A bipartisan proposal introduced in the U.S. Senate on May 1, 2025, would extend the Legacy Restoration Fund’s authority through 2033, potentially steering millions of dollars to repair Arkansas trails, campgrounds and river launches such as those on the Buffalo National River, according to the America the Beautiful Act.
Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., Angus King, I-Maine, Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Mark Warner, D-Va., Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., wrote the bill to reauthorize the fund, created in 2020 but set to expire in 2025. Annual deposits would rise from $1.9 billion to $2 billion, and every federal land-management agency—not just the National Park Service—could submit projects aimed at shrinking the 2025 deferred-maintenance backlog: $23.26 billion for the National Park Service, $8.695 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, $2.65 billion for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $5.72 billion for the Bureau of Land Management, and $804.5 million for the Bureau of Indian Education.
The measure also would require agencies to publish rolling two-year project lists, a transparency provision intended to nudge work crews where needs are greatest and help enlist private partners. “This act helps ensure safe, accessible experiences for millions who depend on outdoor recreation for their well-being and livelihoods,” said Jessica Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.
Arkansas stands to gain as much as any state. Likely beneficiaries include Hot Springs National Park, the Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis national forests and the Buffalo National River, where trail resurfacing, new restrooms, upgraded campgrounds and safer canoe launches have been flagged as priorities. Completed work would ripple into gateway towns such as Jasper and Mountain View, both reliant on visitor spending.
“Investments in our public lands not only enhance visitor experiences but directly support rural economies,” Turner said, noting that many small businesses orbit federal campgrounds and trailheads.
Because agencies must keep two-year job lists, operators who appear “partner-ready” could land a seat at the table. To prepare, private RV parks, glamping resorts and outfitters can draft a five-year capital-improvement plan to match grant cycles, maintain current visitation, revenue and guest-satisfaction data for impact letters, join or form a local task force with park staff, chambers and user groups, and offer in-kind matches such as discounted crew campsites or volunteer coordination. Assigning a staff member to monitor grants.gov and state outdoor-recreation office newsletters will ensure that application windows do not slip by, and keeping environmental-compliance files up to date will help avoid disqualification from an otherwise strong application.
Outdoor recreation already contributes $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy and supports five million jobs; Arkansas alone accounts for about $3.5 billion in output and 39,000 jobs, federal and industry data show.
Trade support for the legislation is wide. The American Sportfishing Association, the RV Industry Association and Turner’s organization have urged Congress to act quickly. “The America the Beautiful Act continues a legacy of investment that sustains jobs, restores lands, and ensures the outdoors remain a pillar of American life,” Turner said.
State investments are lining up as well. The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism has awarded $3.85 million in Outdoor Recreation Grants for fiscal 2025, helping projects in 20 counties pay for playgrounds, pavilions, ballfields and trail links. According to the state grants release, one major beneficiary is Benton, where roughly $775,000 will build the Cherry Demuth Campground, formalize a river launch and connect the Benton Greenbelt Trail to the future 60-mile Southwest Trail, a regional bike and pedestrian spine.
The Great Strides program is distributing $468,838.69 from the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Fund to four cities for health-and-fitness trails. The Sanders administration revived the Great Strides program in 2024 after it had been dormant since 2017. “The focus of the Great Strides program since we restarted it has been to make every part of Arkansas, particularly our smaller communities, great places to live and raise a family by investing in outdoor recreation opportunities,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said when announcing the grants, as reported in the Great Strides awards.
With both federal and state dollars primed to flow, private operators can turn new public amenities into longer stays and higher spend. For example, operators may bundle campsite nights with shuttle service or guided hikes tied to improved trailheads, add kayak racks, bike-wash stations, EV chargers and gear benches to meet fresh demand, and keep Google Business profiles and real-time availability widgets current while pushing geo-targeted ads when upgrades open.
Training front-line staff as local concierges for trail conditions and permit alerts can help upsell gear rentals or lessons, and using dynamic pricing pegged to peak river or trail counts can capture value without deterring off-peak guests. Cross-promotion with nearby outfitters and visitor bureaus and monitoring visitation data to adjust offerings are other strategies that can drive revenue growth.
Congress has a narrow window to pass the America the Beautiful Act before current funding authority sunsets in 2025. If lawmakers act, the convergence of federal and state spending would create a significant opportunity for Arkansas campground, RV-park and outdoor-hospitality businesses that lay the groundwork now by mapping capital plans, nurturing agency ties and honing visitor packages. These businesses will be positioned to greet the coming surge and keep those dollars in their communities.