The 84-feet deep Felsenthal Lock and Dam, located at the confluence of the Ouachita and Saline Rivers is part of the Ouachita – Black River Basins. It is one of the four locks and dams built on the Ouachita River. This lock and dam is also called Lake Jack Lee, recognized by its hilly wetlands and 605-miles of Ouachita River flowing through it. While a small part of the lake is located in Louisiana, the rest is spread across Arkansas, Bradley, and Union Counties.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built this lock and dam in 1984 for flood control, energy, and recreational purposes. The wide navigation channel of all the locks and dams on the Ouachita- Black River also accommodates barge traffic from the Red River north to Camden, Arkansas.
Locals and visitors frequent the lake for the tons of recreational activities it offers including camping, boating, fishing, hiking, and hunting. This lock and dam also provide public access to the legendary Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge.
While there are many recreational areas surrounding the lock and dam, the ones that are closest and are under the official management of the U.S. Corps of Engineers include the Crossett Harbor Recreation Area, Felsenthal Lock & Dam Recreation Area, and Grand Marais Recreation Area.
The Ouachita Black River-Felsenthal Pool is located just three and a half hours drive from Petit Jean State Park.
From there, get on I-40 East in Welborn Township and follow it for nearly half an hour until you can see your turn south towards I-530, then get on the US highway 63 south onto state Highway 275 in Wilmington Township.
Continue on the State Highway 275 and then drive onto Highway 129 to Olin Ave to the city of Felsenthal. Turn left onto New Lock 6 road and go 1 mile to lower area or 1.6 miles to the upper area of Felsenthal Pool.
This COE campground offers 119 campsites on a 50-foot paved camping pad, all year round and for campers of all ages. All of these campsites come with electric hookups. 117 sites come with 30 amp and two of the campsites come with 50 amp electric hookups.
The maximum RV length at this campground is 50 ft. The campground provides facilities such as picnic tables, drinking water, boat launch, dump station, toilets, charcoal grill, fire ring, lantern hanger, handicap sites, and showers.
You cannot ignore the chance to admire the wildlife that is basically swarming the area. If you are specifically visiting the area for wildlife watching or for photography then you wouldn’t even need to make any effort in order to find the animals you’ve been searching for. At Ouachita – Black River Felsenthal Pool, you are very likely to encounter wiggling frogs, black bears, soaring bald eagles, white-tail deer, turkeys, and ancient species of endangered alligators.
Felsenthal Lock and Dam recreation area hosts two day-use facilities with a picnic shelter, playground, and a fishing pier. It makes for a nice picnic spot for families with varied interests as everyone would find something to their liking. There’s also a large parking area and water-borne comfort station. Picnic facilities are also available at Crossett Harbor Recreation Area and Grand Marais Recreation Area
You cannot be in Felsenthal and not pay a visit to the renowned Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge. Fortunately, the world’s largest green-tree reservoir is located just 31 minutes away from the pool and offers a chance to witness the refuge of wild and endangered species up-close. Felsenthal Wildlife Refuge is also home to 15,000 acres of Felsenthal pool.
Regardless of the time of the year you decide to visit Ouachita – Black River Felsenthal Pool, it will always surprise you with plentiful species of fish in its depths. Angling here is fun because you’ll soon find out that you’ll be taking something home.
The common inhabitants of these waters are sunfish, bream, black bass, crappies, freshwater drum, chain pickerel, and rock bass. The management also takes the trouble to annually stock the lake with largemouth bass. Fishing docks can be accessed via any of the recreational parks surrounding Lake Jack Lee.
Whether you are camping at Crossett Harbor Recreation Area and Grand Marais Recreation Area or just picnicking at the day-use area of the Felsenthal Lock and Dam recreation area, you’ll have public access to the boating ramps located at all three. You can go boating, kayaking, and canoeing in the serene deep lake.
Nearly 100 species of birds, both dwellers and migratory live in the trees surrounding the Felsenthal Lock and Dam. In fact, some of the most endangered birds such as red-cockaded woodpeckers are seen in the area surprisingly often.
The pool and the area surrounding it is also a major flyway for ducks and geese, and they can be seen resting and feeding. In the fall, you’ll even get a chance to spot a variety of songbirds and shorebirds such as Northern parula, prothonotary warbler, and American redstart that make a stop here for a short period of time and replenish their energy before they resume their long and arduous journey south for the winter.
