Ackley Lake State Park, State park by Ackley Lake near Hobson, Montana, US.
Ackley Lake State Park is a 290-acre recreation area four miles southwest of Hobson, Montana, centered on the 160-acre Ackley Lake. The lake is held by an earthen embankment dam 51 feet high and 3,514 feet long, filled by a supply canal from the Judith River. The Little Belt and Snowy Mountains stand on the horizon.
The site originated as a private pond owned by Jean Ackley before being transformed into a larger reservoir in 1938 when a substantial earthen dam was constructed. This engineering project created the water body that would eventually become a public recreational area.
The park's name comes from Jean Acley, who owned the 40-acre natural pond that preceded the reservoir. The state park designation followed in 1940, two years after the earthen dam was finished. Anglers today fish the stocked trout waters from two boat ramps.
The park provides around 26 campsites year-round with fire rings and picnic tables available on a first-come basis without needing to book ahead. Two boat ramps offer access to the water for fishing, swimming, and other activities.
Ackley Lake is an off-stream reservoir: a supply canal carries water from the Judith River to the 160-acre lake behind a 51-foot-high earthen dam. The dam runs 3,514 feet long, and the park's 290 acres are held on land leased from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
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