Glimpses of Lake Ouachita

The photos of Lake Ouachita ("Wash-i-ta") at Arkansas state park website impressed me so much last year, I wanted to visit there. But it was late to reserve a cabin or a campsite then, we went to Millwood State Park of Arkansas. This year we planed early and made reservation of a cabin in late January!



The trip

Day 1: Sunny to Cloudy. Sunset lake tour
~ 5 hour drive to Lake Ouachita; arrive in early afternoon
check-in and stroll around; sunset lake tour

Day 2: Cloudy. Kayaking
Paddling on the lake for the whole day and stop on small islands

Day 3: Rainy to Cloudy, Cold. Hiking
Caddo Bend Trail (4.5mile), strenuous

Day 4: Cloudy to Sunny. Dam and Brady Mountain (outside the state park)

Visit the Blakeley Mountain Dam and spillway in the morning
Visit Brady mountain to have a different view of the lake

Day 5: Sunny. Hot Spring National Park

Historic District and Grand Promenade Trail. Drive home

Glimpses of the Lake

The man-made Lake Ouachita has many fingers or coves, with tall pine trees lined along the shoreline. Its main body is long and narrow, and is dotted with many islands.

The marina at Lake Ouachita State Park offers many types of boat - kayak, canoe, motor boat, party barge ...which enables visitors to explore the lake on the water

The White flowers of dogwood, which dotted the shoreline of Ouachita, and islands, brighten our views

Many boulders at Lake Ouachita tell its million year stories.

Kayaking on the lake is the best way to explore Lake Ouachita

Birds on the islands seem to be nothing more than sparrows - but a closer look indicates otherwise. there are many type of birds by the lake - woodpeckers, cardinals, song birds, northern mocking birds ....

When it was cold, the cozy cabin showed its charm

A view from Brady Mountain revealed the serenity and grace of the lake in a afternoon Sun.




Sunset at Lake Ouachita was splendid.

Note: map of the lake was from google map.