There’s a closer-to-home alternative for Arkansans who make the long drive each summer to sun and splash on Gulf of Mexico beaches from Texas to Florida.
Yes, the Natural State has beaches of its own. They border fresh water, and some of the most inviting can be enjoyed in 10 of Arkansas’ 52 state parks.
These beaches are free of any possible threats from red tide, sharks and other salt-water hazards. They are situated mainly on lakes created decades ago by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams. They are mostly free to enjoy. Lifeguards are posted at a few locations.
“With typically high summer temperatures in Arkansas, swimming is one of the most popular activities in Arkansas’ state parks,” the system’s website points out – in a comment that is both fairly obvious and right on target.
For Central Arkansans, the closest state parks with swimming beaches are Woolly Hollow (50 miles north of Little Rock) and Lake Catherine (55 miles southwest). Not much farther away are Lake Ouachita (65 miles southwest) and DeGray Lake Resort (70 miles southwest).
A bit farther northwest is Lake Dardanelle. The other five lie to the east and northeast: Mississippi River, Village Creek, Jacksonport, Lake Charles and Crowley’s Ridge.
The beach at Woolly Hollow State Park is set in a fenced area with lifeguards on duty. Its facilities include a bathhouse and a snack bar. Shaded picnic sites with charcoal grills overlook Bennet Lake. A plaque just above the beach adds a bit of history, pointing out that the innovative design of the lake’s dam was important to erosion control.
At Lake Catherine State Park, the crescent-shaped beach on a sunny summer afternoon could be mistaken for a tropical getaway. Beach umbrellas as well as a flotilla of inflated rafts and water toys add to the spirit of fun. Just down the shore, the park’s marina has kayaks, canoes, pedal boats and water bikes for rent.
Lake Ouachita State Park maintains a pair of beaches. Wooden lawn chairs make for comfortable basking on the U-shaped stretch of sand near the visitor center and marina. East along the lake, the less busy second beach is located next to a notable historical feature, Three Sisters Springs. Its mineral waters were bottled and sold for decades starting in the 1870s.
DeGray Lake Resort State Park’s beach is situated at the Caddo Bend day-use area. Its designated swimming zone, as with other park beaches, is off-limits to motorized watercraft. Tree canopies set near the sand serve as natural umbrellas for families gathering at the picnic tables.
The Corps maintains swimming beaches on a number of other bodies of water created by the dams it built. These lakes include Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfork, Table Rock, Greeson and Hamilton.
Six state parks also have public swimming pools, most charging a fee. Like the beaches, the pools can be packed with fun-seekers on weekends, so a weekday swim figures to be less crowded. The pools are found at Crater of Diamonds, Devil’s Den, Lake Chicot, Lake Fort Smith, Mount Nebo and Petit Jean.
The park pools are well maintained and posted with lifeguards. But they do lack the beguiling tickle of sand between the toes.
For information on beaches at Arkansas state parks, visit arkansasstateparks.com/activities/lakes-rivers/swimming.