I lashed all the gear in the boat to the crossbar with a long ratchet strap. I let my kids have the canoe to play with and they spent the afternoon paddling across our small bay and playing in the beautifully clear water. With over 200 islands, Lake Ouachita is an extremely popular site for island camping, as well. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 2,191 views. The first thing I noticed was that the shoreline and area we would be camping was rocky. At 2pm I stop back by the visitor center and were given the key code to get into our cabin. With more than 40,000 acres to explore on the water, not to mention the surrounding fields and forests, you might want to keep this vacation going all summer. Rule number two: remember the right fuel and always bring a lighter. Lake Ouachita is a Corps of Engineers island-filled Reservoir in Arkansas of 40,000 + acres. Outdoor seating is also provided. She is a wanderlust (and coffee) fueled, fearless, road tripper who has been known to take off for epic adventures at a moments notice. This post contains affiliate links. But he was thrilled and when I tucked him in (zipped him in) he was beaming and staring up at the starry sky. I forgot rule number one so medical tape from the first aid kit I brought along had to suffice. Don’t rush through this step! She has been married to her best friend for thirteen years and they share a mutual love for the outdoors. Do you research! It took some research to decide how to tie down the bow of our canoe to the front of my Subaru Outback, since there isn’t any metal anywhere to be found on the front bumper anymore. Take U.S. 270 west from Hot Springs, AR for 22 miles; turn right (north) at sign on Forest Service Road 50 for 3-1/2 miles. Click HERE for tips for camping with kids. Lake Ouachita State Park in Mountain Pine, Arkansas, is a naturally beautiful area on Lake Ouachita. The full service cabins at Lake Ouachita State Parks have all the amenities guests need for relaxing getaway including satellite television, heat and air conditioning, full kitchens with cookware and dinnerware. I held her while she sorted the samples my son brought up. And it was beautiful. The islands range from sizable forests to small sandbars so you can customize your island … We explore the lake and meet up with some friends that already there 2 days before and had lunch with them at their cabin. Hot Springs Tourism; Hot Springs Hotels; Hot Springs Bed and Breakfast; Hot Springs Vacation Rentals; Hot Springs Vacation Packages; Flights to Hot Springs Just ahead of us a sailboat was slowly slipping away from the marina and my heart swelled with excitement at our adventure ahead. With so many to choose from, this is certainly the ultimate pick-your-own-adventure. This video is unavailable. Curious for more? Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs Picture: The beach at "Hotel Island" - Check out Tripadvisor members' 11,095 candid photos and videos of Lake Ouachita Campgrounds operated by federal and state agencies are not yet bookable on Hipcamp. We keep all of our camping gear in totes organized by type of camping, so “grab and go” is easy to do. It was east facing, but protected. Memorial Day Weekend 2016 - Lake Ouachita - Duration: 5:35. Well, the original plan was an island. We integrate with the National Weather Service to provide valuable fire advisories to Hosts and Hipcampers. Fishing . A marina is nearby. Click HERE for a peak into our homeschool journey. I had freshly ground my favorite roast and left it sitting on my counter at home. I attempted to distribute the weight by putting the large dry bag in front of my son, the cooler in the middle, and our backpacks in the middle by my daughter; I would be sitting in the back. We sat near the fire and watched as one by one, the stars made their appearance, daylight fading into dark over the calm lake water. I have been fishing and working on Lake Ouachita for most of 57 years. I don’t think there is anything more beautiful than the soft orange hue on the horizon just after sunset, or just before sunrise. Mesmerizing views and crystal waters make the park a haven for water sports enthusiasts. Getting to work on camp, I set up our tent first and found that one of the tent poles was broken. Camping is plentiful here with 74 sites available. The Lake has abundant vegetation with an underwater forest. Exhausted, sweaty and sunburned, we worked together to unload the canoe and I muscled it back onto the roof of the car. You can rent kayaks or canoes from several marinas on, I have a complete list of all of our camping gear, Food that can be secured away (I keep ours in a dry bag in the overturned canoe at night), Sleeping bags, sleeping pads, hammock and/or tent. 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