offered at Old Post Park. Because of both the quality of the track at the park, and the quality and availability of other features provided at on location, the Old Post Challenge is quickly becoming regarded as a top rival to other biking events held in the state, notably the Tri-Peaks Tournament.