Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs

Lake Ouachita is a reservoir created by the damming of the Ouachita River by Blakely Mountain Dam.
Blakely Mountain Dam was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers from 1948 to 1953 for hydroelectric power, recreation, water supply and wildlife conservation. The dam is 231 feet tall, 1,100 feet long at the crest, and is capable of 75 megawatts.
The lake is located near Hot Springs, Arkansas. Lake Ouachita is the largest lake completely in Arkansas, as the larger Bull Shoals Lake extends into Missouri. Lake Ouachita has over of shoreline and over of water. It is completely surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest. Lake Ouachita is located near two other lakes, Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine. These three lakes, DeGray Lake to the near south, and the thermal springs of Hot Springs National Park make Hot Springs a popular tourist getaway.
Largemouth Bass, Small Mouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Bream, Crappie, Catfish, Walleye and world class Trophy Striped Bass await the angler. Lake Ouachita is known as the Striped Bass Capital of the World. 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 jellyfish and sponges found in only very few of the cleanest freshwater lakes. For travelers who use our international travel planner, Hot Springs holidays become easier to arrange, with trips to the Lake Ouachita and other attractions mapped out and timetabled.