Hiking Hobbs State Park, Arkansas - Jan. 2017

Last weekend, a few friends (the regulars, Brian D. and Darren G. and newcomer/coworker Chris D.) and I drove a couple hours south to Arkansas and spent a couple days and nights in the woods. Being winter and winter weather being more chaotic in the past few years (place peer reviewed scientifically backed reason here or not), we limited ourselves to easy access destinations. Last year, we were iced-in along the Buffalo River for a couple of days and we didn't really want a repeat situation.

Hobbs State Park fell on our radar simply because we'd never been there and it seemed easy to get to. Since we were opting to car camp and bring cast iron and other items of the heavy kitchen sink variety, we chose to camp at nearby Withrow Springs State Park rather than backpack heavy gear into Hobbs. Hobbs only has hike-in sites.

Hobbs was a decent hike. In the 9.5 miles we walked Saturday, it repeatedly touched along Beaver Lake, which was nice. Being around water always seems to break up the monotony a tunnel of trees sometimes creates.

Sunday morning, we hung out under a tarp in the rain for a few hours and then before heading back to Springfield, Chris and I went back and checked out War Eagle Mill, along War Eagle creek.

Wildlife seen: bald eagles, kingfishers, woodpeckers of various size and shape (including pileated), an armadillo, bats and a couple of roadrunners. Wildlife heard: owls and coyotes.