So Many Things to Do on Beaver Lake

There’s no end to the fun you can have during your stay at Sugar Ridge Resort on Beaver Lake! From boating and paddleboarding to fishing, swimming, and shoreline picnics, Beaver Lake is one of Northwest Arkansas’s most scenic outdoor playgrounds. Spend your days exploring sparkling coves and wide-open water, then return to Sugar Ridge Resort, your relaxing retreat above the lake.

Surrounded by limestone bluffs and forested hills, Beaver Lake offers more than 28,000 acres of clear, deep water. A favorite destination for families, couples, and outdoor lovers alike, with easy access just minutes from Sugar Ridge Resort!

Get on the Water: Boat, SUP, & Jet Ski Rentals

Beaver Lake is a paradise for water lovers, so naturally one of the top things to do here is simply to get out on the water. Bring your own boat or rent one from marinas such as Prairie Creek, Horseshoe Bend, Rocky Branch, and Hickory Creek.

For a more active day, hop in a kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard to explore hidden coves and shorelines. Rentals for kayaks, paddleboards, tubes, pontoons, fishing boats, ski boats, sailboats, and even jet skis are available through local outfitters like Beaver Lake Outdoor Center.

Fishing and Scuba Diving on Beaver Lake

Beaver Lake is nationally renowned as a premier fishing destination, especially for bass fishing. Anglers will find largemouth and smallmouth bass, white bass, catfish, and more. There are plenty of opportunities for both beginners and experienced fishers to cast a line and catch a fish.

The lake’s crystal-clear water and rocky bottom provide excellent visibility. This draws scuba divers, intrigued by the underwater bluffs and old, partial structures. Local dive shops offer both gear, guidance, and training.

Swimming, Picnicking, & War Eagle Cavern

If you prefer to enjoy the waters without a boat, there are some wonderful spots along the shore for swimming or picnicking. Recreation areas offer easy shore access, grassy picnic grounds, and relaxing, shady spots. Evening lake views and sunset paddles are an unforgettable way to end a perfect day in the Ozarks.

Those looking for something beyond the ordinary will enjoy a visit to War Eagle Cavern. This unique cave is one of the oldest show caves in the state, one of the largest caves in Northwest Arkansas, AND the state’s only lakeside cavern – all less than an hour from Sugar Ridge Resort!

War Eagle Cavern has three stories of caverns, strange subterranean formations, an underground lake, cave wildlife, waterfalls, and a fresh water spring that flows out of the cave’s mouth. A variety of guided tours are offered, along with gemstone panning, a maze, the Moonshiners’ Mystery Shack, gift shop, and feeding lake fish from the boat dock.

Learn more at the War Eagle Cavern website.

More Outdoor Fun Nearby

Beyond the lake itself, nearby Hobbs State Park offers miles of hiking and biking trails through forests and to scenic overlooks. Downtown Rogers, AR is home to thriving breweries, unique shops, and excellent local dining options. Don’t forget nearby Eureka Springs, either – there’s always something fun going on there!

Beaver Lake’s combination of water activities, natural beauty, and proximity to other attractions makes it a destination worth returning to. Whether you’re planning a weekend trip or a longer vacation, Sugar Ridge Resort is the perfect home base from which to enjoy the best Beaver Lake has to offer.

See y’all soon!

Pivot Rock Park and Natural Bridge

If you enjoy unique rock formations, you’ll want to make time to visit Eureka Springs’ Pivot Rock Park and Natural Bridge, less than a half hour’s drive from our Beaver Lake.

Arkansas is full of fascinating natural wonders. Caves, natural springs, lakes, mountains, and parks that can amaze, baffle, and even inspire you. Of course, guests of our Beaver Lake cabins and suites will not need to go far for that. You can easily fill your days with good ol’ mother nature right here on the lake. Hiking, fishing, paddling, swimming, and so much more.

That being said, sometimes even the best places can get stale and a simple change of scenery can do wonders. Luckily, the surrounding area is loaded with things to see and do, no matter which way you turn. Eureka Springs is right next door, after all. Home to shopping, dining, museums, live entertainment and, yes, plenty of natural attractions, too. Things like Pivot Rock Park and Natural Bridge!

