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.

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.

Just finished a week stay at Degray Lake, and am beyond delighted that it was chosen for my first…read morevacation spot. From the moment you turn onto state park road, you can feel the calming and rejuvenating atmosphere. The views of the lake and surrounding areas were breathtaking, as well as all of the wildlife. Every member of the staff were extremely friendly and helpful, it felt as if I was at a good friends house for a week. I'd like to take the time to shout out the restaurant staff, in particular; Gina, Lauren, Shannon Rick and David. Every time we found ourselves in the restaurant we were welcomed with great energy and open smiles that could be felt and seen through the masks, regardless of time of day. It was as if we were regulars at our favorite spot. Would absolutely recommend for anybody trying to take some time to disconnect from daily life and get back in touch with the simpler sides of life.

Came here with some friends while we were out boating and had a great lunch! The food was not…read moreoverpriced by any means, and it was actually pretty good! My fiancé and I both got salads (one Cobb and one chef) and our friends got the gyro and the quesadilla. Neither of us had any complaints, it all came out relatively quickly, and tasted great. Our waitress was slammed (someone called in) but she was very attentive to our needs and brought us refills before we were even finished! Overall we were impressed and glad we decided to stop in instead of bringing sandwiches.

We had a beautiful day to float the Caddo, with two kayaks and two canoes in our party yesterday…read more One canoe had novice paddlers for the 3+ hour float back to the vehicles. Our bus and some of the equipment (paddles, canoe) were a bit banged up or well used. It was a lot of fun, more class 1 or maybe class 2 than expected by the novices. But fun fun fun. We plan to do it again!

I wanted to be sure to come back and write a review as I couldn't find many newer reviews prior to…read moregoing. I'll start out by saying that the owners were great!!! We originally booked a camp side with electric and water for 2 days and would float on our last full day. We decided to extend our campsite and change our float to the next day AND swap to kayaks Instead of tubes. When we went to the office to make the changes and they were more than happy to help us as if it were no big deal! I also watched the owner down by the river everyday we were there just greeting people and chatting and helping in any way possible. I'm pretty sure I saw him pulling someone's car that had broke down. Just a testament to how helpful they are. The Campsite- my wife and I got site L for 3 days. The owner had just finished mowing the grass as we pulled up and it was very clean and level. I had read one old review that said the electric pole was a hundred feet away or something so I showed up with 5 extension cords. lol to my surprise, the electric pole was right at the side and 10 feet away from our tent! But I was ready. The water spigot was also right behind that so it was all very close. There was a nice fire ring and a camp style grill and the picnic table was in great shape. No one was in the site to our right but there were some folks in the site to our left but there was just enough space that it was no bother. The bathrooms were just a short walk up the hill. There was one men's and one women's restroom that stayed clean the whole time we were there and there were two showers, each in its own individual room. All 4 doors had pin pad knobs so they stayed locked and you needed a code to get in, they didn't give us any issues. The showers were push knobs so you have to hold them to keep water flowing but the temps were good. A little warm for my tastes but my wife loved it. The River- we decided on the kayaks instead of the tubes as we have tubes the river a few times and wanted to check out a little more. Since we were camping at the shuttle site, we just had to jump on a van once we were ready and they took us on a ten minute ride to the river. The driver was very knowledgeable and gave us some good tips. We ultimately floated for about 4 hrs to get back. The river was around 5.3 river level gauge so we did have a few spots where I had to get out but my wife slid right over. Guess I should lose a few pounds hahaha. It's definitely an easy paddle and kid friendly. There were a few spots with some faster moving water but nothing to be alarmed about. All in all it was a great experience. I will say, if you are looking for a quiet, in the woods campsite, this isn't it. It is close to the road so you hear every truck going down the road and those boys in Central Arkansas love their glasspack mufflers! lol but if you are looking for somewhere to camp after floating the river, this place is perfect! You don't have to drive to a shuttle area and then when you get done, you are back at camp. Caddy River Camping & Canoe, you guys are doing a great job!!

It's really quite lovely! It's always very clean and definitely worth stopping in. The only bummer…read moreis now that they charge you to stop and park even if it's for 10 minutes

Friends trail Great trail! Easy path to follow, roots and…read morerocks make it unstable for any stroller or wheels. Clean area, the river is beautiful! The path also leads up to a cliff area. Must stop and walk when town. Our 2 year old followed us everywhere on the trail.

