NWA Summer Memory Makers
Summer has a way of creating memories that families talk about for years....
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Some places feel as if they were made for summer.
Kids splash beneath a waterfall. Campers sip coffee as the morning fog lifts from the lake. Kayaks glide across the quiet water as fishermen wait for the next bite. Families spend the afternoon swimming, then end the day around a campfire beneath the Ouachita Mountains.
That is the experience awaiting you at Lake Catherine State Park, one of Arkansas’ premier lakes in the Diamond Lakes region.
Located just outside Hot Springs, this Arkansas State Park has become one of the state’s favorite places for swimming, paddling, hiking, fishing and camping. But many visitors don’t realize that this beloved outdoor destination exists because of an ambitious power project that helped shape modern Arkansas.
The story of Lake Catherine is about far more than recreation. It is a story of innovation, generosity and conservation, and of the people who transformed a newly created lake into one of Arkansas’ most treasured summer playgrounds.
A State Park Born from Power
Long before families arrived with fishing poles and camping gear, the Ouachita River flowed freely through this region of southwest Arkansas.
Everything changed in 1924 with the completion of Remmel Dam on the Ouachita River. Built as Arkansas’ first major hydroelectric project, the dam created Lake Catherine and supplied electricity to communities across Arkansas and neighboring states. The project marked a major step forward for a growing Arkansas preparing for the future.
Just over a decade later, another important decision helped preserve the shoreline rather than allow it to be fully developed.
In August 1935, Arkansas Power and Light founder Harvey Couch donated more than 2,000 acres surrounding the lake to the Arkansas State Parks Commission. On Aug. 22 of that year, Lake Catherine officially became a state park, making it the first Arkansas state park built around one of the state’s new hydroelectric lakes.
The Civilian Conservation Corps soon arrived to transform the wooded shoreline into a destination families could enjoy. Young men working through the Depression built roads, trails, bridges, cabins, picnic areas and many of the beautiful native-stone structures visitors admire today. Several of those rustic buildings remain on the National Register of Historic Places and continue to give the park its timeless character.
Meet Harvey Couch … and Catherine
If you’ve ever driven through the Hot Springs area, you may have wondered why there are lakes named Hamilton and Catherine.
Who was Catherine?
The answer leads back to Harvey Couch, one of Arkansas’ most influential businessmen.
Couch founded Arkansas Power and Light and envisioned a network of hydroelectric dams to provide reliable electricity to Arkansas and neighboring states. His work led to the construction of Remmel Dam and Carpenter Dam, which forever changed the landscape of the Ouachita Mountains and created Lake Catherine and Lake Hamilton.
Lake Catherine was named for Couch’s only daughter, Catherine. While the lake bears her name, it also reflects her father’s remarkable legacy. Beyond building power plants and dams, Couch donated the land that would become this park, ensuring that generations of Arkansans could enjoy the lake he helped create.
From the Civilian Conservation Corps to World War II
The history of Lake Catherine State Park did not end when the Civilian Conservation Corps finished its work.
During World War II, the park served as a recreational facility for wounded servicemen recovering at the Army-Navy Hospital in nearby Hot Springs. After CCC crews were called away for the war effort, German prisoners of war at Camp Hot Springs completed several unfinished construction projects throughout the park.
Today, visitors can still find reminders of that era.
A native-stone retaining wall and an outdoor stone oven, both completed in 1945, remain within the park and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Look closely, and you’ll even find the “P.W.” markings left by the prisoners who helped finish the work nearly eighty years ago. These quiet landmarks offer another fascinating chapter in the story of a park that has witnessed both peace and wartime history.
What Makes Lake Catherine State Park So Special?
History may bring you here, but the park’s natural beauty keeps people coming back!
Lake Catherine is one of five lakes in Arkansas’ Diamond Lakes Region, and the state park is home to the lake’s only full-service marina. During the summer, visitors can rent pontoon boats, fishing boats, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, pedal boats, and even water bikes for a day on the water. Whether you’re casting a line, exploring quiet coves or simply cruising the shoreline, the lake offers plenty of room to slow down and enjoy the scenery.
On land, more than 10 miles of hiking trails wind through the Ouachita Mountains.
The Falls Branch Trail, a national recreation trail, leads to one of the park’s most popular destinations, a seasonal waterfall that becomes a favorite gathering spot on warm summer days. After a good rain, water tumbles over the rocks into a refreshing swimming hole that draws families from across the state. The hike is manageable for most visitors, especially when taking the shorter access route near Camp C. The reward at the end is well worth the walk.
Photographers and nature lovers will also appreciate the barrier-free Slunger Creek Nature Trail. This peaceful path follows a mountain stream over moss-covered rocks, forming one of the park’s prettiest hidden corners and a wonderful place to slow down and savor the sounds of the forest.
For those wanting to stay longer, Lake Catherine makes it easy. Rustic cabins, lakeside campsites, RV hookups, primitive camping, and even a Rent-A-Yurt offer options for nearly every camping style. Many campsites sit near the water, making it easy to spend your mornings fishing and your evenings watching the sunset over the lake.
Horseback riding, a swimming beach, playgrounds, shaded picnic areas, a visitor center, interpretive programs, and peaceful coves round out the experience. Whether you’re planning a family vacation, a romantic weekend or a relaxing retirement getaway, it’s easy to fill several days without ever leaving the park.
Plan Your Lake Catherine Adventure
One of the things that makes Lake Catherine State Park so enjoyable is its flexibility.
You can stop by for a picnic beneath the trees, spend the afternoon swimming or hiking to the waterfall, launch a kayak for a peaceful paddle, or make it your home base for a week of camping and exploring the Hot Springs area.
Its location just minutes from Hot Springs makes it easy for visitors to combine a day at the park with a visit to downtown Hot Springs, but many families happily stay right where they are. With the lake, the trails, the cabins and the quiet beauty of the Ouachita Mountains, there’s little reason to leave.
A Place That Continues to Tell Arkansas’ Story
Lake Catherine State Park is proof that some of Arkansas’ best outdoor destinations were created through vision, hard work, and a touch of unexpected history.
What began as a hydroelectric project became a gift to the people of Arkansas. The Civilian Conservation Corps transformed it into a state park. World War II added another chapter to its story. Today, families continue to write the next pages with camping trips, fishing adventures, waterfall hikes, and afternoons spent making memories on the shore.
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