There's Something Intriguing You Don't Know About Arkansas's Clearest Lake
By J.B. VanDyke|Published July 06, 2017
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J.B. VanDyke
Author
J.B. Weisenfels has lived in rural Arkansas for three decades. She is a writer, a mom, and a graduate student. She is also an avid collector of tacky fish whatnots, slightly chipped teapots, and other old things. In her spare time she enjoys driving to the nearest creek to sit a while. If you were to visit her, she'd try to feed you cornbread.
Have you heard the one about Lake Ouachita? Lake Ouachita is so clear that harmless jellyfish that can only live in the most pristine environments thrive there. Okay, it’s not a joke, but it is absolutely true. Lake Ouachita is hands down the clearest lake in Arkansas, and it’s the largest lake entirely within the borders of the Natural State. What you might not know about Lake Ouachita is that there are some things hiding there that will drop your jaw. No, I’m not talking about monsters. I’m talking about islands. Lake Ouachita is totally full of islands.
Lake Ouachita has calm, cool, and clear water that can be counted on for all kinds of recreation, but what’s hiding in this large lake are some truly incredible islands that you can explore.
The lake is actually a reservoir created by the damming of the Ouachita River back in the sixties. Blakely Mountain Dam is still holding strong, and the views from there are extraordinary, partly because of the islands in the middle of the expansive water.
There’s a good reason there’s no comprehensive image of Lake Ouachita’s islands. Depending on the water level, there are hundreds of islands, large and small, within the more than 40,000 acres of the lake. You read that right. I said hundreds.
The islands are just one reason among many that you should consider spending a weekend on Lake Ouachita. After all, nothing screams adventure like hundreds of uninhabited islands.