Pivot Rock Park & Natural Bridge

Pivot Rock Park is located a few miles north of Eureka Springs, just off of Highway 62 West, at 1708 Pivot Rock Road. This is, as I mentioned above, just a short and scenic drive from Sugar Ridge Resort.

The park, a small and historic roadside attraction, is full of small caves, deep gullies, and strange, stacked rock formations. In fact, the area is so unique that it was once featured in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. Legend has it the area also once served as hideout for Jesse James and the James-Younger Gang. That’s such a common claim around these parts, however, that you can very much take the claim with a grain of salt.

Visitors to the park pay a small fee to enter and explore at their own pace. Pivot Rock and the Natural Bridge formations are reached via a short hike on a paved trail, through a nicely wooded area.

Natural Bridge is the first big attraction along the trail, found jutting up from the rugged hillside. The trail allows you to view this curious and weathered stone arch from all sides. It really does look like just a bridge, albeit from some fantasy illustration.

Pivot Rock is next along the trail and impossible to miss. The naturally formed, 12 foot tall, upside down, pyramid-shaped rock looks to be balancing on its tip. The top is about ten feet wide, yet the base only around a foot thick! Ripley’s billed it as the largest freestanding rock formation with a base ten times smaller than its top. You’d think it would fall right over but it’s really very stable and the perfect subject for fun photos.

Pivot Rock Park is open March to October, 10am to 5pm, everyday but Thursday. Learn more about the park by visiting it on Facebook.

Those looking to spend a little more time in the area should consider a stop by the stunningly beautiful Thorncrown Chapel, just 10 minutes from Pivot Rock at 12968 US-62, Eureka Springs, AR.

Then it’s just a short hop back to your digs at Sugar Ridge Resort. Perfect!

Explore War Eagle Cavern

Cavers and others after a little underground adventure will enjoy a visit to War Eagle Cavern on Beaver Lake. This unique cave is not only Arkansas’ only lakeside cavern, it’s also one of Northwest Arkansas’ largest caves, and one of the oldest show caves in the state. Best of all, it’s less than an hour from Sugar Ridge Resort!

There are no end to the activities you can enjoy during your stay at our Beaver Lake cabins. Fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, picnicking, and Eureka Springs is only 20 minutes away.

Those looking for something a little out of the ordinary, however should consider checking out War Eagle Cavern. This unusual lakeside cave is home to three stories of caverns and a wide array of strange formations. Domes, rimstone dams, huge rooms, an underground lake, waterfalls, and more. Even more unusual, a fresh water spring flows out of the cave’s mouth alongside the entry path.

Guided Tours and More

War Eagle Cavern currently offers 3 different tours.

Traditional Cavern Tours are lead and narrated by expert guides will lead you through the first half-mile of the cavern. You’ll see a variety of natural formations, learn about the cavern’s history, and maybe even see some of the resident bats and salamanders.

Lantern Tours are after-hours guided tours lit only by hand held oil lamps. You’ll also hear stories and history not told on any of the other tours. Spooky fun!

Wild Cavern Tours are just what they sound like: guided tours that take you beyond the well-maintained and well-lit walkways of the main tours.
You’ll twist, crawl and climb through 2 miles of the cave that few ever see to incredible formations, including a 100ft deep subterranean canyon. For the adventurous who don’t mind getting muddy!

After you’ve finished your tour, don’t hurry off. There’s more to see and do.

A variety of scenic hiking trails lead from the cavern, through the forest, to lovely natural waterfalls and expansive views of Beaver Lake. You can also wander down and feed the fish in the lake from the boat dock.

Those looking for further entertainment can enjoy gemstone panning, the Lost in the Woods maze, or exploring the mysteries of the Moonshiners’ Mystery Shack. There is also an on-site gift shop.

War Eagle Cavern

War Eagle Cavern is located at 21494 Cavern Drive in Rogers, AR.

The cave is open daily, March 5th through Thanksgiving Weekend, 9:30am to 5pm. The last cavern tour leaves at 4pm.

Learn more at the cavern website. You can also find the cavern on Facebook.

Spend a few hours at War Eagle Cavern, perhaps with an added stop for lunch at the nearby War Eagle Mill Bean Palace, yum! After that, it’s a just a short, scenic drive back to your cabin at Sugar Ridge Resort. Lovely!