Along the southern edge of the Ouachita National Forest resides a peaceful little paradise. Shady Lake is a rather underrated place but has plenty of fun activities to fill a day trip or camping weekend. Let's pack a picnic and head to this gorgeous spot.
The Cossatot River and Lake Greeson are lovely but you certainly don't want to miss this underrated lake in the vicinity.
These three attractions are all within a 50-mile radius of one another but Shady Lake isn't quite as well known as the others. For directions to the recreation area, use this map.
Before you dive into the lake's activities, you'll want to set up camp in this gorgeous forest.
Shady Lake Campground has plenty of sites to choose from including RV hook-up spots. No reservations are needed and sites are $15/day.
Take a hike around the lake for a perfect overlook of the dam.
The Shady Lake Trail is 3-mile loop around the lake. The hike is fairly easy but the trail does tend to get overgrown in the warmer months; however, the path is well worth it to see the dam. The dam was built by the CCC in 1937.
Spend the day fishing or kayaking...
Largemouth bass and catfish are popular catches on the lake and all non-motorized boats are more than welcomed.
...or take a summertime swim.
Take a dip near the fishing dock or find a swim hole nearer the river.
A trip to this lake can easily go from a day trip to a weekend getaway.
Once you're here you'll never want to leave! For more details on the activities at Shady Lake, visit this site.
We would love to see photos of your Shady Lake adventures in our Facebook Group, Arkansas Nature Lovers. You should join for your chance to be featured and to discover why there’s nothing better than Arkansas’ stunning nature.
If you continue south you'll reach another lovely lake for a day trip.
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