It was a beautiful morning, perfect for exploring trails along the state park. We drove :30, 2…read moremiles out of Hot Springs. We started in the visitor center with Wi-Fi, maps, and a small gift shop. We followed the trails down to the marina. We passed campsite's & pullouts. Kayaks, paddle boats, pontoon boats are all available. There was a small beach with two people sitting on chairs.

We drove through part of Lake Ouachita State Park in late July 2025…read more Entrance was free. The lake looked clean everywhere we went. I was impressed. Many boaters, some swimmers (with designated areas and beaches even), some fishermen, and hikers scattered this area of Arkansas just outside of Hot Springs. It was fairly hot when we went, but still good fun and beautiful scenery. If time had permitted, I would have liked to take my daughters to Three Sisters Springs and other places. We instead stayed at Echo Canyon which is not technically part of the state park, but exists on Lake Ouachita.

Clean and comfortable - natural beauty sitting just around the bend and over the next hill and…read moreunder the placid water of Lake Catherine! It's fun and easy to reach/enjoy with family friendly opportunities for hiking, fishing, boating, swimming, grilling, camping (cabins available too) - very close to Hot Springs which has a lot of beauty from the National Park in downtown to the lookout tower atop the highest point in downtown - including the natural hot springs which makes this place famous for America's first off season professional baseball camps and the likes of gangsters and movie stars all mingled alongside the everyday persons enjoying the same or hanging out at the horse races. It's a cool place to visit and you'll have a super time at the park - with other states parks and lakes and rivers/hiking and nature all around!

Lake Catherine-- We absolutely love this lake!…read more Although, I felt like things were not labeled as they should have been during the hike of "Falls Creek Falls". There were marks on trees during the hike that were red, white and yellow, but I had no idea what those meant. Maybe this part of town is less touristy and more locals, because people had set up hammocks, and all of their things that they needed for the night/day around the waterfall after the hike. I spoke to a sweet man and woman on a golf cart who seemed to work there, as they were going around and changing papers for the reservations for there were trailers in the parking lot, and they advised us on where to go and park. They did advise us that if you go on the trails, if you go towards the left, the hike is shorter and it's about a 1/2 a mile, and if you go towards the right, it's about a mile and a 1/2 Which is a great tip because, of course, we wanted to take the shorter route. We had a toddler and an elderly person with us, and so we did not want to do a strenuous hike. This hike was just enough for us to feel better adventurous, and like we accomplished something when we got to the falls. The falls were beautiful, and the water looked gorgeous. Although, I did see later on another app, that a lot of times sewer water gets into the falls. Unfortunately, we had decided to take a dip even though we didn't have swim suits just because it looks so refreshing but it's just something to keep in mind. Overall, we would definitely come here again! It looks like a great place to bring lunch and hang out and eat after a great hike!

Beautiful! Secluded! The water was so clean and the campsites were clean. Our family of 6 enjoyed…read moreit.

Beautiful park by a beautiful lake. Quiet, clean, green, and peaceful. This is a must visit if…read moreyou're seeking biggest bang for the buck while also considering natural beauty and cleanliness. Far away from Arkansas' limited urban areas. Camping is a must! Be aware - this is Arkansas with a subtropical humid climate and the most amount of bugs you'll encounter in your life. ... aggressive huge flies that chase you around the camp sight and they bite!!!! Wasps and bees. Spiders and ants. Ticks. Haha. If that's not your thing, bring the Rv and skip the tent.

Stop here it's fun and beautiful!!! Nice for fishing and pictures!!! Funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnread more

Quick look rating: 5/5 Quality, 5/5 Service, 5/5 Experience…read more For my 100th review of 2015, I thought it would be best to write about a great little trout fly fishing spot that's not to far from Dallas, TX. **To note: This review is written about the creek before the floods in early spring of 2015. In the spring of 2015 we had major rains and flooding in the area. The engineers for the dam had to release a large amount of water from the spillway. Downstream was a major washout. Spillway Creek is below the spillway dam at Broken Bow Lake. It is just a little over 3 hours drive time from Dallas or 20 to 25 minutes from Broken Bow, Oklahoma. The water released from this dam comes from about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way down from the top of the water. This keeps the water released cold, cold enough for trout to live for the first couple of miles to about twelve miles worth of stream before it gets to hot for trout. The spillway is stocked with trout nearly every two weeks with at least two trucks of stock trout. The Spillway Creek is on the Ouachita National Forrest and Beavers Bend State Park, and I noticed that they are doing a great job of keeping this park and wildlife area, very well maintained! Help keep this park clean, what you pack/carry in, well then carry out, thank you in advance! At the time of spring there was two nice fly fishing shops in the area, while the Dallas has some really nice fly shops to help you out as well! Some of the Fly shops in Dallas have some guides that will take you up there as well! My thoughts / suggestions: 9ft rod - 4 or 5 weight rod, 9ft leader with a 5x tippet, take 5,6, and 7x tippet spools. Flies: RS2, maybe some tiny midge nymphs. Carry a wading staff! The water can be stiff in some areas! **To note: Check with the local fly shops for what kind of fly's to use and what types of tippet and leaders are being used at that time. **Emergency Note: Always listen for any sirens in the valley / creek area. When they release water from the dam, the engineers will blow that horn/whistle. If you hear it, head to high ground IMMEDIATELY! Please keep in mind where your fellow fly fishing buddies are located! For the most part there is phone reception in the area, but double check. It is pretty good idea to go to text mode when fly fishing and keep it on vibration/silent mode. Be safe, and let others know where you are located! I'll be back!

Absolutely THE BEST bait shop I've ever been in. Humorous and friendly owner who was honest about…read moreour bait choices and helped us get exactly what we needed, plus some extra treats for the kids. I will stop there any time I'm in need of something. Fantastic place and service!!!

Mountain Harbor Marina went above and beyond to get things accomplished for us. We had some trouble…read morewith the boat that belongs to our church and the staff was able to accommodate every need we had. The people assisting us were not only friendly, but very helpful as well! Would 10/10 recommend using them again.

We have a great time with Scott! He helped us catch lots of fish and was very knowledgeable. We…read morewould not hesitate to go again. He was very helpful with the kids as well! Thank you! We'll be back!

Possibly one of the most beautiful places on earth. friedly people, we rented a larger cabin, it…read morewas quite comfortable. When I got up and looked out over the lake, the birds, the sky, it was all so beautiful.

Wife and I had a nice weekend getaway for my birthday here! They even wished me happy birthday by…read moreposting it on their road sign...nice touch! We stayed in one of the cabins overlooking Lake Ouachita; great views and a comfortable bed. It was quiet and comfortable and we will be coming back!