Lake Quachita

[Chaunceybland]

Looking to get a cabin on Lake Quachita in Arkansas around mid August, any members boat there?

 

[swatski]

@Bruce !!!!!

 

[Bruce]

Looking to get a cabin on Lake Quachita in Arkansas around mid August, any members boat there?

I live on Lake Hamilton but boat on Ouachita most of the time.

Where are you getting a cabin? Any questions?

 

[YamaHog]

Ouachita is a very big, nice lake! Clear water! I haven't had my boat out on it yet, but have friend who's parents used to own a jet powered house boat at Mountain Harbor Resort, so I've been out on that lake several times. I know they have some nice cabins there at Mountain Harbor.

 

[Chaunceybland]

I live on Lake Hamilton but boat on Ouachita most of the time.

Where are you getting a cabin? Any questions?

Lake Quachita Shores and Crystal Springs.... Any recommendations?

 

[Chaunceybland]

Ouachita is a very big, nice lake! Clear water! I haven't had my boat out on it yet, but have friend who's parents used to own a jet powered house boat at Mountain Harbor Resort, so I've been out on that lake several times. I know they have some nice cabins there at Mountain Harbor.

Will check out Mountain Harbor now

 

[YamaHog]

I believe my friends grandfather used to run Crystal Springs years ago. They were down there last summer and said there had been a lot of updates made at Crystal Springs, and the actually stayed in a house there. Said it was pretty reasonable price-wise too. There's a few places near Mt. Ida, AR. Brady Mountain, Mountain Harbor, & Crystal Springs. However, that is the only side of the lake I can speak too. I've heard there's a nice Marina (north shore of lake I believe) by Jesseville, AR, but I'm not sure if there's any cabins/resorts there. @Bruce can probably speak better to your options since he lives in the area. Good luck! I don't think your visit will disappoint at all!

 

[Shir9406]

We go to Brady Mountain every summer.. not the nicest… but definitely the best part of the lake in my opinion. They got new owners .. and are putting money in it.. so it is getting better. I would check them out..

 

[Shir9406]

Mt. harbor is very nice as well.. they also have a subway on the lake at that marina lol..

 

[Bruce]

I most often launch from Crystal Springs. The ramp is nice and the access roads are better than most. Brady Mountain is a little closer to my home but is a twister drive.

All the marinas are regulated by the Corps and are excellent.

Much of the lodging was built in the fifties. The condos at Mountain Harbor are the nicest places to stay on the lake but also at a premium price. Mountain Harbor has spa facilities and the best restaurant on the lake the fuel dock has a small store and a Subway. Crystal has a nice cafe with interesting atmosphere and amazing food. Brady has a restaurant with decent food and a small store. Shangri La has great good and amazing pie.

For my family a day on the lake often consists of launching at Crystal, hanging out at islands north of Brady then dinner at Mountain Harbor.

Lake Ouachita is always rated in the top three cleanest lakes in the country. The trees were not cut before filling the lake in the fifties creating excellent fish habitat but also leaving obstacles for boating. A map is necessary to know where the standing timber remains. We enjoy watching the stars on new moon nights. When we do we navigate back to the ramp with Navionics on our plotter. The islands are numbered to match paper maps with large number signs placed on some islands.

All of the resorts are distant from groceries and other supplies so bring what you need. I believe Montgomery County is still a dry county so if you want alcohol and are headed into that county stop at Lewis Brothers Liquor Store in Crystal to stock up. If you see a guy behind the counter with a beard and a shotgun say hi to Gardner and he will warm up to you. Historically Burl’s Smokehouse, also in Crystal, has had excellent meat, cheese and sandwiches. I am not sure what it is like after the pandemic and losing the owner.

 

[Bruce]

This is the kind of water that you should expect.

 

[Chaunceybland]

I most often launch from Crystal Springs. The ramp is nice and the access roads are better than most. Brady Mountain is a little closer to my home but is a twister drive.

All the marinas are regulated by the Corps and are excellent.

Much of the lodging was built in the fifties. The condos at Mountain Harbor are the nicest places to stay on the lake but also at a premium price. Mountain Harbor has spa facilities and the best restaurant on the lake the fuel dock has a small store and a Subway. Crystal has a nice cafe with interesting atmosphere and amazing food. Brady has a restaurant with decent food and a small store. Shangri La has great good and amazing pie.

