Lincoln Lake- Piney Loop

Yesterday the sun finally emerged halfway through the day, so we decided to venture out for a hike. I was in the mood to go to a new hiking spot. Not long ago, a friend had recommended visiting Lincoln Lake. I had never even heard of it, but we were game. So we headed on over to Lincoln (my first time there) and followed the signs to the Lake. (If you are in NWA, take the bypass until you get to the exit for Highway 62. Follow 62 through Prairie Grove. You have to watch because 62 does turn to the right at one point. When you get to Lincoln, you take a turn by the Great American Drive In (on the right) onto West. It also has a county number but I don't remember what it is. There are signs though. Follow this winding road (which is way out in the country). At one point, right after you have turned and gone down on a hill, the entrance is at the bottom of the hill on the right.

I was a bit unsure what to expect since we were out in the middle of nowhere and I could find very little information via Google about this area. So this sight was a pleasant surprise.

There is a little map posted detailing the trails and the trail highlights. We decided to take the Piney Loop. We knew we were only going to hike part of it though due to time constraints and one tired, congested little boy.
I was very impressed with how well marked the trail was.

Somewhere there was a water by-pass, but my kids preferred to cross over the water via the rocks. I couldn't figure out how the vehicles got over to that little area of land all surrounded by water. We figured it out quickly. They just drive through this shallow area.

I naively thought this was going to be a tiny little lake based on the water we saw. I obviously didn't have the whole picture...

This is one of the first views we had after climbing a hill. This bluff is STRAIGHT down. Did I mention this area is popular with rock climbers and "boulderers"? We saw several. This was one of the few places we felt like there was any danger. The kids had to be right next to us, holding our hand (the young ones anyway).
One of the kids' favorite parts of this hike involved all of the rocks. I just love how there are these big rocks out in the middle of the woods. The kids enjoyed scrambling all over them and doing their own rock climbing on a smaller scale.
Because we visited in the winter, we had a great view of the lake as we hiked. I am guessing in the spring/summer, the view would be blocked by the leaves. There were a few slippery parts of the trail along the way, mainly due to mud, dry leaves, and moss.
Speaking of moss... The rocks really were beautiful. I am not a master photographer so the pictures don't do it justice.
While we didn't see much wildlife beyond ducks and geese (and one dead armadillo), we saw evidence of beavers in the area.
This was a beautiful view of the lake.
While the trail continued, we stopped here at the "dam". We have learned with kids that if we go too far, the going back part can be difficult and miserable for all of us. Ask Maria what she loves about hiking and she will tell you, "All of it except for going back". We did take a few minutes to take in the beauty of the lake. It was just so peaceful. As for swimming, I did see a sign (with photos of snakes) that advised against swimming here.

Oh, we saw a guy carrying a BIG pad on his back. We asked him what it was. It was a crash mat for when they climbed boulders. It really is a popular spot for that type of thing.
More lake views.

More rock formations as we head back.
We usually take a snack break mid-hike. Don't worry, we pick up our trash.
This was a neat little opening among some of the rock formations.
Another little walkway that was just right for J-man.
Walking back...
There were several limbs down, I am guessing still damage from the ice storm two years ago, but it never felt dangerous to me.
Another beautiful view
I think we hiked around 2 1/2 hours and we didn't even finish that trail.

We will definitely be going back to try the trail that goes around the other part of the lake.

Overall, I give this trail 2 thumbs up. All of us enjoyed it. The kids' favorite part? Rock climbing for sure (more like rock scrambling). My favorite part was the view of the lake. Mark liked it all.

As far as difficulty, it was a fairly easy hike. I never felt totally winded. There was a little incline in some parts, but they were short sections of the trail, so I never felt tired or unable to finish. The only danger we ever felt was the bluffs section, and that was actually somewhat off the trail. After we looked at that first overlook, we got back on the trail which doesn't get near the bluffs. The only other time I got somewhat nervous was when the kids were climbing on some of the rocks. We were supervising but I still get nervous. (They didn't go very high though)

The only other possible danger I could foresee with this hike is snakes. Since we are still coming out of winter, I didn't worry too much. But I am guessing in the spring with all of those leaves and rocks, snakes could be an issue. We haven't had any trouble with snakes on our hikes, but I advise staying on the main path and watching where you step. :)

I do plan on adding several more hikes we have taken in the next couple of weeks. It is not my goal to make this the most popular blog out there. It is nothing fancy. I just know we get asked about family hikes, so hopefully in time it will be a good resource for families wanting to hike. (I also plan on focusing more on the scenery; I will share more family details on our family blog)

Reba