Ouachita Lake
RV Guide
Introduction
Surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest, Ouachita Lake is the perfect getaway location for quiet relaxation as well as exploration, adventure, and recreational pursuits. Located ten miles west of Hot Springs in Arkansas, this Army Corps of Engineers park is nestled in the Ouachita Mountains and features various camping options for vacationers and visitors.
There are eight RV campgrounds at this lake park and they feature campsites that range in sophistication from full RV hookups to partial hookups to no hookups. Amenities that campers enjoy include showers, flush toilets, potable water, grills, and concrete tables. There are amphitheaters, pavilions, picnic areas and shelters, boat ramps, and fish cleaning stations available too.
You can kickstart your adventure in the park anyhow you like, be it by angling for any of the fish species that are available in the park’s waters, or boating on the lake. With the right permits and licenses, you can equally hunt game in designated park areas. Hiking can take you to beautiful spots within and outside the park’s boundaries. Mountain biking is a nice activity to enjoy at this COE park too. Take a trip to Bird Island in this lake park to see numerous birds nesting in various habitats.
Visit Ouachita Lake to enjoy some of the best scenery Arkansas has to offer.
RV Rentals in Ouachita Lake
Transportation
Driving
Located west of Hot Springs, Arkansas, Ouachita Lake is easy to access as the park is bordered by various highways such as Highway 270, 27, 192, and 298, and several interconnected roads. As a result, you should have no problems driving to this COE park in your RV, trailer or car.
Parking
There are various parking options available for RVs, trailers, and cars at Ouachita Lake. The RV campsites in this lake park feature RV parking pads. Overnight parking is also available.
Public Transportation
There are no direct public transportation services to Ouachita Lake.
Campgrounds and parking in Ouachita Lake
Campsites in Ouachita Lake
Reservations camping
Denby Point
Denby Point COE campground has 67 pet-friendly campsites that are reservable during peak season, and available on first-come, first-served basis during off-peak season. There are 58 campsites in the campground that are equipped with electric and water hookups for RVs. In addition, electric hookups are also available in two group campsites. RV length limit at this US Army Corps of Engineers RV campground is 45 feet.
Amenities at Denby Point include hot showers, flush toilets, potable water, a dump station, and a boat ramp. An amphitheater, fish cleaning station and a swimming beach are on hand, as well as picnic areas and a playground.
Tompkins Bend
Tompkins Bend Army COE campground features 77 pet-friendly campsites for RVs and tents. Of these 77 campsites, 63 are equipped with electric hookups for RVs, while 69 are equipped with RV water hookups. The campsites are reservable during peak season, and available on a first-come, first-served basis during off-peak season.
Campground amenities include concrete tables, grills, flush toilets, showers, and potable water. Facilities campers can make use of include an amphitheater, boat ramp, playground and a pavilion.
Joplin
Joplin COE campground at Ouachita Lake consists of 59 pet-friendly RV campsites that are equipped with electric hookups only. No water hookups are available, but water faucets are on hand in the campground. The campsite spaces are small and unpaved and the pad lengths often differ greatly from site to site due to the campground’s terrain. So only small RVs/motorhomes are recommended for a night's stay here.
Flush toilets, showers, potable water, and a trailer dump station are some of the amenities in the campground. You’ll also find a boat ramp, fish cleaning station, and trails nearby.
The campsites in the campground are reservable during peak season, and available on a first-come, first-served basis during off-peak season.
Crystal Springs
Featuring 74 pet-friendly sites, Crystal Springs COE campground offers several camping options such as tent, group, and RV camping. There are 68 campsites in the campground that can accommodate RVs, 63 of which are equipped with electric and water hookups. There are no hookups in the remaining 5 RV campsites. RV/trailer length limit in the campground is 45 feet.
Facilities and amenities in this Army Corps of Engineers campground in Arkansas include fish cleaning station, trailer dump station, showers, potable water, and boat ramp. Flush toilets and swim beaches are also available.
The campsites in the campground are reservable during peak season, and available on a first-come, first-served basis during off-peak season.
Brady Mountain
Brady Mountain COE campground in Ouachita Lake consists of 74 pet-friendly campsites, all of which can accommodate RVs and are equipped with electric hookups. Located on Brady Mountain Road, this campground features facilities such as an amphitheater, fish cleaning station, and a playground. A swim beach and boat ramp are also available. Other amenities include flush toilets, potable water, showers, grills, and concrete tables.
The campsites in the campground are reservable during peak season, and available on a first-come, first-served basis during off-peak season. RV length limit at the campground is 45 feet.
