Thanksgiving An Opportunity For Long Hike At Hobbs

It's good when there's time to take the long way, to take the scenic route on any trip by wheels or feet.

A hike on Thanksgiving morning is as much a tradition as turkey and giving thanks at many a household. We had the holiday free last Thursday, long as we got the bird on the grill by mid-afternoon. There was time to hike for hours, so we did.

The Pigeon Roost Trail called our name from the heart of Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area. Hikers can pick from two routes for a 4-mile hike or an 8-miler. We've done the 4-mile hike enough to know every rock and root along the path. It had been eons since we'd walked the 8-mile loop. Thanksgiving was an opportunity to take the long way, to revisit this meandering 8-mile route through the forest and make room for some Thanksgiving dinner.

There wasn't a car in the lot at the trailhead along Arkansas 12 when we set out at 9:30 a.m. We were thankful for ideal hiking weather with a blue sky and the temperature in the low 40s. Off we went down the trail swinging a hand-carved hiking staff and enjoying late autumn in a lovely forest. Water, a camera and lunch were stashed in a day pack.

The first half-mile or so of the Pigeon Roost Trail is downhill to the first trail intersection at the bottom of a hollow. We generally go left to hike the trail clockwise. It's easy hiking with a gradual climb to the next trail intersection at mile 2. Here one comes to the proverbial fork in the road, well marked by wooden signs. Go right for the 4-mile hike. Veer left for the 8-miler. The 4-mile route is dubbed the Dry Creek Loop, the 8 is the Huckleberry Loop, as the signs indicate.

It had been so long since we'd done the 8-mile hike that the route felt like uncharted territory. Any jitters soon vanished because the trail is easy to follow as it meanders along ridges and into hollows.

Putting one foot in front of the other leads hikers to vistas high above the Van Winkle Hollow arm of Beaver Lake. There are nice views of the lake as the trail turns north. It's easy hiking along the ridge top.

Want to camp at Hobbs? The only way to do it is to backpack to one of the five hike-in campsites on this section of trail. Each site has a fire ring and a level spot for a tent.

The trail eases downhill from the campsite area toward the lake and a great lunch spot. Even the simplest sandwich tastes like gourmet fare enjoyed outdoors on the trail. This is about the halfway point, maybe a tad farther.

Pretty soon the route passes some impressive sinkholes, five or six in a small area. A couple are deep with wide, yawning mouths. Could be a cave system down below.

A zig here and a zag there and the trail joins the 4-mile loop where a big pine tree has toppled to earth. We were back on familiar turf, with 1.5 miles to go back to the trailhead.

Now it was afternoon and we greeted a handful of other hikers with wishes for a happy Thanksgiving. It was good to see people out hiking, thankful to be out in nature.

Outdoors on 12/04/2014

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