Ackley Lake State Park Explained

Ackley Lake State Park
Map:Montana
Relief:1
Location:Judith Basin County, Montana, United States
Nearest City:Hobson, Montana
Coordinates:46.9472°N -109.9369°W
Area Acre:290
Elevation:4337feet
Designation:Montana state park
Established:1940
Visitation Num:27,428
Visitation Year:2023
Visitation Ref:[1]
Administrator:Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Website:Ackley Lake State Park

Ackley Lake State Park is a public recreation area located four miles southwest of Hobson, Montana. The state park covers centered around 160acres Ackley Lake. The Little Belt Mountains and Snowy Mountains are visible on the horizon. The park is operated by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks on land leased from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

History

The Ackley Lake was originally a 40-acre natural pond owned by Jean Acley. It became a reservoir in 1938 with the completion of an earthen embankment dam measuring 51 feet high and 3,514 feet long. The reservoir is an off-stream storage project with a supply canal from the Judith River. The site became Ackley State Park in 1940. 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. 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.

Activities and amenities

The park offers stocked trout fishing, boating with two boat ramps, picnicking facilities, and a 26-site campground.[2]

Species! colspan="1" rowspan="1"
FamilyClassNative to MT
Brook TroutTroutColdwaterIntroduced
Brown TroutTroutColdwaterIntroduced
KokaneeTroutColdwaterIntroduced
Longnose SuckerSuckerWarmwaterNative
Mountain WhitefishTroutColdwaterNative
Rainbow TroutTroutColdwaterIntroduced
White SuckerSuckerWarmwaterNative

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks . May 6, 2024 . 2023 Montana State Parks Annual Visitation Report . fwp.mt.gov . July 26, 2024.
  2. Web site: FISHMT :: Waterbody Details . 2022-06-13 . myfwp.mt.gov.