Located outside Eureka Springs, AR, I first visited Dinosaur World just prior to its unfortunate closure. Cement sculptures of cavemen, dinosaur eggs, and a giant spider once greeted visitors at the park’s entrance, a structure resembling a prehistoric fort. I’ve been sitting on some pictures of the place a while, and I decided to go ahead and cover it based on the attention it’s recently received on our Arkansas forums.

Inside was a small gift shop, where an elderly woman sold us our tickets, which was brimming with rubber dinosaurs and the like. We proceeded to drive though the gates, near which hung an odd sign about apprehended trespassers being made to pay double the regular admission fee (which was fairly inexpensive). The whole place was set up like a “Safari” style animal park, with a series of roads offering the occasional glimpse of a dinosaur.

Near the entrance stands “Kong,” a life-sized replica of the famous movie monster. Though not truly a dinosaur, he wouldn’t be the last larger than life animal I saw. Along with the aforementioned spider there are also a gigantic scorpion and landlocked octopus to be found. The park was previously known as the “Land of Kong,” and has changed hands and titles several times over the years.

Fast fact! The sculptures at Dinosaur World are supposed to have been made by the same local man who designed The Great Passion Play’s famous “Christ of the Ozarks” statue.

The park was already in an advanced state of disrepair by the time of my first visit, and it was easy to spot certain attractions - such as a miniature golf course and mysterious cave-like structure - that had been abandoned at some point in the distant past. Nearby sat an odd bench from which venomous snakes seemed to be materializing.

The park’s centerpiece, outside of Kong, is a large pond with a tree house at its center, connected to the shore on both sides by a rope bridge. I was a little uneasy crossing the bridge, but it was surprisingly sturdy. It is here the octopus dwells. Returning to the car I saw many more fantastic dinosaurs on my way back to the 21st century, some real, some seemingly imagined (see below).

I returned to Dinosaur World earlier this year with a friend, eager to show them around, but found that it had unfortunately closed its gates – perhaps forever. However, I’m aware that may not act as a deterrent to many of this site’s readers. If you do happen to be caught, simply reference the sign and offer to pay double the admission price.

Also worth mentioning, nearby once stood the infamous Shoe Tree of Beaver, AR. Sadly, the Shoe Tree is no longer with us in its original state, and has in fact been destroyed several times by acts of man and god. However, the vile weed that is the Shoe Tree remains, and seemed to be regenerating upon my last visit. It’s not as easy to spot as it once was, boasting only a dozen or so pairs at the moment, but give it time.