At 410 acres, the Rob and Melani Walton Nature Preserve is part of a large area of undeveloped, protected woodlands along the north side of Beaver Lake. University of Arkansas Ornithology professor Jen Mortensen will lead an expedition through this preserve on Saturday, May 17th beginning at 8:00 AM. Cerulean Warbler and Worm-eating Warbler have been reliable breeders along the north-facing slopes of this preserve, as well as other typical Ozark upland breeders like Yellow-throated Vireo and Scarlet Tanager. This trip will involve 2-3 hours of hiking up to 3 miles on uneven and moderately steep terrain. Good hiking shoes, water, snacks, and insect repellent are a must.
There are no restrooms at the trailhead; we recommend stopping at the nearby Short Stop General Store in Garfield for restrooms and provisions before and after the hike. The exact location of the preserve parking lot is GPS 36.442745, -93.950241.
The trip is free and open to the public. You do not need to be an NWAAS member to attend.
This trip is free and open to the public. There is no participant limit. Please RSVP by email to [email protected] so we know how many to expect. In your email, please include your name and the total number in your party.
This trip will involve 2-3 hours of hiking up to 3 miles on uneven and moderately steep terrain. Good hiking shoes, water, snacks, and insect repellent are a must. There are no restrooms at the trailhead; we recommend stopping at the nearby Short Stop General Store in Garfield for restrooms and provisions before and after the hike.
From Fayetteville, AR travel north on US-72B/AR-92 N towards Springdale/Rogers, 17.6 miles. Turn right onto US-62 E/W Hudson Rd. Continue on US-62E for 12 miles. In Garfield, near the Short Stop General Store, turn right onto Hwy 127 S crossing the railroad tracks, 0.6 miles. Turn left onto Ford Rd. Enter the parking lot through the rock pillar gate. The exact location of the preserve parking lot is GPS 36.442745, -93.950241.
When the weather is bad for humans, it’s usually bad for birds too. We’ll cancel the trip at least 12 hours in advance if the weather is forecasted to be dangerous or unsuitable for birding. Field trip cancellations will be emailed to the NWAAS field trip list (email [email protected] to be added to this list). We’ll also try to post wherever else we can in a timely manner (Facebook, etc.)
Contact info for questions about the trip.
All Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society field trips are free and open to the public. We always welcome new members, but membership in NWAAS is not required for participation. We try to make our field trips accessible to everyone, all ages, abilities, interests. Beginning birders are always welcome. We have field trips on Saturdays and Sundays to accommodate different schedules. We try to arrange carpools where possible.
If you plan on attending a field trip, please RSVP to [email protected]. This helps us plan for attendance, communicate to participants last-minute, and manage attendance for trips with limited capacity.
For maps and more information about these places, check the Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society web site http://www.nwarkaudubon.org/ and the section “Places to bird in northwest Arkansas” (under Menu on upper left side of the home page).
If you are interested in being added to the NWAAS email list for updates on field trips and other society events, please send a message to: [email protected]. Some of the information on the trips below can change, so additional details & updates about trips are sent via the email prior to the announced date -- check the NWAAS Facebook page for the latest.
SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS! Our field trips are open to everyone. We try to warn about any special dangers that might be encountered, but neither NWAAS nor individual field trip leaders assume responsibility for personal safety. If you have special needs, or special concerns, please ask the field trip leader before the trip starts. We do not knowingly place anyone in danger on any field trip. We count on those who attend to keep trips safe for everyone.