Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a birding field trip to Lake Fayetteville on Saturday, November 30th, 2024, starting at 9:00 AM. The focus of this trip will be winter waterfowl (ducks, geese, grebes) that accumulate on the lake at this time of year. We will meet at the trailhead parking lot South of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and make our way along a forest trail to the site of the former Mulhollan Waterfowl Blind that sadly burned down this year. Despite the loss of the blind, we will still do our best to survey waterfowl on the lake from this vantage point. The walk to the blind and back will be approximately 1.25 miles on flat dirt trails and boardwalks with the trip lasting no more than 2 hours. If waterfowl are congregating on the North or West sides of the lake, we may add an optional addition to the trip by driving around to the ONSC dock, or the marina. The trip is free and open to the public. You do not have to be a member of NWAAS to attend.
This trip is free and open to the public. There’s no limit to participation. We ask that you 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.
Standing on the edge of the lake in December can be quite chilly. Check the forecast and err on the side of being overdressed if it’s at all chilly. The walk from parking to the blind is approximately 3/4 mile of flat dirt and wooden boardwalk trails. The trail is wide and flat (no steep slopes) but could be uneven in places (roots, mud, etc.). Hiking shoes are recommended.
The trailhead parking lot is on the Southwest side of Lake Fayetteville at 4607 N Crossover Rd, Fayetteville, AR 72764 (just South of the BGO parking lot). We will gather on the trail by this parking lot. If the lot is full, BGO has asked that we park in the field instead of their parking lot. From the parking lot, we’ll head north on the trail and follow it around the BGO before taking a left onto the mountain biking path that will lead us to the former waterfowl blind area. If you’re late, feel free to head straight to the blind area as directly as you choose. The exact location of the blind area is GPS 36.136538, -94.123705.