Ackley Lake State Park
| Ackley Lake State Park | |
|---|---|
  Location in Montana | |
| Location | Judith Basin County, Montana,United States |
| Nearest city | Hobson, Montana |
| Coordinates | 46°56′50″N109°56′13″W/ 46.94722°N 109.93694°W[1] |
| Area | 290 acres (120 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 4,337 ft (1,322 m)[1] |
| Designation | Montana state park |
| Established | 1940[3] |
| Visitors | 27,428 (in 2023)[4] |
| Administrator | Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks |
| Website | Ackley Lake State Park |
Ackley Lake State Parkis a public recreation area located four miles southwest ofHobson,Montana.Thestate parkcovers 290 acres (120 ha) centered around 160-acre (65 ha) Ackley Lake. TheLittle Belt MountainsandSnowy Mountainsare visible on the horizon.[2]The park is operated by theMontana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parkson land leased from theMontana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.[5]
History
[edit]The Ackley Lake was originally a 40-acre natural pond owned by Jean Acley.[6]It became a reservoir in 1938 with the completion of anearthen embankment dammeasuring 51 feet high and 3,514 feet long. The reservoir is an off-stream storage project with a supply canal from theJudith River.[7]The site became Ackley State Park in 1940.[3]It was threatened with the loss of its status as a state park after the Montana State Parks and Recreation Board adopted a five-year strategic plan, "Charting a New Tomorrow," that proposed a rebranding of the parks in its system.[5]In 2017, the parks department renewed its lease with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for a further five years to the end 2021.[8]
Activities and amenities
[edit]The park offers stocked trout fishing, boating with two boat ramps, picnicking facilities, and a 26-site campground.[2][9]
| Species | Family | Class | Native to MT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | Trout | Coldwater | Introduced |
| Brown Trout | Trout | Coldwater | Introduced |
| Kokanee | Trout | Coldwater | Introduced |
| Longnose Sucker | Sucker | Warmwater | Native |
| Mountain Whitefish | Trout | Coldwater | Native |
| Rainbow Trout | Trout | Coldwater | Introduced |
| White Sucker | Sucker | Warmwater | Native |
References
[edit]- ^ab"Ackley Lake State Park".Geographic Names Information System.United States Geological Survey,United States Department of the Interior.
- ^abc"Ackley Lake State Park".Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.RetrievedMay 23,2017.
- ^ab"Park Origin by Date".Montana State Parks. 2014. Archived fromthe originalon January 1, 2020.RetrievedMay 31,2018.
- ^Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (May 6, 2024)."2023 Montana State Parks Annual Visitation Report"(PDF).fwp.mt.gov.RetrievedJuly 26,2024.
- ^abFrost, Mikenzie."Future of Ackley Lake State Park in jeopardy".Helena, Mt.: KTVH. Archived fromthe originalon August 18, 2016.RetrievedMay 23,2017.
- ^Aarstad, Rich; et al. (2009).Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman.Helena, Montana: Montana Historical Society Press.ISBN9780975919613.RetrievedMay 31,2018.
- ^"Ackley Lake Dam"(PDF).Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.RetrievedMay 31,2018.
- ^Dettmer, Sarah."Ackley Lake to remain state park for another 5 years".Great Falls Tribune.RetrievedMay 23,2017.
- ^"FISHMT:: Waterbody Details".myfwp.mt.gov.RetrievedJune 13,2022.
External links
[edit]- Ackley Lake State ParkMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks