CONWAY, Ark. — Come one, come all to see the origin of one of the most original, odd names in Arkansas.
The folklore of Toad Suck is decades old. Historians say locals witnessed river boat crew docking at the local tavern. Sometimes, the river levels were too high to take the ferry back to the other side of the river. Instead, they would take shelter in the tavern and suck on beer bottles until they “swelled up like a toad.” From there, grew the name, Toad Suck.
Toad Suck is now a Army Corps of Engineer park where folks can pull in their campers, pop a tent, or just come by and use one of the many pavilions. There is a dam to control the river levels, so no need to worry about getting stuck. Highway 60 now runs over the dam and through the park.
While at the park, our team connected with Brian Ratliff, AKA the Toad Master. Brian shared history of Toad Suck park and Toad Suck Daze, which is a free festival every May in Conway.
Toad Suck park is a popular destination for camping, family reunions and holiday parties. It is a first come, first serve park for camping so get there early! Click here for campground guidelines.
