Lyon Big Piney Creek Preserve

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Arkansas

The Lyon Big Piney Creek Preserve hosts a number of typical Ozark plant and animal species.

Indian pipe in Wisconsin, United States, North America. © Dave Westover

About
Visit
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Completely forested, the Lyon Big Piney Creek Preserve hosts a number of typical Ozark plant and animal species, from pine and oak to warblers and hawks. © Mike Furh

Open to the Public

Yes

Things To Do

See all the unique plants and animals at Lyon Big Piney Creek Preserve. View All

Plan Your Visit

Hiking is a popular activity at this preserve but be warned that there are no marked trails. View All

Why You Should Visit

Completely forested, the Lyon Big Piney Creek Preserve hosts a number of typical Ozark plant and animal species, from pine and oak to warblers and hawks. The preserve is bordered by approximately one-quarter mile of Big Piney Creek on the north, a small feeder creek on the east and the Ozark National Forest on the west and south. Also found on this site is an 80-foot bluff with a suite of Arkansas wildflowers.

Location

Newton County, on the upper reaches of Big Piney Creek north of Clarksville.

Size

61 acres

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site

The preserve was created in 2002 with a land donation from David and Virginia Lyon of Iowa. It is part of the threatened Interior Highlands oak ecosystem that spans the Ozark and Ouachita mountains -- a high Conservancy priority for large-scale restoration.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing

Conservation planning for this site is currently under way and will center on restoring fire as an important ecological process for maintaining native plant communities.

Things To Do

What to See: Plants
The site contains typical Ozark oak-pine woodlands with glade openings on the bluff tops. Look for native grasses and flowers such as:

little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus)
black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora)

River cane (Arundinaria gigantea) can be seen near the stream side.

List of plants at Big Piney

What to See: Animals
Several aquatic species in Big Piney Creek are endemic to the Ozark Mountains ecoregion. Creatures such as the checkered madtom (Noturus flavater), Arkansas saddled darter (Etheostoma euzonum), and longnose darter (Percina nasuta) are of special concern due to their limited range.

Plan Your Visit

Special permission is required from a neighboring landowner whose property you must cross to access the Conservancy preserve. There are no marked trails. Bluffs are not fenced; please use extreme caution when hiking near the edges.

Directions

Please contact the Conservancy's Arkansas Field Office at (501) 614-5076 or arkansas@tnc.org for directions and access information.

Discussion

Have you been to this preserve? Are you thinking of visiting? See what others are saying about their experiences and add your comments below.

Add Your Comments

Time for you to join the discussion. Tell us about your experience at this preserve. What plants and animals did you see? When did you go? You can help others plan their visit when you share your thoughts. And thank you for visiting one of our nature preserves!

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