Arkansas is bounded on the north by Missouri. Mississippi River, which separates it from Mississippi and Tennessee; to the south is Louisiana; and to the west by the plains of Oklahoma and Texas. Arkansas is the 27th largest among the states with an area of about 53,000 square miles, of these over 600,000 acres are lakes with 9,740 miles of streams.

To the north are the Ozark plateaus, and to the south is the Ouachita province. Between them flows the Arkansas River. In this Arkansas River Valley stand the highest and most impressive peaks of the state the Nebo, Petit Jean and Magazine. Petit Jean is cleft by a canyon with a 75-foot waterfall, and Mount Magazine has the highest elevation in the state, 2,753 ft. The Main Rivers of the state are the Mississippi, Arkansas, White, St. Francis, Red, Ouachita, and their tributaries. Arkansas has many of small streams and lakes, and the plateau section is noted for the many springs. More than one million gallons of water flow daily from 47 springs at the base of Hot Springs Mountain in Hot Springs National Park, with an average temperature of 143 degrees Fahrenheit.

On the southwestern border of Izard County The White River provides recreation and fishing. A world-famous trout fishing river, the White, brings cold water from the depths of Bull Shoals and Norfolk lakes, gradually warming near Batesville. The Strawberry River is a good stream for floaters and on this river is located Horseshoe Bend, a resort retirement community featuring lakes, golf course, health spa, tennis facilities, and a shopping center. The rugged hill country offers hunting and natural Ozark beauty. Two highways, No 9 and No 58, both offer scenic beauty. Calico Rock, a quaint old town, sits on the bluffs above the White River and offers its small-town charm. Many tourists visit Izard County each year recognizing that the county has a fragile environment, easy to destroy but impossible to replace.