For other places with the same name, see River Valley (disambiguation).

River Valley is in northwest Arkansas along the Arkansas river.

Cities

• 1 Alma
• 2 Altus — wine country
• 3 Atkins — the "pickle capital of Arkansas"
• 4 Barling
• 5 Booneville
• 6 Charleston
• 7 Clarksville
• 8 Dardanelle — gateway to Lake Dardanelle
• 9 Fort Smith — the second largest city in Arkansas, and gateway to the Wild West
• 10 Greenwood
• 11 Hackett
• 12 Morrilton
• 13 Mountainburg
• 14 Mulberry
• 15 Ozark
• 16 Paris, Arkansas— in the shadow of Arkansas's highest peak Mt. Magazine at 2,753 feet
• 17 Russellville — overlooks Lake Dardanelle and sitting along Scenic Highway 7
• 18 Van Buren

Other destinations

• 1 Lake Fort Smith State Park — a 260-acre (110 ha) Arkansas state park with 30 camp sites, 10 cabins, picnic sites, marina with rental boats, a boat ramp, a swimming pool, playground, and an visitor center with exhibit gallery, gift shop, a patio with an outdoor wood-burning fireplace, and an expansive view of the lake and mountains.

Understand

It is the valley area on the southern edge of the Ozarks between the Ouachita mountains to the south and the Boston and Ozark Mountain to the north. There are rich soils along the Arkansas river and this helps to make the region Wine Country of Arkansas. The Tri-Peaks area is in the River Valley region and includes Petit Jean Mountain, Mt. Nebo and the highest peak in Arkansas Mt. Magazine at 2753 feet. You will find hiking, canoeing, fishing, scenic driving and back country driving trails.

Get in

The Arkansas River Valley extends along Interstate 40. Fort Smith also has a regional airport, with connections to Atlanta and Dallas.

Get around

The best way is by car driving along Interstate 40 and then turning off the Interstate on the two-lane highways and county roads to explore.

See

• Scenic 7 Byway. 
• Mount Magazine Scenic Byway (Arkansas 309). 
• Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway, (Arkansas 21). From Clarksville north through the Boston Mountains and the Ozarks to Eureka Springs.
• Lake Dardanelle. 

Do

• Annual Hang Gliding Festival At Mount Nebo, late August. +1 479 229-3650 Hang gliders gather from around the country to demonstrate the sport.

Drink

Wineries

• Chateau Aux Arc (pronounced Ozark), 8045 Hwy 186, Champagne Drive, ☏ +1 479 468-4400, gotwine@arkansas.net. Altus 
• Mount Bethel Winery, 5014 Mount Bethel Dr, ☏ +1 479 468-2444, sales@mountbethel.com. Altus 
• Post Familie Vineyards, 1700 St Marys Mtn Rd, ☏ +1 479 468-2741, info@postfamilie.com. Altus 
• Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, ☏ +1 479 468-9463, fax: +1 479 468-4791, info@wiederkehrwines.com. From Interstate 40, take exit 41 onto Highway 186 south. 
• Cowie Wine Cellars, 101 N. Carbon City Road, ☏ +1 479 963-3990, cowie@cswnet.com. Paris 

Go next

• North to the Ozarks and Northwest Arkansas
• Southeast along I-40 to Central Arkansas and Little Rock
• West to Oklahoma and Tulsa