It’s also home to more than 600,000 acres of lakes, which is where you’ll find locals cooling down during the warmer months and cozying up nearby once the weather cools. The mighty Mississippi River may carve out Arkansas’s eastern border, but it’s the states abundant-and gorgeous-lakes that truly define what Arkansas is all about. It is a fantastic place to picnic! There are also similar views from nearby hiking and biking trails, such as the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT).Nicknamed “The Natural State,” Arkansas is a playground of hot springs, vast forest lands, lakes, rivers, and limestone caverns just waiting to be explored. Take a drive up to Hickory Hill overlook for the most panoramic and spectacular view of this expansive lake. The park offers family-friendly programs year-round including boat and kayak tours during the summer and bald eagle watch tours during the winter. There are also several marinas, campgrounds and day use areas along the shoreline, including Lake Ouachita State Park, located about 15 miles from Hot Springs. If you own or rent a boat, you can access the lake’s numerous uninhabited islands for free, primitive camping. You will see all kinds of water craft on the lake from small kayaks and canoes to sailboats and houseboats. Popular activities include bass and striper fishing, swimming, scuba diving, recreational boating, water skiing and other water sports. Lake Ouachita has between 600-900 miles of shoreline (depending on the water level) and about 40,000 acres of water. There is a restriction on commercial and residential building so the scenery comprises the all-natural wooded hills of the Ouachita National Forest. Of the three manmade lakes along the Ouachita River, Lake Ouachita is the first on the river’s 600 mile journey from west-central Arkansas to north-central Louisiana. The cleanest lake in the country and Arkansas’ largest lake is Lake Ouachita. There are also 20 waterfront cabins, RV parking, a campground, playgrounds and a short hiking trail that leads to a beautiful waterfall and swimming hole.Įntergy Arkansas performs an annual drawdown typically in early November.
#LAKE HAMILTON ARKANSAS FULL#
There are good opportunities for swimming and boating, especially at Lake Catherine State Park, which has a nice swim beach, year-round boat rentals and the only full service marina on Lake Catherine. Known for its serene charm as well as water sports and fishing, Lake Catherine is a 1,900-acre gem with trees rising all around and a natural, undeveloped feel. Located just southwest of town, this wooded oasis is the more secluded sister lake to social hotspot Lake Hamilton. Lake Catherineįrom Lake Hamilton, the water flows through Carpenter Dam and into Lake Catherine. The annual lowering of the lakes also is valuable to owners of shoreline facility, allowing them an opportunity to inspect and repair their structures and fortify the shoreline.Įntergy has used drawdowns on Lake Hamilton since 1996 to help control the spread of certain underwater plants that interfere with recreation. A vegetation management plan developed in conjunction with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission usually calls for alternating 3-foot and 5-foot drawdowns. The size of the drawdown varies each winter, in part, to curb growth of nuisance vegetation. Consequently, it is a much busier lake with pleasure boaters out all summer long.Įntergy Arkansas performs an annual drawdown typically in early November. It is smaller, about one-sixth the size of Lake Ouachita, and is residentially and commercially developed, with grand houses, condos, restaurants and docks all along its shoreline. The main body of water located right in town, on the south and west ends of Hot Springs. Moving down stream, the waters from Lake Ouachita flow through Blakely Dam and into Lake Hamilton. Or, if you'd prefer to be at the helm, check out one of many boat rental options at a handful of marinas in town. Take a pontoon boat tour or a duck boat tour. The lake offers more guided boat expeditions than any other. Shop for anything you need for the day or fuel your boat at the dockside stores. Hop off your boat and pick up a pizza, or grab a table to dine on the wharf. Restaurants, luxury resorts and palatial vacation homes line the shores only minutes from downtown Hot Springs.
Lake Hamilton fuses natural beauty and urban excitement. Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine – all created by dams along the Ouachita River – offer a wide range of activities, each with its own unique character and scenery.
Nestled in the Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs, Arkansas, is an outdoor paradise. Our lakes have helped happy visitors make some of the best memories of their lives. There's really no time like lake time! Spend your visit to Hot Springs on the water!
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