Rattle Snake Ridge Natural Area

Located in Pulaski County, just west of Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area protects rare plant and animal species, while offering visitors a rugged, low-impact recreational experience. The area provides habitat for three species of state conservation concern: the southeastern bat, the western diamondback rattlesnake, and Wright’s cliffbrake, a western desert fern. The ridge, Rattlesnake Ridge, is the watershed divide between the Big Maumelle and Little Maumelle rivers. It is comprised of a rare natural community, Ouachita Mountain Sandstone Outcrop Barrens, which is home to rare plants and animals typically found further west in hotter, drier places. The ridge, one of the most dramatic rocky summits in the eastern Ouachita Mountains, completes the northern boundary of the natural area. It is ¾ mile wide and rises up to 920 feet above sea level at its summit.