Uncategorized – Page 24 – rocky mountain tot

Arkansas Day Trip: Hobbs State Park and War Eagle Mill

Hobbs State Park Visitors Center

Hobbs State Park is the biggest state park in Arkansas. It is located in Rogers, Arkansas and is known for hiking, biking, and its miles of shore line along Beaver Lake. The Visitor Center is open daily from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.

The visitors center is filled with educational exhibits about animals and plants you may find in the area. The cave exhibit was my daughters’ favorite.

cave exhibit at Hobbs State Park visitor center

They also enjoyed the Kids Corner which is stacked with games and books about nature. I appreciated the clean restrooms and friendly staff who answered all of my questions about near by hiking trails.

mother nature story time

The center hosts a variety of family-friendly activities including a Mother Nature story time held each second Saturday of the month at 10:30 am. Mark your calendar: Upcoming 2019 story times include: ‘Bats – Not Really Scary’ on October 12; ‘It’s Turkey Time’ on November 9; and ‘Who Goes There? Footprints and Animal Signs’ on December 14.

Outside of the visitors center there is a small pond and a viewing deck. This is a good place to watch wildlife.

We spotted a snake from the deck. I convinced myself that it was a Western Pigmy Rattlesnake (because I’m terrified of snakes). However, it was most likely a nonvenomous water snake innocently enjoying the late summer sun.

Right outside the visitor center there are several picnic tables that rest under the shade of towering pine trees.

Ozark plateau trail

Beyond the picnic area, there is a half mile paved trail called the Ozark Plateau Trail. The trail is easy, well shaded, and includes several benches to rest on if little feet get tired.

We enjoyed seeing the variety of trees, mushrooms, and plants along the trail.

hobbs state park fall festival

Mark your calendar: Hobbs State Park is hosting a Fall Festival on October 6, 2019 from 1-4 pm. This free event is located at the Historic Van Winkle Hollow and includes activities such as blacksmith demonstrations, old-timey games, and music.

OZARK PLATEAU TRAIL paved trail. half mile long. short family-friendly

war eagle mill

After our fun morning at Hobbs State Park Visitor Center and hiking the Plateau Trail, we worked up an appetite. We stopped at the War Eagle Mill which is a short five-minute drive away.

The War Eagle Mill dates back to 1832. The mill is open daily for guests to purchase flours, mixes, jams, gifts, and other hand crafted items in their gift shop. Tours are available to learn more about the history of the active mill.

bean palace cafe

We enjoyed lunch on the 3rd floor in the Bean Palace Cafe. Lunch is served daily from 10:30 am – 4:00 pm. There is a kids menu with prices ranging from $5-$6 per meal which include a souvenir cup. We also tasted their famous beans.

We were lucky to get a table that looked out over the War Eagle Creek and the one-lane bridge that crosses over it.

Mark your calendar: The War Eagle Mill will be hosting a Fall Craft Fair next month on Thursday, October 17 through Sunday, October 20, 2019.

Since moving to Northwest Arkansas last winter, I’m eager to explore all that our area has to offer. I appreciate that Hobbs State Park offers beautiful scenery and educational experiences so close to our new home. Our time at the War Eagle Mill felt charming, authentic, and historically relevant. I’m looking forward to our next trip!

If you have suggestions for fall day trips near Northwest Arkansas, please comment below.

8 Essentials for Family Bike Night

Riding bikes as a family is one of our favorite outdoor activities. Just like hiking, we’ve evolved a lot this summer from both kids riding in a bike trailer pulled by my husband, to at least one, if not both, of our girls wanting to ride their own bikes. This transition has changed the distance of our rides and the gear that we need.

If you are interested in spending more unstructured time together as a family, biking is a great option. Here are a list of things to consider before heading out:

We temporarily added poms on the side of Cecy’s bike for our neighborhood 4th of July parade.

1: time

Sometimes it is a challenge to find time in our busy schedules to go on a family bike ride. It typically takes us only 15-20 minutes to go on a bike ride with our kids if we are riding around our neighborhood. I would budget 1-2 hours for a trail ride depending on travel distance and loading bikes.

2: Helmets

I’m always shouting towards my kids to put on their helmets. I want to make it second nature for them, like putting on your seat belts. I think it helps if you let them pick out their helmet in a favorite color or movie character.

3: Bikes

I don’t believe it matters what bikes you are riding on a family bike night. If you are looking for suggestions, we are happy with our bikes:

My husband rides a road bike that he purchased from a site called bikesdirect.
I have an old hybrid bike similar to this one.
My 4.5 year old rides a Co-op kids bike from REI like this one.
My 2.5 year old has a KaZam No Pedal Balance Bike like this one from amazon.

Of all of these bikes, we have been most amazed by how fast our older daughter picked up riding bikes (without training wheels) by practicing on the balance bike. Now, our little one is taking off riding the balance bike and getting better each day.

4: Bike Trailer with Connecting Pin

We have a Schwinn 2-seater bike trailer similar to this trailer. My Mom found a great deal on it at a garage sale. (I think we spent $15). We ordered an extra bike coupler like this one, so that we could easily connect the trailer to both my husband’s and my bike.

5: pack to carry phone and car keys

We’ve been using a simple drawstring backpack (like this pack) to carry our phones and car keys in. You can also purchase a bag that fits directly to your bike like this bag from REI.

6: water bottle

Keeping water conveniently accessible is the easiest way to keep hydrated. For me, that means getting a water bottle that fits into the water bottle cage on our bike.