For my family a day on the lake often consists of launching at Crystal, hanging out at islands north of Brady then dinner at Mountain Harbor.

Lake Ouachita is always rated in the top three cleanest lakes in the country. The trees were not cut before filling the lake in the fifties creating excellent fish habitat but also leaving obstacles for boating. A map is necessary to know where the standing timber remains. We enjoy watching the stars on new moon nights. When we do we navigate back to the ramp with Navionics on our plotter. The islands are numbered to match paper maps with large number signs placed on some islands.

All of the resorts are distant from groceries and other supplies so bring what you need. I believe Montgomery County is still a dry county so if you want alcohol and are headed into that county stop at Lewis Brothers Liquor Store in Crystal to stock up. If you see a guy behind the counter with a beard and a shotgun say hi to Gardner and he will warm up to you. Historically Burl’s Smokehouse, also in Crystal, has had excellent meat, cheese and sandwiches. I am not sure what it is like after the pandemic and losing the owner.

Wow! Very in depth and exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

 

[TexAg16]

Hey everyone! Just bought a ‘21 AR195 in December and I live in central Arkansas. Greers Ferry is my primary lake but I’m wondering if there’s a thread for boaters in central Arkansas yet. It would be fun to meet some of y’all.

 

[YamaHog]

Hey everyone! Just bought a ‘21 AR195 in December and I live in central Arkansas. Greers Ferry is my primary lake but I’m wondering if there’s a thread for boaters in central Arkansas yet. It would be fun to meet some of y’all.

Congrats on becoming a new owner! I'm also located in Central Arkansas and Greers Ferry is my primary lake as well. However, I haven't made it out on the water yet this year between the extremely cool memorial day weekend and the constant rain we've had here. I don't know of any thread like the one you mentioned though.

 

[YamaHog]

@Chaunceybland , if you don't mind give us all and update on what you ended up going with and how your experience was after you visit. Ouachita is real far from Central Arkansas but when I visit sometime with the boat, I may make a weekend out of it.

 

[Bruce]

@Chaunceybland , if you don't mind give us all and update on what you ended up going with and how your experience was after you visit. Ouachita is real far from Central Arkansas but when I visit sometime with the boat, I may make a weekend out of it.

Are you in Little Rock? It is less than 80 miles to a launch ramp on Ouachita.

Ouachita is so much nicer than Greers Ferry.

 

[TexAg16]

Are you in Little Rock? It is less than 80 miles to a launch ramp on Ouachita.

Ouachita is so much nicer than Greers Ferry.

About a 30 min difference for me between Ouachita and Greers from Sherwood

 

[YamaHog]

Are you in Little Rock? It is less than 80 miles to a launch ramp on Ouachita.

Ouachita is so much nicer than Greers Ferry.

@Bruce, that was a typo in my previous post. It should have read it "isn't" far from Little Rock. I need to get a map of Ouachita so I can review before I visit there with my boat. My grandfather had a lakehouse on Greers Ferry when I was growing up so I'm kind of biased there. However, Greers Ferry is a different lake on either side of the narrows. I'm not a fan of the "big water" side. We were always between Choctaw & Fairfield Bay for the most part. The Middle Fork area is really nice too. With all of that said, it is not as scenic as it used to be........the water is still very nice and clear there, but the Corp of Engineers has allowed more trees to be cut close to the shoreline than we ever thought they would, and many floating docks have popped up (used to, you couldn't even have one on the North shore of the lake). I'm not sure what changed in the last 20 or so years but I hope the same doesn't happen at Ouachita. Now that I have a boat with a large gas tank (not 2 x 6 ga cans) I'm looking forward to exploring Ouachita as well. I like clear water lakes!

 

[Bruce]

@YamaHog, Navionics has the best charting of Lake Ouachita. The only thing missing is the island numbers that the Corps uses.

Garmin | Marine Maps

Marine Maps

webapp.navionics.com

 

[Chaunceybland]

@Chaunceybland , if you don't mind give us all and update on what you ended up going with and how your experience was after you visit. Ouachita is real far from Central Arkansas but when I visit sometime with the boat, I may make a weekend out of it.

Absolutely. The plan is to go out mid-August. Baseball has us all over the place right now! My wife is from NLR, so we will likely leave from there after a night with the in-laws.