About Heber Springs, AR

Arkansas's Lake Country Getaway

Wrapped around the shores of Greers Ferry Lake, Heber Springs has been drawing people to its natural beauty for nearly 150 years, first for its healing waters, and today for its lake life, small-town charm, and easy access to some of the best outdoor recreation in Arkansas.

The town's story starts with water. Founded in 1882 as the seat of Cleburne County, Arkansas's youngest county, the community grew up around natural mineral springs that early settlers believed had healing properties. Originally called Sugar Loaf Springs, the town was renamed Heber Springs in 1910 in honor of Dr. Heber Jones, and it was envisioned as a resort town in the same spirit as Hot Springs and Eureka Springs. Seven of those original springs are still preserved today at Spring Park in the heart of downtown.

Everything changed for Heber Springs in 1963, when President John F. Kennedy dedicated the newly built Greers Ferry Dam — the only presidential visit Cleburne County has ever had, and one that came just weeks before his assassination. The dam created Greers Ferry Lake, a sprawling 40,000-acre reservoir that transformed the area into one of the premier lake destinations in the state, with boating, swimming, scuba diving, and fishing drawing visitors year-round. Just below the dam, the Little Red River has become legendary among anglers as a world-class trout stream, once home to the third-largest brown trout ever caught anywhere.

Downtown Heber Springs still carries the character of its resort-town roots, with a historic commercial district, the 1914 Cleburne County Courthouse, and local landmarks like the Women's Community Club Band Shell. The town hosts a full calendar of events, from Old Soldiers Reunion — held continuously since 1887 — to Spring Fest and the beloved Cardboard Boat Race each summer.

Today, tourism remains the backbone of the local economy, supported by lakeside resort communities like Eden Isle and the Red Apple Inn, along with a growing base of retirees, remote workers, and families who've decided the lake life is worth staying for year-round. With good schools, a walkable downtown, and some of the most scenic water in the Ozarks right outside the door, Heber Springs offers a rare mix: a true vacation destination that's just as good to call home.