7: Bike rack

We purchased a Saris bike rack from local bike shop Phat Tire for our anniversary present this year. This has been a great tool that allows us to go biking on trials throughout our area.

8: Proper clothes and shoes – AKA no princess dresses

My girls love dressing up in princess costumes. My oldest refused to wear t-shirts for the longest time, but I’ve convinced her that riding bikes in fancy dresses isn’t the safest idea. We were able to find some cute ‘princess approved’ active wear at Old Navy and Target. Her favorite t-shirts are flip-over sequin shirts. We also want our girls to wear good athletic shoes instead of flip flops or bare feet when they are riding their bikes. For this age, I buy Velcro which helps make sure the laces don’t get wound up in the wheels. These purple Puma’s are on sale right now at DSW, and they are adorable!

Sunglasses are also helpful when it’s bright outside and to keep bugs from flying into everyone’s eyes.

EXTRAS

Like any outdoor sport you get into, cycling and bicycling has unlimited gear to add to the experience. For example, we enjoy having a GPS watch to track mileage, but I wouldn’t consider this an essential item.

For our family, biking has created a fun bonding experience and we can see our girls’ self-confidence grow as they improve on a new skill. Biking is a good way to enjoy nature, explore our new home town, learn to communicate safety rules-of-the-road, and get some screen-free time together. Plus, it’s great exercise!

New Family – Favorite Hike: Black Canyon Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park

Just when I think we’ve hiked every kid-friendly trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, we find a new one and I get so very excited to try it out. Our recent hike on the Black Canyon trail exceeded our expectations. Our young girls enjoyed themselves because of the short distance and rocks to climb on, while I appreciated the unique rock formations and the mountain views.

Lumpy Ridge Trailhead

The Black Canyon trail leaves from the Lumpy Ridge trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. The Lumpy Ridge is located off of Devils Gulch road in Estes Park, Colorado.

Raptors

This area is known for unique rock formations which are natural habitats for raptors. When raptors make nests in the rocks, the National Park Service shuts down the trail to protect these birds of prey. When planning a trip, just be aware that the trail might be closed from spring through mid-summer.

rock climbing and trail running

The Lumpy Ridge is a popular technical rock climbing destination. You can see Twin Owls perched above the trail. We saw several rock climbers heading up with their ropes and climbing gear. This trail also seems to be a popular spot for trail running.

Walk through aspen grove with Twin Owls in background

Views of the Rocky Mountains

This area offers expansive views of the peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park.

There was a huge rock and tree right off the trail that my girls LOVED. They pretended that it was their tree house. This was a great spot to enjoy a water break.

We continued our hike, but soon the trail divided. The left leads to climber access trails for Batman Rock as well as The Book, The Pear, and Sundance Buttress. We were surprised to see that the trail continues all the way to Lawn Lake (9 miles).

Towards the right, there is a trail up to Lower Twin Owls and Upper Twin Owls. We decided to head back the way we came, making the total distance 1.2 miles round-trip.

National Park Service map at trail head – I added yellow highlight to show trail section we hiked on.

More hikes from lumpy ridge Trailhead

On prior trips, we’ve enjoyed hiking up to Gem Lake. Seeing our young kids, a park ranger urged us to go on the Black Canyon trail and I appreciate the suggestion. Gem Lake is a great hike, but a good portion of that hike is straight up the mountain.

Links to our posts about Gem Lake:

Rocky Mountain Tot Goes to Gem Lake

Riding High in New Kid Carrier

Family Hike to Bierstadt Lake Plus An Unexpected Moose Sighting

Bierstadt Lake hike in rocky mountain national park. hike under 3 miles. features mountain views, wildlife spot in rocky mountain national park, moose

The hike to Bierstadt Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park is one of our family’s favorite hikes. On our most recent trip, we parked at the Bierstadt Lake trailhead at 8,850 ft. in elevation.

The trail to Bierstadt Lake is 1.4 miles each way. You can add on extra mileage by walking around the lake, which we recommend to get the best views of Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak.

One of the benefits of walking at a toddler’s pace is the chance to notice extra details I might miss when walking on my own – like these berries and pretty wildflowers.

You could see the first signs of autumn. These aspens will turn golden yellow in just a few weeks.

The trail up to the lake gains 566 ft. of elevation along several switchbacks.

Wide open views of the surrounding mountains make the climb worth the effort.

We could also see Sprague Lake in the distance. It appeared to be glowing in the morning sunlight.

At just over a mile, the trail levels out and heads back into the forest.

Trail signage points out that there are several paths to get to Bierstadt Lake. Alternative routes include the Park & Ride (1.9 miles/way) and Bear Lake (1.9 miles/way). If you decide to walk around the lake, make note of the direction you came from. With so many trails, it can get confusing.

Bierstadt Lake is beautiful and peaceful. It’s an ideal spot to take a moment to enjoy the mountain views.

In a former post I ‘complained’ about the ducks, but they weren’t as pesky this time.

After we enjoyed a snack at the lake, we headed back down the mountain the way we came. I was very proud of both girls for walking a majority of the trail on their own. I was also proud of myself and my husband for having patience when they wanted to stop and draw pictures in the dirt.

At the very end of the hike, we saw an enormous moose walking through the forest. We were surprised, excited, and a little nervous. We picked up the girls and backed away so the moose didn’t feel threated by our presence. He eventually crossed the parking lot and street. I guessed he might be headed towards Sprague Lake, which is a spot we’ve spotted moose on a prior trip.

Category: Uncategorized