Racers tackle gravel
Registration for the Big Sugar NWA gravel bike race will be from April 1-10 for the event set for Oct. 23.
Cyclists can choose the 100-mile or 50-mile race over gravel roads in the region. Entry fee is $140 for the 100 mile and $80 for the 50 mile. Register at bigsugargravel.com.
Bike scavenger hunt set
The Family Trailcat Challenge bicycle scavenger hunt for families with children age 4 and up will be held March 20 based at the Mama Bear trail, Northeast J and Eighth Street, in Bentonville. The hunt will take riders along other trails and neighborhoods in the city.
The hunt utilizes the GooseChase app for teams to complete challenges, solve riddles and visit art pieces en route to the finish.
The event, hosted by Oz Trails and Buddy Pegs, includes an evening of food, entertainment and prizes March 19, followed by the scavenger hunt March 20. Tickets are $75 per family team. Register at Eventbrite.com. For details email [email protected].
Outdoors skills tested
Registration is open for the Brewha Bushwhack outdoor skills team event, to be hosted by Pack Rat Outdoor Center on April 10.
Teams of three or four people visit check points around the Mulberry River and earn points by building a fire, paddling a canoe, tying knots, rappelling, identifying plants and animal tracks and more.
Entry fee is $99 per person. Profits benefit the Mulberry River Society. Register at packratoc.com. Call the store at 479-521-6340 for more information.
Crappie on rise
Anglers used to catch crappie at Swepco Lake near Gentry many years ago, but crappie have not been observed in sampling with electrofishing and netting research from 2009 to 2018, said Jon Stein, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission regional fisheries supervisor.
Game and fish began stocking black crappie in 2018 to reestablish the population, Stein said.
The fisheries staff sampled Swepco Lake with trap nets to look at the crappie population from October 2020 through January 2021. Staff collected over 100 crappie in the sampling effort and observed fish from each time they were stocked. This is an improvement from netting only six crappie in 2019.
Hobbs bikepack sites open
Bikepacking campsites at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area east of Rogers may be reserved by bikepackers and hikers. Cost is $14 per night plus tax. Six campsites are located along the Karst Loop of the Monument trails near Beaver Lake.
An online reservation system will be in place soon. For now sites may be reserved by calling the visitor center at 479-789-5000.
Hike visits Pension Mountain
Hill 'N Dale hiking club will hike 4.3 miles on March 10 at Pension Mountain near Berryville.
Meet at 9 a.m. at the trailhead, 4426 Carroll 501. Interested hikers should contact Bev Munsterman, 479-721-2193, [email protected]. Club information is at bvhikingclub.com.
Fires benefit Buffalo River
Buffalo National River and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission fire operations specialists plan to conduct prescribed fire operations on approximately 6,000 acres in Newton and Searcy counties in spring 2021.
These burns will be conducted only when specific weather and on-the ground conditions are present. This "prescription" allows firefighters to maintain precise fire control and reduces the amount of underbrush and downed vegetation that could act as fuel for future wildfires. To assure visitor safety, some trails and roads may be closed temporarily during the burns.
The burn units vary in size from 200 to 3,000 acres. The largest units are located near Mount Hersey and Carver along the Gene Rush Wildlife Management Area.