About Us

Tucked into the Ouachita National Forest, just west of Hot Springs, sits a 40,000-acre stretch of some of the cleanest water in the country. Over 200 islands. More than 600 miles of shoreline, almost none of it developed. A submerged forest beneath the surface and rare freshwater jellyfish drifting above it. This is Lake Ouachita, and if you’ve never heard of it, you’re exactly the reason this site exists.

LakeOuachita.org started with a simple goal: share everything worth knowing about the largest lake in Arkansas, and make it easier for first-timers and returning visitors alike to plan a great trip. Plenty of folks who grew up in Arkansas already treat Ouachita like a second home. But it deserves to be on the map for anglers, campers, paddlers, divers, and weekend travelers well beyond state lines, and that’s what we’re here to do.

What you’ll find here

We’ve spent years gathering the kind of practical, on-the-ground information that’s hard to pull together from scattered state park pages, Corps of Engineers PDFs, and outdated forum posts. On this site you’ll find:

  • Where to stay. From lakeside resorts and cabins to Corps of Engineers campgrounds, Lake Ouachita State Park, and the kind of remote island sites where you won’t see another soul for days.
  • Fishing intel. Species guides for largemouth, smallmouth, spotted bass, crappie, walleye, catfish, bream, and the world-class striped bass fishery Ouachita is known for. Plus GPS coordinates for brush piles and crappie condos, seasonal tips, and recommendations from local guides.
  • Trails and exploration. Hiking and mountain biking routes around the lake, including access points to the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, one of the longest mountain bike epics in the country.
  • Hidden gems. Three Sisters Springs, the Geo-Float Trail, the crystal veins the region is famous for, and the quiet coves most visitors never find.
  • General info. Lake history, the story of Blakely Mountain Dam, how the name is actually pronounced (Wash-ah-taw, for the record), and the Choctaw roots behind it.

Who’s behind it

LakeOuachita.org is an independent site, not affiliated with the Army Corps of Engineers, Arkansas State Parks, or any resort or outfitter. That independence matters to us. It means we can recommend what’s actually worth your time, share honest tips, and point you toward the best experience on the water rather than the best-advertised one.

We work with local anglers, guides, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts who know this lake in every season. They’re the ones who can tell you which cove holds stripers in July, which campground has the best sunset, and why you should always keep an eye out for tree tops in what looks like open water.

Want to contribute?

If you know Lake Ouachita well and have something to share, whether it’s a favorite fishing spot, a trail report, a story, or photos from a recent trip, we’d love to hear from you. This site gets better every time someone who actually knows the lake lends their voice to it. Get in touch here and tell us what you’d like to write about.

Get in touch

Have a question we haven’t answered? Spotted something on the site that needs updating? Want to suggest a topic for the blog? We read every message and do our best to reply. You can reach us through our contact page.

Thanks for stopping by, and we hope we’ll see you out on the water soon.