There’s no better way to spend a sweltering Arkansas summer than beside a lake. Wait… there’s no better way to spend an Arkansas summer than on a lake… actually, in a lake is the best. Any way you phrase it, lakes are a fantastic way to relieve the suffering of those humid, 100+ degree summer days. In fact, one of the best things about lakes is that you can enjoy your time beside, on, or in them. Lakes offer an abundance of activities: you can ski, boat, float, sail, fish, or you can set up your hammock on the shore. These 15 lakes offer all of that and more:
- Beaver Lake (Benton & Carroll Counties)
Flickr/Doug Wertman Beaver Lake is popular and it’s not hard to see why. With 650 campsites, 487 miles of shoreline, and gorgeous limestone bluffs, it’s a beautiful place to spend a weekend.
- Norfork Lake (Baxter County)
Flickr/D_Abbott Norfork covers more than 20,000 acres and has excellent recreational facilities nearby. Don’t have a boat? You can rent one. Norfork National Fish Hatchery is also nearby and open for tours.
- Lake Hamilton (Garland County)
Flickr/Farther Along Ringed with resorts, hotels, and restaurants, Lake Hamilton’s plentiful amenities and proximity to Hot Springs make it a comfortable place to get some R & R.
- Lake Catherine (Garland County)
Flickr/Jonathan Ball This lake is the centerpiece of Lake Catherine State Park. There are numerous cabins and hiking trails around the lake, and Hot Springs is just a stone’s throw away.
- Bull Shoals Lake (Baxter & Marion Counties)
Flickr/Launa There are over twenty parks around the shores of Bull Shoals, and it’s a beautiful place to find some summer magic. It was formed by the construction of the fifth largest concrete dam in the United States.
- Lake Ouachita (Garland & Montgomery Counties)
Flickr/Granger Meador Lake Ouachita is the largest lake entirely in the state of Arkansas. It is the third lake on this list located near Hot Springs, which means you could easily have a nice tour of lakes in central Arkansas. Lake Ouachita has rare non-stinging jellyfish, which can only live in the cleanest of freshwater habitats.
- Lake Dardanelle (Pope, Yell, Logan, Johnson & Franklin Counties)
Flickr/debbyconway That’s a lot of counties, huh? It’s because Lake Dardanelle is a major reservoir on the Arkansas River and it extends 50 miles upstream.
Lake Dardanelle is home to some world-class bass fishing, and the fishing docks there are absolutely stunning at sunset.
- DeGray Lake (Clark & Hot Spring Counties)
Flickr/Amy the Nurse You can get incredible views of DeGray Lake from Scenic Highway 7, but the real fun is down by the water. This lake is another with a state park dedicated to it, so visit DeGray Lake Resort State Park and for a magical time.
- Lake Chicot (Chicot County)
Wikimedia/Chetblong This is Arkansas’s largest natural lake. It is also the largest oxbow lake in North America. It is located near Lake Village, “The Home of Good Fishing.” And boy, is the fishing good on Lake Chicot. It’s the home of record-holding large mouth bass.
- Greers Ferry Lake (Cleburne & Van Buren Counties)
Flickr/JK B Greers Ferry Lake is one of the clearest, cleanest lakes in North America. There is an island near the center of the lake. From the shoreline, you can find a trail to Sugar Loaf Mountain.
- Lake Ponder (Greene County)
Wikimedia/ Thomas R Machnitzki Adorable and spring-fed Lake Ponder, located in Crowley’s Ridge State Park, is a popular swimming destination.
- Lake Conway (Faulkner County)
Flickr/Bob Simmons Lake Conway is the largest man-made lake built by the game and fish commission in the United States. This lake also has cool mythology surrounding it. Rumors say a “skunk ape” stalks the shallows
- Lake Fort Smith (Crawford County)
JB Weisenfels Lake Fort Smith State Park has a marina, cabins, fishing spots, playgrounds, and boat tours. You can’t swim in this lake, though, as it serves as the water supply for several river valley communities.
