Lake Catherine State Park - Hot Springs AR Lake Catherine State Park Water fun

Lake Catherine State Park is a 1,940-acre park surrounding Lake Catherine near Hot Springs. The park's lake is one of the Diamond class lakes in the city. It is a mecca for water sports and outdoorsmen, as well as for those seeking family friendly outdoor retreats.

There are boats, canoes, kayaks, and boat slips available to rent at the marina year round, and the park also sells bait and fuel to boaters. Launch ramps, a pavilion, picnic sites, playgrounds, laundry facilities, and hiking trails complete the infrastructure of the park. During the summer months there are also guided horseback trail rides, hikes, boat tours, and some educational programs. These tours are also available during other seasons with advance reservation through the park's visitor center.

Campers will find a variety of cabins and camping sites with lake and forest views. The cabins all feature lake views, are fully furnished, and have a maximum occupancy of six people. There are no telephones, but some are handicapped assessable. The campsites are tent and RV ready, with 20, 30, and 50 amp electrical hook-ups. The price ranges from campsites for $17.00 per day to two bedroom cabins for $175.00 per day.

The hiking trails are moderate class trails ranging from two to four miles long, and can take up to three hours to complete. Maps and brochures are available at the visitor center. It is strongly advisable that inexperienced hikers not try the trails alone.

In the summer months the park is almost filled to capacity and the there are many impromptu volleyball and touch football games that take place on the shores of Lake Catherine. Recent renovations have updated the facilities and added or renovated the parking lots to be able to accommodate more visitors easily. This park is also very sensitive towards is visitors with disabilities, and many steps were taken place during the renovations to improve the accommodation levels for disabled patrons.