Sugar Creek Chapter of the Ozark Society has invited the Highlands Chapter to a dayhike at the new Coler Preserve in Bentonville AR on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.  See details below.

Day, Date:  Tuesday March 2, 2021

Name of Hike:  Trails of Coler Preserve

Location:  Coler MountainTrail Bike (MTB) Preserve,  Bentonville AR

Type of Hike:  Day-hike, trail.

Maximum Elevation Difference:  120 ft

Rating:  4-6 miles. Moderate, due to distance, some steep slopes and rocky portions on trail; 3 mile easy  paved surface option

Features: Color Mountain Bike Preserve is recreational area managed by Peel Compton Foundation. https://www.peelcompton.org/coler-mountain-bike-preserve. There are 17 miles of trails with a creek running through the center. We will hike 3 miles of Oscars Trail up to the Hub, a crazy bike jump system. Then return to the Homestead for our break. The Homestead offers Airship coffee, bakery items and tacos or bring your own snack. There is a nice open air seating area to watch all of the activity. After lunch break there will be  3 options to return: 1 mile paved sidewalk, 1.7 mile trail or 3.1 mile trail.

Hike Leader:  Lowell Collins (contact hike leader for more info).

Telephone & Email:  479-273-2394 or lowell01@aol.com

Meeting Place and Time:

• Meet in the parking lot at the downstairs west entrance to JC Penney Department Store in the Northwest Arkansas Mall in Fayetteville for car caravanning for a 9:15 a.m. departure.  Or,

• Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the trailhead at the Coler Grove parking lot ( 36.376549,-94.2419627 ) at 2500 NW Grove Lane in Bentonville.  Note:  In Bentonville, head west from Las Palmas Restaurant on Walton Blvd and follow NW 3rd Street for 1.2 mi and turn right (north) onto Grove Lane into the parking lot.  Do not turn into the Coler MTB Preserve South Gateway parking area at 0.9 mi west from Las Palmas.  Google map location = https://www.google.com/maps/place/Coler+Grove/@36.376549,-94.2419627,615m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x87c9054a50161755:0x1aee7ff636379c08!8m2!3d36.376761!4d-94.2402831

• Car-caravan means we drive as a group in our own cars to the trailhead.

Driving Distance:  26 miles from the Fayetteville car caravan to Bentonville via I-49 and AR Hwy 72.

Comment1:  Wear a mask and plan to social distance.  Bring water, snack or lunch or money to purchase at Airship  at the Homestead, rain gear, gloves, and wear hiking boots/shoes.  Hiking poles will be helpful.  No pets are allowed on any hikes, and children under 12 years are discouraged and must be accompanied by a guardian.   Participants are required to sign a “liability release” http://www.ozarksociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/OS-Sign-Up_Sheet_rev4.pdf  at the trailhead to take part in any Ozark Society outing.  Everyone is welcome to hike with the OSHC, whether an Ozark Society member or not.