Located near the banks of the Arkansas River and Lake Dardanelle, Clarksville, the Johnson County seat, is home to the University of the Ozarks and the Walton Fine Arts Center. With the entire northern half of the county in the Ozark National Forest, scenic beauty and outdoor opportunities abound—canoeing, fishing, hiking and camping. Clarksville is a gateway to Ark. 21, the Ozark Highlands National Scenic Byway, which leads north through the Ozark National Forest to Eureka Springs. In July, the city celebrates its Peach Festival, the oldest outdoor festival in the state of Arkansas. Located on Interstate 40, Clarksville is 12 miles east of Arkansas Wine Country, about 44 miles north of Mount Magazine State Park, the state’s newest state park and highest peak, about 60 miles from Fort Smith and about 100 miles from Little Rock.
