Hobbs State Park II: Shameless Sequel

Thanks to the hearts and minds won in the previous post (or in spite of it), today Hobbs State Park earned the "Park of the Year" award for its region.

[Morning News: Hobbs Chosen Park of the Year In Region 1]

This Saturday they will share the euphoria with their first ever autumn festival, titled "Fall in Love with Hobbs." Wow, I'm not sure I'm ready for that level of park commitment just yet, but it sounds like a fine time. The lineup features a blend of folk, history, nature, and guided trail walks.



Whatever your penchant for park-loving, I won't judge. When I'm not driving the Ozarks, I sometimes hike them, too. A favorite is the Shaddox Hollow Nature Trail, an easily accessed 1.5-mile loop to Beaver Lake and back. The Spring months boom with wildflowers and dogwood blossoms, and mid-October is a smart bet for Fall foliage.



You will also see a slate of limestone outcroppings characteristic of the Ozarks. The path winds past bluffs holding a range of water-carved formations, like the above nature-made keyhole. What would you find if you unlocked the Ozark Mountains? Dwarves? Bring your giant key and find out. Probably dwarves.



Along with hiking, another amusement of mine is finding old cars abandoned to nature. While discarded junk has an edge of anti-naturalism, vehicles are treasures that spur the imagination (and tetanus if you're clumsy). What kind of stories are in a car's past? How did it get all the way out in the middle of nowhere? The Bashore Ridge Loop passes an early fifties Chevrolet truck shed of everything but its cab and a squirrel-gnawed steering wheel. A healthy distance away, I found a shot-riddled hood buried under leaves. Not in a matching color, but definitely belonging to a Chevy truck of similar vintage. The Ozarks are a goldmine for hillbilly paleology.


Piney Road and church, Townsend Ridge Road

The Hobbs in-roads aren't bad, either. When you can catch a break in traffic, Highway 12 and its side tours to trail heads are driving excellence. In the Hobbs hills, you'll find elevation changes, regular steering inputs, and all the usual cachet of entertaining roads. Just be prepared to have your fun spoiled by prolific dawdlers, sheriff's deputies, and deer.



At least you have plenty to explore upon arrival. The Hidden Diversity Multi-Use Trail has 23 miles of hiking paths and loops with the double benefit of allowing horseback riding and mountain biking. Though rustic, calendar scenes are not the mission of this trail. For example, the Bashore Ridge Loop simply treks through dry, hilly woods to Beaver Lake and back. Aside from the occasional grown man in spandex pants pedaling by, the forest is plain, undisturbed, and open for whatever personal enrichment you can conjure. You might savor unseen nature or unravel a grander personal philosophy. Or forget to spray Off on your ankles and participate in the circle of life for local bugs. Whatever your delight.



To quote the park's trail guide:

The theme for this park is not one large mountain or lake or river or forest or historical event or the myriad of plants and animals above and below the ground. It is the sum of all of these. It is diversity. “With awareness, the diversity of life here inspires wonder and discovery.”