Shaddox Hollow Nature Trail in Rogers, Arkansas is a trail our family loves to hike! We have hiked it so many times we could probably hike it in the dark. It’s a quick hike at 1.4 miles, which is perfect because sometimes we don’t always have time to do a massive trail but we still want to get out in the woods.
Highlights of this trail: It’s a loop, which I find my kids enjoy a more (or maybe it’s just me ha!) because there’s always new scenery. There is a lake stop, a small cave to explore, & some really cool rock features & “Lord of the Rings” stairs, as my son calls them. There are restroom facilities at the trailhead.
You can start the trail by either going left or right. We go a different direction each time. Last week when the kids & I went, we opted to go right because we had our fishing poles with us. If you follow the trail right, you are going to walk on top of the ridge & start making your way down into the hollow. While making your way down you will find the magical stairs we all love so much! It feels like you’re in some sort of Tolkien movie!
As soon as you’re down the stairs you’re about to reach the small trail that leads you to the lake. This is one of our favorite places because you can see how the landscape changes with each season. This time, the lake was up very high because of all the rain so the majority of the spot where we play was covered under water. The picture below is a photo of our dog on a log sitting in water & we usually are playing on dry land in this particular spot.
After we make our lake stop, we usually eat our snacks here, fish, skip rocks, explore the lake shore (when the water is down) & my kids love to collect shells here. Last year, we hiked this trail & we were able to explore the lake bottom because it was so dry. That was an epic experience because we got to see what all lives at the bottom of the lake!
From the lake, we go back out to the main trail & turn right. There is a creek bed (that is typically dry) & the kids love to explore in there for a bit too. Be on the lookout, because not far up the trail is a the cave. Go left, straight up hill & it will dead end at the most perfect place to explore. The kids love it here! One time we saw bats sleeping in the back of the cave & one time we found someone’s binoculars & we were able to return them to the owners via the Hobbs State Park visitor’s center.
After the cave, you go back to the main trail & continue up the ridge. There are some awesome rock formations & we love to stop here to see what kind of wildlife & vegetation live in the cool, dark spaces under the rocks.
This is a perfect trail for your family to enjoy! The beauty of the hike is even though it’s short you can spend as much time or as little time as you want & still have a wonderful outdoor experience! If you’d like to see more pictures of the trail then you need to hop over to my Instagram account & watched the story highlight titled: Shaddox Hollow.
Share with us your favorite trail to hike, whether it’s in Arkansas or a different state!
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