Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area

State park in Arkansas, United States

Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area

Historic bridge leading to the Van Winkle site

Location in Arkansas

Show map of Arkansas

Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area (the United States)

Show map of the United States

Location| Benton, Carroll, and Madison County, Arkansas, United States
Coordinates| 36°17′6″N 93°56′19″W﻿ / ﻿36.28500°N 93.93861°W﻿ / 36.28500; -93.93861
Area| 12,056 acres (48.79 km2)[1]
Established| 1979[1]
Named for| Roscoe C. Hobbs
Governing body| Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism/Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission/Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Website| Hobbs State Park–Conservation Area

Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area (formerly known as Beaver Lake State Park and Hobbs State Management Area[2]) is a 12,056-acre (4,879 ha) Arkansas state park in Benton, Carroll, and Madison Counties, Arkansas in the United States. The park was bought in 1979 through a huge financial effort from Northwest Arkansas banks. Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area is located almost entirely in the Springfield Plateau subdivision of the Ozark Plateau. The park, located just south of Beaver Lake, is open for year-round recreation, including 32.9 miles (52.9 km) of hiking, mountain bike and equestrian trails. Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area also has several picnic areas, a shooting range, and primitive camping sites.

## History

[edit]

Roscoe C. Hobbs was born in 1881 in Northwest Arkansas. He would become the manager of the Arkansas and Oklahoma Western Railroad, but made his fortune by founding the Hobbs-Western Tie Company.[3] Hobbs' railroad tie business gave him both an appreciation of the hardwoods in the area and the money to buy many acres of undeveloped forest in the region. In 1962, Hobbs donated 320 acres (130 ha) near Huntsville to the state of Arkansas, which became Withrow Springs State Park.[3] Upon his death, Hobbs' land was willed to his heirs with the stipulation that upon sale the state of Arkansas must have first priority to purchase it.

In 1977, the land was offered to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at $350/acre. In 1978, a California firm offered on the property and the deal went to escrow. Upon learning of the firm's plans to develop the land into vacation houses, citizens began to oppose the development of the area. The Game & Fish Commission did not have adequate funds to purchase the land, even though they labeled it as "highly desirable".[3] The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism also wanted to purchase the land for a state park, but did not have the necessary funds. With renewed local interest, the acquisition of the park became a legislative issue, and Governor David Pryor eventually decided that the park should be obtained and protected.

In order to pay for the land, a host of organizations including the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, The Nature Conservancy, and Fayetteville banks joined to offer on the tract. Pryor, along with many representatives from the listed organizations, traveled to St. Louis, Missouri to negotiate with the Hobbs estate trustees. Eventually, all 22 banks in Benton, Carroll, Madison, and Washington Counties were involved in the purchase. Sam Walton, Hayden McIlroy, senators Kaneaster Hodges and Dale Bumpers and many others were instrumental in the process.[3] The Arkansas General Assembly purchased the land from The Nature Conservancy using the money loaned from the banks (a sum of $3,175,000, loaned with 9% interest), made official by Governor Bill Clinton at a ceremony on February 19, 1979.

Because of this joint effort, the park is owned by Arkansas State Parks, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The ownership is also reflected in the park's name.[2]

## Geology

[edit]

The area was historically a limestone seabed, currently being eroded by creeks, creating a classic karst topography. The park contains the springs, seeps, and disappearing streams expected with the limestone formations.[1]

## Recreation

[edit]

### Camping

[edit]

The park contains five campsites along the Pigeon Roost Trail, and six sites on the Karst Loop Trail. The sites are primitive, and some overlook Beaver Lake. Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area does not contain any other types of cabin or lodging.[1]

### Gun shooting range

[edit]

Four target stands are available beginning with 25 feet (7.6 m) and increasing in 25 feet (7.6 m) intervals. The shooting station is covered and has five stations. Only paper targets are allowed and shotguns are prohibited. This is the only shooting range in an Arkansas state park.

