Lake offers winter campsites
Winter camping is available at several parks on Beaver Lake and on the White River below Beaver Dam. Sites may be reserved at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. All payments will be made online or over the phone.
Camping is available on the lake at these parks: Lost Bridge North, Prairie Creek, Horseshoe Bend and War Eagle. Dam Site River park below Beaver Dam is also open for winter camping.
Ranch trail run set
New Life Ranch will host its third annual Flint & Steel Trail Run at 7 a.m. Dec. 5. There are virtual and in-person race options, which will meander through trails on the rolling, wooded 1,000 acres of the camp property on Flint Creek, at 160 New Life Ranch Drive in Colcord, Okla.
Distances for the in-person race include a one-mile fun run, 5k, 10k 25k and 25k relay.
Proceeds from the race will be directed to the Mission 19:14 scholarship fund.
Register for the race at newliferanch.com/flintandsteel. For questions, contact Shelby Mooty, race director, shelby@newliferanch.com.
Trails close for hunt
Most trails at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will close Dec. 2-6 for the park's permit modern gun deer season. The hunt is by permit only and permits have already been awarded. At 12,000 acres, Hobbs is Arkansas' largest state park and the only state park that allows hunting.
Funds benefit watersheds
Some landowners in the Beaver Lake watershed may be eligible for funding assistance to conduct voluntary agricultural conservation practices that protect water quality. More than $2 million in federal funding has been allocated to assist landowners in the Brush Creek and Roberts Creek watersheds in Madison and Washington counties.
For details contact the Beaver Watershed Alliance, info@beaverwatershedalliance.org or call 479-750-8007
Park open for catch, release
Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Mo. is open for catch and release trout fishing.
Fishing is with flies only. Anglers may fish Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the second Monday in February. All trout must be released. A Missouri fishing license and annual trout permit are required.
Day-use fees resume
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has resumed collecting day-use fees at several parks on Beaver Lake and corps parks at other waterways. Fee collections were suspended earlier this year when recreation areas were closed because of virus concerns.
Fees are collected at boat launch ramps, picnic areas and swim beaches. People who purchased an annual day-use pass between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020, will have seven months added to the expiration date.
Visitors to corps parks are encouraged to practice social distance precautions. For recreation information visit www.swl.usace.army.mil.
Naturalists seek trainees
Applications are being accepted for Northwest chapter of Arkansas Master Naturalists training for new members. Classes start in late January preparing for graduation in May.
Naturalists in training classes will occur via Zoom, with approximately 50 hours of virtual lectures and interpreted hike videos, with time allowed for discussion.
Students may attend either Saturday morning or Wednesday evening classes, which typically last three to four hours. Field work for individuals and and small groups, socially distanced, will vary in format and location.
Cost is $135 for the training and materials plus $30 annual dues. Cost is $80 for an additional household member if materials are shared.
Visit www.nwamn.org for more information and a link to an online application.
Study targets small lakes
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has completed electrofishing studies on Bob Kidd, Elmdale and Lincoln lakes, reports Jon Stein, district fisheries supervisor.
Results show that Bob Kidd Lake has good numbers of big redear sunfish. Lake Elmdale has the most sunfish. Staff netted 1,000 bluegill and redear sunfish in one hour of electrofishing. Lincoln Lake contains some trophy largemouth bass.
With electrofishing, fish are stunned with electric current, netted, measured and released unharmed. Fishing should be good this fall as water temperatures cool, Stein said.