146 Atalanta Lake Park

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     This morning on our way to Rogers we had light rain off and on the whole time, for us it’s about a two-hour trip to Rogers.  I thought about stopping on the way back at Hobbs State Park and hiking the short Sinking Creek Trail.  But with all the rain today we decide to check out Atalanta Lake Park just east of historic downtown Rogers instead.

creek that feeds Atalanta Lake

    Walnut Street east out of downtown less than a mile brings us right to Atalanta Lake Park.  We park at Clark Pavilion on the right soon after entering the park.  Clark Pavilion is a sheltered group picnic area with restrooms and a huge fireplace.  Most of the park’s over ten miles of trails are accessible from trailheads here at Clark Pavilion.

    Lake Atalanta owned by the city of Rogers is nothing like I expected, we are pleasantly surprised.  Pretty much all the facilities in the park today are the result of the extensive remodel/upgrade completed in 2016.  After enjoying a picnic lunch in the pavilion, we head out on the main lake loop trail, which is paved in concrete, through the tunnel under Walnut Street north towards the lake.

main lake loop trail

    Next to the trail is the gorgeous little (manicured) creek that is the main source of water to the lake, just upstream from Clark Pavilion is Diamond Spring the largest feeding the lake.  But we’re going downstream towards the lake, on warmer days this creek is a popular place for kids to play.  Today though only a Labrador Retriever is enjoying the water in this ‘pet friendly park’.

many bridges in the park

    Near the end of the big parking lot, we get off the paved trail after crossing the creek on one of the many bridges onto Shadow Ridge Trail.  The trails are rated by difficulty, this one designated by a green circle is for beginner, a blue square is for intermediate and a black triangle the trails with the most elevation change expert.  Shadow Ridge Trail is quite nice including a couple little (unnecessary) bridges over tiny creeks.  After maybe half a mile part of which is on an old road, we arrive back on the main lake loop (concrete paved) trail.

Atalanta Lake

    This is a popular place, as we continue around the lake we pass all kinds of folks, like mothers with baby and stroller, joggers, bike riders...  Crossing on top of the earthen dam we see a more natural/undeveloped section of the park below.  After the dam is the pretty spillway crossed by an older bridge from back when this ‘trail’ was actually a road.

near the spillway

    As we near the end of our little hike, just before crossing Walnut is a little ‘nature themed’ playground with restrooms.  There was only one boat out fishing on the lake today, Atalanta Lake is 236 acres of water 30 feet at its deepest point and stocked annually with both trout and catfish.  Atalanta Park is a great place for all kinds of outdoor and family activities, we enjoyed the short 2.5-mile hike around the lake with 120 feet of elevation gain.

Location: Atalanta Lake Park: 36.33331, -94.10333

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