Drive slowly along the road leaking to the Dardanelle (Yell County) side of the dam. Look for open views of the river for large congregations of gulls along the river bank or on the gravel bar. Once inside the Recreation Area, drive down toward the river and check the hoards of wintering gulls and allies for anything unusual. 

Gulls of various ages and species can be found here in the winter. Greater Roadrunners may still be active here but it's been a while since one was reported here. Breeding and migrating songbirds are active in the forests inside the Recreation Area, and eagles can often be spotted.

Riverview Recreation Area views of the southwest side of the Lake Dardanelle Dam. Bird from the parking area or walk on the sandy shore on the downstream side of the lot. There is portable toilet in the parking lot.

Dardanelle Rock Natural Area contains an exposure of Hartshorne sandstone that was folded into a synclinal (concave upward fold) structure when the Ouachita Mountains were formed and then breached through erosion by the Arkansas River to form a water gap. Dardanelle Rock has been a major landmark along the Arkansas River since the days of early Arkansas exploration. Parts of the outcrop are naturally devoid of vegetation; however, some slopes hold enough soil to support a forest of black oak, mockernut hickory, and shortleaf pine.

The site is located on the east end of Dardanelle Mountain at Dardanelle, Arkansas. To access the area, turn north off state Highway 7 onto Front Street. Proceed 1 mile to the natural area sign.

Lake Dardanelle (34,300 acres) was formed by a dam on the Arkansas River. It is managed as a navigable waterway by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The 240-acre Lake Dardanelle State Park, managed by Arkansas State Parks, offers various recreational opportunities. Much of the area is interspersed by river channels of the Arkansas & Piney Rivers and the Illinois Bayou. Shoreline, island, and upland habitats vary from pine to hardwood forest. The dam, state park, Piney Point, and Delaware Recreation Area are among the often used viewing areas.