Rogers
Arkansas
Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area
Arkansas's largest state park in land area, Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area (HSPCA) covers a 12,056-acre tract of diverse Ozark landscape along the southern shore of 28,370-acre Beaver Lake. Twenty-two of the park’s 60 miles of border stretch along the shores of Beaver Lake. The park lies between Beaver Lake to the north and War Eagle Creek to the south with acreage stretching across a part of Benton County southeast of Beaver Lake and extending into Madison and Carroll counties.
This park's landscape consists of plateaus, ridges, valleys, and streams featuring an upland forest of oak, hickory and pine. Many water features including disappearing streams, springs and seeps have carved the many hollows in this fragile limestone landscape and created cave-related features including numerous sinkholes.
HSPCA is managed jointly by Arkansas State Parks, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The park is 10 miles east of Rogers on Ark. 12, which bisects the park property.
The park's 17,531-square-foot visitor center opened in May 2009. This $4.5 million, state-of-the-art facility features Ozark focused exhibits including interactive kiosks, classroom space, a retail sales area, and the park's administrative offices. Wi-Fi wireless Internet access is available here. The visitor center is on Ark. 12 near the junction with War Eagle Road. Details about the visitor center are listed in this news release.
Park interpreters offer a wide diversity of programs and workshops throughout the year.
The park includes a wide variety of trails. The Historic Van Winkle Trail is a half-mile trail that leads hikers through a tunnel under Ark. 12 to the site of the historic Van Winkle lumber mill and home in Van Winkle Hollow on the West Fork of Little Clifty Creek. View the remnants of a sawmill and an antebellum garden owned by Peter Van Winkle during the 19th century. Beginning in the 1840s and continuing throughout his life, Van Winkle acquired approximately 17,000 acres of land throughout Washington, Benton, Madison, and Carroll counties by filing for land patents and purchasing foreclosed land. The tunnel and associated walkways were designed to provide barrier-free access to the historic site. Wayside interpretive panels along the trail provide hikers with information about this historic area. The trailhead features a parking lot large enough to accommodate three school buses or recreational vehicles and 18 automobiles. Water fountains and a composting toilet are located adjacent to the parking area.
Recent News
Wonders of Winter Wildlife (WOWW) at Hobbs State Park
Special Event: W.O.W.W.! (Wonders of Winter Wildlife): Cure your cabin fever with this special event at the Hobbs Visitor Center! Everyone is welcome to partake in a hot beverage and make s’more at the pavilion. Event sponsors: Bluebird Shed…
Read More »Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area to hold Numbers in Nature Program
Environmental scientist and math enthusiast, Eric Fuselier, to discuss patterns found in nature ROGERS, AR – Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will host Eric Fuselier, environmental scientist, and math enthusiast, for a Numbers in Nature…
Read More »Dr. Austin Jones to speak about pollinators at Hobbs state Park
University of Arkansas entomologist to speak at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area Dr. Austin Jones to answer common questions about pollinators (ROGERS, Ark.) – Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will host a free pollinator program on…
Read More »Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area to Host ‘Catch the Buzz’ Beekeeper Program
Rogers, AR - Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will host a beekeeper program on Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m., at the park’s visitor center, 20201 E. Highway 12, Rogers. The program is free and open to the public. Two members of the Northwest…
Read More »Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area to Host Waterfall Program with Guest Flip Putthoff
Program to showcase Ozark waterfalls and share information about visiting them. ROGERS, AR – Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will host a waterfall program at the visitor center. The program is free and open to the public. Flip Putthoff,…
Read More »Earth Day Activities At Hobbs State Park
Saturday, April 15th: Activities from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Celebrate the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day and the 100th anniversary of Arkansas State Parks! Food trucks will be selling food and drinks. A percentage of sales benefits the park.…
Read More »Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area : Living Healthy in Nature
(ROGERS/SPRINGDALE, Ark.) – “Living Healthy in Nature,” a program from the combined expertise of the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education and Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, will feature monthly outings and healthy…
Read More »Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area To Host ‘Tick Smart : Staying Safe In Tick Country'
Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will host “Friends of Hobbs Speaker Series: Tick Smart: Staying Safe in Tick Country” on Sunday, March 5, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the visitor center. Dr. Sonya Graves-Zawada, professor of biology at…
Read More »Living Healthy in Nature - Hobbs State Park
(ROGERS/SPRINGDALE, Ark.) – “Living Healthy in Nature,” a program from the combined expertise of the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education and Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, will feature monthly outings and healthy…
Read More »Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area : Wonders of Winter Wildlife - Hobbs State Park
(ROGERS, Ark.) – Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area is hosting a Wonders of Winter Wildlife (WOWW) event on Saturday, Jan. 21, from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the park’s visitor center. The event is sponsored by The Bluebird Shed and 3-D Pet…
Read More »Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area: Eagle Watch Cruises Begin at Hobbs State Park
Eagle Watch Cruises Begin at Hobbs State Park The Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782 and a spiritual symbol for native people for far longer than that. It sits on top of the food chain and can claim to be…
Read More »Special Loon Tours Scheduled On Beaver Lake With Joe Neal
Hobbs State Park and bird expert Joe Neal will again offer two educational boat trips on Beaver Lake, with focus on migrating Common Loons. Other waterfowl species typically seen, include Horned Grebes, several duck species, two gull species, Bald…
Read More »Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area - Living Healthy In Nature
Hobbs State Park forms new collaboration with Schmieding Center: "Living Healthy in Nature" (ROGERS/SPRINGDALE, Ark.) – "Living Healthy in Nature" will be a reoccurring interactive outing from the combined expertise of the Schmieding Center…
Read More »Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area to Offer Two Summer Camps
Summer camp is a very special place where kids come together to have fun, gain self-confidence, and learn new skills. Within a safe and structured setting, children develop a sense of independence as they try new adventures away from home where…
Read More »4 Outdoor Primitive Skills Workshops Offered At Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area
What are primitive skills? Primitive skills are ways to appropriately use materials found in nature to solve problems and provide life supporting needs. They are survival techniques passed down through generations, including shelter building,…
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