Roland is an unincorporated community in western Pulaski County, just north of Pinnacle Mountain State Park and near Lake Maumelle, the reservoir that supplies much of Central Arkansas with drinking water. Land, wooded lots, and custom homes are the draw.
The feel
Out past the edge of west Little Rock, the subdivisions thin out and the land opens up into hills, woods, and river bottoms. Roland is a census designated place of about 820 people (2020 Census), spread across nearly nine square miles. It sits north of Pinnacle Mountain State Park, not far from the Arkansas River, with Lake Maumelle just to the west. Its post office dates to 1884, and it later grew as a stop on the railroad west from Little Rock. Today it is quiet, rural, and close to some of the best outdoor space in the state.
The homes
This is acreage country. Expect custom homes on large wooded lots, small farms, and older rural houses on land, rather than tract subdivisions. Buyers come here for space for shops, gardens, animals, and privacy. Lots and homes vary widely in age, construction, road access, and utilities, so every parcel needs its own homework. Land near the lake falls inside the Lake Maumelle watershed, which affects what can be built. If you plan to build, walk the land with your builder and confirm access, slope, and drainage before closing.
Schools
Roland is in the Pulaski County Special School District and is zoned to the Joe T. Robinson schools: Joe T. Robinson Elementary, Middle, and High School. Attendance zones can change, and nearby rural addresses may be assigned differently, so verify the assignment for any property directly with PCSSD. Ask about bus routes and pickup points too. On long rural roads they can matter as much as the school itself, and they are set by the district.
Getting around
State Highway 300 runs through Roland, and part of the route is a component of the Arkansas River Trail for cyclists. Highway 300 and nearby roads lead southeast toward west Little Rock, and downtown is roughly twenty miles away by car. It is a driving lifestyle: groceries, schools, and work all mean a trip, but west Little Rock's shopping is within reach. The old railroad line that put Roland on the map is still in use, operated since 1980 by the Little Rock and Western Railway.
Life here
Lake Maumelle covers about 9,000 acres with roughly 70 miles of shoreline. The Big Maumelle River was dammed starting in 1956, and water began flowing to customers in 1958. Boating and fishing are allowed, but swimming is not, because the lake is a drinking water reservoir managed by Central Arkansas Water. Next door, Pinnacle Mountain State Park covers about 2,069 acres, with a summit at 1,011 feet, hiking and mountain bike trails, the 71-acre Arkansas Arboretum, and a section of the Ouachita Trail.
Owning here
The Lake Maumelle watershed has its own Pulaski County zoning code, amended in 2014, that lists prohibited uses, limits high-density development, and requires open space and stream buffers. Check how it applies to a parcel before you plan a build, a subdivision, or a business use. Central Arkansas Water also runs a watershed management program aimed at sediment and runoff. In rural parts of the county, confirm water source, septic, road maintenance, easements, and FEMA flood status for low ground near creeks and rivers.
