See moon, Mars cross paths
NWA Space and Science Center will host a free viewing event Wednesday night at Kathleen Johnson Memorial Park in Lowell to see the moon pass in front of Mars.
A program explaining what happens when the moon passes in front of a star or planet begins at 7:30. Viewing starts at 8:30 p.m. The moon will pass in front of Marsh about 8:56 p.m. Mars will reappear about 9:43 p.m.
Viewers should bring a small flashlight covered with a red cloth or red balloon, binoculars or a telescope, folding chair and warm blanket. Recommended minimum age for this program is 8 years old.
Call NWA Space and Science Center at (479) 282-5159 for more information. Check www.nwa.space/mission-control for cancellations because of clouds.
Camp in cool solitude
Winter camping is offered at Beaver Lake through March. Campsites are available at Lost Bridge North, Prairie Creek, Horseshoe Bend and Hickory Creek parks. Camping on the White River below Beaver Dam is available at Dam Site River park.
Visit www.recreation.gov to reserve a site or call (877) 444-6777. For questions call the Beaver Lake project office of the Army Corps of Engineers at (479) 636-1210.
Caverns close for season
Blanchard Springs Caverns near Mountain View has closed its visitor season for 2022. Tours of the caverns will resume on March 9. Tour reservations will be available before that date and will be announced when reservations will be accepted.
Ozark-St. Francis National Forest operates the caverns. Around 90,000 visitors tour the caverns each year.
Catch a rainbow trout
In mid-November, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocked rainbow trout in small urban lakes across Arkansas for winter fishing. Stocked lakes around the region include Lake Atalanta in Rogers, Lake Bentonville, Lake Springdale, Murphy Park Lake in Springdale, Torraine Lake and Wells Lake in Fort Smith and Van Buren Municipal pond.
The daily limit if five trout. Anglers 16 and older must carry an Arkansas fishing license and trout permit.
Give the gift of camping, archery
Gift cards for the holiday season are available for camping at Coler Mountain Bike Preserve and day passes to The Quiver archery range, both in Bentonville.
At Coler, gift cards are good for a two-night stay on a small tent platform. To purchase cards, call 479-364-0168 Thursdays through Mondays.
Gift cards to The Quiver may be purchased at the range located at Osage Park, 1701 S.W. F St. in Bentonville from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go to peelcompton.org to order gift cards online.
Eagle cruises added
Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area offers pontoon boat cruises to see bald eagles on Beaver Lake. Trips set sail Saturdays and Sundays through February. Extra dates have been added in December during the Christmas season on Dec. 23 and Dec. 27-31.
Cost is $15 plus tax for adults or $7.50 plus tax for children age 6-12.. Trips depart at 3 p.m. from Rocky Branch Marina. Advance reservations are required and are made through the park by calling the visitor center, 479-789-5000.
Most trails at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will be closed for limited permit deer hunts on certain days in December and January. Trails will be close Wednesday through Dec. and Jan. 7-8. Closed trails include Hidden Diversity multiuse trail, Monument Trails Wolf Den and Karst loops, Shaddox Hollow, Sinking Stream, Pigeon Roost.
At 12,000 acres, Hobbs is Arkansas' largest state park and the only Arkansas state park that allows hunting.
Shirts celebrate Buffalo anniversary
Buffalo National River Partners, in cooperation with Bonfire, an online merchandise store used by non-profit organizations across the country, is offering tee shirts and sweatshirts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Buffalo National River in 2022.
Shirts feature the 50th anniversary logo created by Laura Salinas of Rogers. The artwork shows a canoe paddler passing a bluff with another person paddling a birchbark canoe.
Sales are a fundraiser for Buffalo National River Partners that supports the cultural, recreational and educational programs at Buffalo National River. The Buffalo was designated the nation's first National River by congress in 1972.
Visit bonfire.com/store/buffalo-national-river-partners/ to order a shirt.
NWA Outdoors listings are for any news or upcoming events in or about the outdoors recreation except competitive ball sports. Send submissions to [email protected].