### Trails

[edit]

* Shaddox Hollow Trail, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) trail in the northwest corner of the park near Arkansas Highway 303[1]
* Pigeon Roost Trail, 8.4 miles (13.5 km) trail beginning near the visitor center on Arkansas Highway 12[1] Pedestrian traffic only. No bicycles or horses.
* Hidden Diversity Multi-use Trail, 23 miles (37 km) trail with guided tours available[1]
* Historic Van Winkle Trail, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wheelchair-accessible trail that includes a tunnel under AR 12[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Hobbs State Park–Conservation Area". Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
2. ^ a b "Hobbs State Park–Conservation Area". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Central Arkansas Library System. June 4, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2020. "In November 2002, the Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission voted to change the name of Beaver Lake State Park and Hobbs State Management Area to Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, the name that now covers the entire property."
3. ^ a b c d "Chronology of the Roscoe C. Hobbs Estate Acquisition by the State of Arkansas" (PDF). Friends of Hobbs State Park–Conservation Area. July 11, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area.

* Hobbs State Park–Conservation Area Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism

* v
* t
* e

Protected areas in Arkansas

Federal|

| National Park|

* Hot Springs

|

National Historic Sites|

* Fort Smith
* Little Rock Central High School
* President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home

National Forests|

* Ouachita
* Ozark–St. Francis

National Memorial|

* Arkansas Post

National Military Park|

* Pea Ridge

National River|

* Buffalo

National Wildlife Refuges|

* Bald Knob
* Big Lake
* Cache River
* Felsenthal
* Holla Bend
* Logan Cave
* Overflow
* Pond Creek
* Wapanocca
* White River

Wilderness Areas|

* Big Lake
* Black Fork Mountain
* Buffalo National River
* Caney Creek
* Dry Creek
* East Fork
* Flatside
* Hurricane Creek
* Leatherwood
* Poteau Mountain
* Richland Creek
* Upper Buffalo

National Wild and Scenic Rivers|

* Big Piney Creek
* Cossatot
* Hurricane Creek
* Little Missouri
* Mulberry
* North Sylamore Creek
* Richland Creek

State|

| State Parks|

* Arkansas Post Museum
* Bull Shoals-White River
* Cane Creek
* Conway Cemetery
* Cossatot River
* Crater of Diamonds
* Crowley's Ridge
* Daisy
* Davidsonville
* DeGray Lake
* Delta Heritage Trail
* Devil's Den
* Hampson Archeological Museum
* Herman Davis
* Historic Washington
* Hobbs
* Jacksonport
* Jenkins' Ferry Battleground
* Lake Catherine
* Lake Charles
* Lake Chicot
* Lake Dardanelle
* Lake Fort Smith
* Lake Frierson
* Lake Ouachita
* Lake Poinsett
* Logoly
* Louisiana Purchase
* Lower White River Museum
* Mammoth Spring
* Marks' Mills Battleground
* Millwood
* Mississippi River
* Moro Bay
* Mount Magazine
* Mount Nebo
* Museum of Natural Resources
* Ozark Folk Center
* Parkin Mounds
* Petit Jean
* Pinnacle Mountain
* Plantation Agriculture Museum
* Plum Bayou Mounds
* Poison Springs Battleground
* Powhatan
* Prairie Grove Battlefield
* Queen Wilhelmina
* South Arkansas Arboretum
* Village Creek
* White Oak Lake
* Withrow Springs
* Woolly Hollow

|

State Forest|

* Poison Springs State Forest

Wildlife Management Areas|

* List

Arkansas portal

This template's initial visibility currently defaults to `collapsed`, meaning that it is hidden apart from its title bar.

To change this template's initial visibility, the `|state=` parameter may be used:

* `{{Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area|state=expanded}}` will show the template expanded, i.e. fully visible.
* `{{Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area|state=autocollapse}}` will show the template autocollapsed, i.e. if there is another collapsible item on the page (a navbox, sidebar, or table with the collapsible attribute), it is hidden apart from its title bar, but if not, it is fully visible.

Protected areas of the United State
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template