Lake Ouachita, Arkansas's largest Lake, has 66,324 total acres of land and water.
Find locations of Camp Grounds, Day Use Areas for Picnics and Swimming, Resorts, Lodging
and Hiking / Biking Trails.
With Information on Fishing, Hunting, Boating Activities
with added bonus of
GPS locations of Brush Piles / Crappie Condos in Lake Ouachita.
No homes are allowed on the tree covered rustic shore line of over 600 miles. With Over 200 islands you can find your own private camping space with beach. Lake Ouachita is one of the cleanest lakes in the country.
Lake Ouachita is located in the Ouachita National Forest of more than 1.8 million acres with 20,000 forested acres around the lake are open for hunting near the resort city of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Pronounced "Wash-ah-taw" officially ( WAH-shi-tah ) but that comes out as "Wah-sheet-tah", the lake was created by building the Blakely Mountain Dam on the Ouachita River. “Ouachita” is the French spelling of the Indian word Washita which means "good hunting grounds". Since the formation of the lake we have to add Good Fishing Waters.
With over 40,000 acres of water, Lake Ouachita averages 50 feet deep. The deepest area touching 200 feet.
Ouachita was not clear cut before it was filled, so a forest is still standing beneath the surface. Many trees left standing were over 60 feet tall. Always be on the lookout for shallow water markers and tree tops.
With over 200 islands showing, there are many just under the waters surface. Even in seemingly open water you can go from 150 feet to 2 feet in a short distance.
Largemouth Bass, Small Mouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Bream, Crappie, Catfish, Walleye and world class Trophy Striped Bass await the angler.
Lake Ouachita is the first of 3 lakes on the Ouachita River.
Lake Ouachita has many unusual features, one feature by the Corps of Engineers is the Geo-Float Trail, a marked trail which can be followed with a brochure which details prominent geologic features along the route.
Lake Ouachita also features one of the largest crystal veins in the world.
Lake Ouachita has rare jelly fish (non-stinging) and
fresh water sponges found in only very few of the cleanest freshwater lakes.
Scuba Divers from all over the world enjoy Lake Ouachita for its clarity as well as the special spear fishing season.
Lake Ouachita was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1946 and 1954 as a flood control, hydropower, and navigation project. Authorized purposes now include recreation, water supply, and fish and wildlife management.
Lake Ouachita Information Center / site map
Lake Ouachita Fishing Reports.
Lake Ouachita Features:
150 Picnic sites
Playgrounds
10 Swimming areas
32 Hiking Trail miles
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3 Fishing docks
Motels and other Places to Stay.
Brady Mountain Resort and Marina Lake Ouachita
Lake Ouachita Real Estate Information.
Lake Ouachita Fisheries Management Plan