Stephens Park
Stephens Park is a COE campground in Ouachita Lake that features 9 pet-friendly campsites available by reservation. There are electrical hookups available All the 9 campsites in the campground are equipped with full RV hookups (electric, water, and sewer) and can accommodate RVs/trailers up to 45 feet.
Amenities within the campground include showers, potable water, flush toilets, grills and concrete tables. You’ll also be able to make use of playgrounds, picnic areas, pavilions, and a boat ramp in the campground. Facilities such as cabins, dump station, and visitor center can be found at the nearby Lake Ouachita State Park.
Stephen Park is located below Blakely Mountain Dam on Lake Hamilton.
First-come first-served
Twin Creek
Featuring 15 campsites that are open to pets and available on a first-come, first-served basis year-round, Twin Creek COE campground is located on Twin Creek Road, about 9 miles east of Mount Ida, Arkansas. There are no RV hookups in this campground and only RVs/trailers up to 30 feet can be accommodated.
At this campground, you’ll find for use, flush toilets, tables and grills, lantern posts, and a swim beach. A boat ramp is available too.
Little Fir
Little Fir COE campground consists of 29 campsites that are available for RVs and tents. Only one campsite in the campground is equipped with electric hookups for RVs. RV length limit is 30 feet. No reservations are accepted for campsites in Little Fir as the sites are available on first-come, first-served basis year-round.
Flush toilets, potable water, a dump station, a boat ramp, and a fish cleaning station are available at Little Fir, but there are no showers. The campsites have grills, concrete tables, and lantern posts.
Seasonal activities in Ouachita Lake
In-Season
Bird Viewing
Bird viewing a popular activity on “Bird Island” in Ouachita Lake. This island, located around Hot Springs is an “Important Bird Area”, according to the Audubon Society, due to the Purple Martin Roost that has been established on the island for several years. Bird Island is Arkansas's largest known Purple Martin Roost. This is not to say that the purple martin roost is the only bird in this COE park; you’ll see little blue herons, white ibis, great blue herons, cattle egrets, and red-winged blackbirds too within the park’s areas.
If you visit at the right time, you're bound to see many different types of birds. An estimated 8,000 - 50,000 birds use the area between late July and early August.
Day Use Areas
On your visit to Ouachita Lake, if you need a place to take your kids swimming, want to enjoy a picnic with family or friends, or would like to find a place to launch your boat on the park’s waters, look no further than the 19 recreation areas offered by this COE park.
You’ll be able to enjoy the use of amenities of the day use areas like picnic tables, playgrounds, restrooms, drinking water, and ADA accessible facilities.
Hiking
There are numerous trails in Ouachita Lake that offer scenic views of this lake park’s flora and fauna, as well as its landscapes and features. Whether you wish to spend time along the shoreline or in the woods, there’s a suitable trail for you. Some of the trails in the park include The Lake Ouachita Vista Trail, Watchable Wildlife ADA Trail, and Ouachita Geo-Float Trail.
You can take your adventure further to the Ouachita National Forest where you can hike on the 192-mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail that runs just north of Lake Ouachita. Hot Springs National Park also features a number of fascinating trails for the adventurous hiker.
Off-Season
Hunting
For campers who fancy hunting and are licensed to engage in the activity, public hunting is allowed at Ouachita Lake. This Army Corps of Engineers park only prohibits public hunting is selected areas such as developed recreation areas, near the dam and associated structures. Hunters are not allowed possession of loaded firearms within the recreation areas in the park.
If you find trees with three red paint spots, then know that such area is a “No Hunting Area”. To make things easy, you can pick up hunting maps at the Field Office in the park.
Boating
With its 62.5 sq. miles of crystal clear water and more than 200 islands, Ouachita Lake is every boater’s paradise. Having been consistently named as one of the cleanest lakes in the US, this water body, which is surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest and 975 miles of remote shoreline, offers wonderful boating experiences to RV campers who fancy the activity.
Of particular interest to campers in the park is houseboating, thanks to the deep waters that are found in the park. There are 10 full-service marinas and 20 boat ramps, all for the use of boaters. Bear in mind that safety is paramount as you boat on the park’s waters.
Fishing
As one of the most popular recreational activities at Ouachita Lake, angling opportunities are open to RV campers and visitors along the 690 miles of shoreline and the 62.5 sq. miles of water available in the park. Rest assured you will enjoy the fishing experience in this Army Corps of Engineers park, whether you’re a skilled angler or a novice trying to learn the art.
As you set out to fish in this park, be prepared to catch species such as blue catfish, bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, rainbow trout ,and many others. The rainbow trout are stocked in the river by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
