Arkansas River Trail Helps People Get Healthy

On May 19, 2004, hundreds of people living and working in Little Rock participated in fun and educational activities designed to improve their health.

One of these activities was the seventh annual Out for Lunch event, which encourages people to reduce their risk for obesity and chronic diseases by being physically active and making healthy food choices.

Participants were treated to healthy snacks, including “salad on a stick,” prepared by staff members from the state’s 5 A Day Program. Colorful fruit and vegetable characters mingled with the crowd at the Little Rock River Market, which is home to the state’s largest farmers’ market.

Activities also included a ground-breaking ceremony to kick off construction of the downtown Little Rock section of the Arkansas River Trail. This 24-mile trail is designed to help walkers, cyclists, skaters, joggers, and strollers improve their health while enjoying the state’s natural beauty.

When completed, the Arkansas River Trail will reach from downtown Little Rock to Pinnacle Mountain State Park on the southern shore and from downtown North Little Rock to Cook's Landing on the northern shore.

A 14-mile loop will be created by a pedestrian bridge across Murray Lock and Dam and a renovated railroad bridge near the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park.

Signs posted along the trail remind people that they can get healthy by walking every day, not smoking, and eating 5–9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

To encourage people to walk at lunch—something that will be a lot easier when the new trail is completed—employees of Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Arkansas Department of Health walked from the state capitol to the River Market pavilion.

In addition, staff members from Heart Clinic Arkansas talked with people about how public-access trails help people reduce their risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke.

The day’s events were hosted by the Headwaters Partnership, which supports the Arkansas River Trail through public education and outreach activities, as well as through financial support of planning and construction projects.

Other sponsors included the Governor’s Council on Fitness and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service–Pulaski County.

The Headwaters Partnership is made up of representatives from more than 20 federal, state, county, and municipal public and private organizations. It was formed after a report from CDC that suggested that people who live in communities with public-access trails are healthier.

By linking messages about healthy eating with physical activity in a natural environment, the Arkansas River Trail has become a model for other cities and states.

It is supported at all levels of government and has succeeded in pulling together many nontraditional partners. Examples include the state’s Department of Heritage, Department of Parks and Tourism, Game and Fish Commission, and Highway and Transportation Department, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

For Little Rock residents, the trail will provide a “place for all people” to get out of their cars to get to work, visit local attractions, run errands, or just be active and healthy.