- Table Rock Lake (Carroll County)
Flickr/ rubberducky53171 Though Table Rock Lake is a popular feature of Branson, Missouri, it actually extends all the way to Eureka Springs. It’s a popular spot for sailing, fishing, and scuba diving.
- Lake Maumelle (Pulaski County)
Flickr/Kevin G Saunders You can’t swim in Lake Maumelle because it’s central Arkansas’s main water supply, but boating, sailing and fishing are perfectly fine. Actually, those things are perfectly awesome.
Which Arkansas lake is most magical to you? Is it on this list?
Flickr/Doug Wertman
Beaver Lake is popular and it’s not hard to see why. With 650 campsites, 487 miles of shoreline, and gorgeous limestone bluffs, it’s a beautiful place to spend a weekend.
Flickr/D_Abbott
Norfork covers more than 20,000 acres and has excellent recreational facilities nearby. Don’t have a boat? You can rent one. Norfork National Fish Hatchery is also nearby and open for tours.
Flickr/Farther Along
Ringed with resorts, hotels, and restaurants, Lake Hamilton’s plentiful amenities and proximity to Hot Springs make it a comfortable place to get some R & R.
Flickr/Jonathan Ball
This lake is the centerpiece of Lake Catherine State Park. There are numerous cabins and hiking trails around the lake, and Hot Springs is just a stone’s throw away.
Flickr/Launa
There are over twenty parks around the shores of Bull Shoals, and it’s a beautiful place to find some summer magic. It was formed by the construction of the fifth largest concrete dam in the United States.
Flickr/Granger Meador
Lake Ouachita is the largest lake entirely in the state of Arkansas. It is the third lake on this list located near Hot Springs, which means you could easily have a nice tour of lakes in central Arkansas. Lake Ouachita has rare non-stinging jellyfish, which can only live in the cleanest of freshwater habitats.
Flickr/debbyconway
That’s a lot of counties, huh? It’s because Lake Dardanelle is a major reservoir on the Arkansas River and it extends 50 miles upstream.
Lake Dardanelle is home to some world-class bass fishing, and the fishing docks there are absolutely stunning at sunset.
Flickr/Amy the Nurse
You can get incredible views of DeGray Lake from Scenic Highway 7, but the real fun is down by the water. This lake is another with a state park dedicated to it, so visit DeGray Lake Resort State Park and for a magical time.
Wikimedia/Chetblong
This is Arkansas’s largest natural lake. It is also the largest oxbow lake in North America. It is located near Lake Village, “The Home of Good Fishing.” And boy, is the fishing good on Lake Chicot. It’s the home of record-holding large mouth bass.
Flickr/JK B
Greers Ferry Lake is one of the clearest, cleanest lakes in North America. There is an island near the center of the lake. From the shoreline, you can find a trail to Sugar Loaf Mountain.
Wikimedia/ Thomas R Machnitzki
Adorable and spring-fed Lake Ponder, located in Crowley’s Ridge State Park, is a popular swimming destination.
Flickr/Bob Simmons
Lake Conway is the largest man-made lake built by the game and fish commission in the United States. This lake also has cool mythology surrounding it. Rumors say a “skunk ape” stalks the shallows
JB Weisenfels
Lake Fort Smith State Park has a marina, cabins, fishing spots, playgrounds, and boat tours. You can’t swim in this lake, though, as it serves as the water supply for several river valley communities.
Flickr/ rubberducky53171
Though Table Rock Lake is a popular feature of Branson, Missouri, it actually extends all the way to Eureka Springs. It’s a popular spot for sailing, fishing, and scuba diving.
Flickr/Kevin G Saunders
You can’t swim in Lake Maumelle because it’s central Arkansas’s main water supply, but boating, sailing and fishing are perfectly fine. Actually, those things are perfectly awesome.
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