This is a beautiful area. We went on a hike here, I was great for me…read more You would need to like some rock climbing and it's also quite up hill going up It's well worth it. It's a beautiful overlook of the hole area

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six-week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and experience it beyond simply driving by. Hot Springs National Park was one of the most unique parks on our journey because it is unlike any other national park we have visited. Rather than protecting vast wilderness, this park preserves the history and natural thermal springs that gave birth to the city of Hot Springs. For centuries, people believed the mineral-rich waters had healing properties, and during the late 1800s and early 1900s, the area became one of America's premier spa destinations. The beautifully preserved Bathhouse Row is a reminder of that era, with historic buildings that still define the character of the park today. The park itself blends seamlessly into the city, making it feel less like a traditional national park and more like a living historic district. Personally, I see it as being closer to a national monument than the expansive wilderness parks most people picture when they think of the National Park System. But that doesn't diminish its value, it is simply a very different experience. I spent quite a bit of time hiking the surrounding trails, which were peaceful, scenic, and offered beautiful views over the town and the Ouachita Mountains. It was a pleasant surprise to discover how much nature surrounds the historic district once you begin climbing into the hills. The town itself is charming, full of history, unique architecture, good restaurants, and an easy pace that invites you to slow down. Between exploring the bathhouses, learning about the fascinating history of hydrotherapy in America, and enjoying the trails, we found there was plenty to fill a full day. Overall, Hot Springs National Park is beautiful in its own way. It may not offer towering mountains or dramatic wilderness, but it preserves an important chapter of American history while still providing opportunities to enjoy nature. It is certainly worth visiting with an open mind and an appreciation for both history and the outdoors.

I'll hand this review to my daughter…read more.. "I've been going to Camp Ozark for 3 summers now. I live in NC, but go all the way to AR because Ozark is one of the best places in the world. There are so many activities and classes - over 150! No matter what your hobbies are, you will find activities you enjoy. It's like being at Disney World at camp, because there is always something to do. Mish Mash is my favorite time of day, because you have two hours to do whatever activity you want - go to the lake, ride horses, take on the ropes courses, etc. Also, the lake is a blast! There's the Blob, a rope swing, 8 slides, water trampolines, and more! Going to camp here has taught me leadership skills and made me more confident. It is a life changing experience! The counselors and staff here are wonderful. I highly recommend coming to Ozark!".

Im not mentioning names but my niece will be traumatized for years after her experience there .They…read moreneed to have some compassion for the young girls who are homesick and maybe having anxiety .My niece went there Excited but came home crying

Lisa was fantastic. The tour was very laid back and we went at the pace that we wanted. She was…read morevery knowledgeable of the area and very easy to talk to. We came across a couple eagles perched on a tree and we were able to hang out by then as long as we liked. If you are in the hot springs area and want to do some kayaking, definitely go with Ouachita Kayak Tours!

What an AWESOME day on the water with Ms. Lisa! She was fantastic with our son, having fun with him…read morethe entire time. She was very patient and made sure we all were comfortable in our kayaks before starting the tour. We had so much fun island hopping, snorkeling, having lunch and lounging in the hammock on our own private island! She is extremely knowledgeable about the lake and shared so many interesting facts about the area. We had an amazing time paddling with Ms. Lisa. Thank you for the memories!

We stayed at Lake Catherine for 6 days and 5 nights. We had site #70…read more This site was plenty big, had a fishing dock (although the water was low) we still fished and enjoyed it. Only caught 1 small fish. Lake Catherine is about 15- 20 minutes to Hot Springs. We drove around section C looking for good spots and found several. We never went into section A or B. But this was a great, clean and quiet area. We will be back.

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!

The state park itself is beautiful. The trails and lake are great. We stayed at the lodge for a…read moreweek. The staff are all friendly and welcoming. The restaurant and staff there were very good. Where it fell short for us was mostly the room. The room was very small, crowded, musty and in extreme need of updating. The bathtub has rust stains, the tile is old and grout is filthy. The carpet in the room is also filthy. There were spiders in the corners of the room. The air system was so loud! The door to the room had gaps so spacious that light from the hall poured in all night and everyone walking by sounded as if they were in the room with us. The chair in the room was stained. You get the point. The elevator safety certification in both elevators expired in 2024. Doesn't instill great confidence. My husband had never been here and I was so excited to share a place I had stayed at several times in my childhood. Unfortunately the experience was a bit of a letdown. There were no activities at all. The outdoor paved walking trail behind the lodge had maybe two of the lights working and the lanterns were filthy. I remember that path being lit so well at night that the frogs would be on the path catching insects that were drawn to the lights. There wasn't a frog to be seen or heard. With some TLC and renovations & perhaps an activities director, this could be a beautiful place to stay again.

Peaceful and relaxing nature. It has multiple entrances to visit from. Picnic areas available with…read moregrill stations.

This is a pretty place to come with the kids, the dogs or just by yourself…read more Lake Willastein is a man-made lake/earthen dam created in 1942 which perhaps why there are several military-looking bunkers spread around. There's a jogging track, a few piers to fish from, a kids playground and hiking trails that lead back into the woods. There's 53 acres to explore and I have been told, an excellent 4th of July fireworks display held by the water.

Love this park, been coming here since I moved to little rock 5 years ago. It's quiet , clean and…read morealways very pretty! My nana & pawpa live nearby to so that's always a plus. Don't miss out! go to the park!!! run , walk or jog don't get fat ! After this great review everybody should be going to the park and working on their fitness!!!