Recommendation for Hot Springs, Arkansas?

We paddled Lake Catherine. The lake is more than you will be able to paddle in a day. Campsites are next to the water with easy access.

Lake Catherine maintains a near constant water level year round to feed the power plant. The park is mostly fairly flat with many sites just a few steps from water. The lake follows the river channel and is fairly narrow.

Lake Ouachita water level fluctuation can be quite a bit. It is a COE flood control lake. Numerous coves and ridges and islands. The state park campsites are mainly along some ridges. Not a high number of the sites are directly accessible to water.

Both lake shorelines are heavily forested.

Both are great choices.

kshayer wrote:
So...will probably rent a car for sight-seeing. Thanks for that input! Now, which state park gives us better access to the lake for kayaking, and which lake is the prettier Lake? Lake Catherine State Park or Lake Ouchita State Park?

Lake Catherine is a small power plant lake very pretty destination for sure.

Personally i prefer the Lake Ouachita State Park the lake is huge and is also a very pretty place. Alot of which one is better is a personal preference.

I do not think you can go wrong with either one.

So...will probably rent a car for sight-seeing. Thanks for that input! Now, which state park gives us better access to the lake for kayaking, and which lake is the prettier Lake? Lake Catherine State Park or Lake Ouchita State Park?

shayerk wrote:
We are planning a trip to the Hot Springs area for the end of September. Can anyone recommend a campground that is on a lake for kayaking, but close enough (a few miles) to bike to a town? We don't tow a car so like to be able to bike to shops and restaurants.

No, such an RV park / state park does not exist in Hot Springs. All the lakeside RV parks/ state parks are simply too far from shops and restaurants to meet your goals.

The only commercial RV park which might fit your plans is on US 270 at the west end of the city, a very busy, bicycle unfriendly road.

Some great recommendations above, but if you insist on being close to water, you should rent a car for going into town.

padredw wrote:
Lake Catherine State Park comes to mind. My first choice, though the distance for biking would be a problem.

Otherwise it would be a great choice. Maybe others would know of campgrounds closer to town.

X2

Gulpa Gorge puts you almost in town. No Lake there. Maybe stay a few days at one of the lakes then Gulpa Gorge to bike into Town? an option maybe.

Catherine's Landing is a privately owned RV park on a thin and calm portion of the lake with launching access/boat ramp. Nice RV facility but my last visit was in 2014. Website still looks great! Not sure about any back roads to bike into town.

Lake Catherine SP and Lake Ouchita SP are good places to camp, but both are too far from town for a bicycle. You can look at RV Park Reviews for places nearer to town. I have stayed at Lake Hamilton RV Resort which is on Lake Hamilton and on the edge of town. A nice place. What I don't know is whether there are bicycle lanes on US 270.

I would stay at Lake Catherine SP and rent a car for town trips for the duration.