El Dorado News-Times

A visit to White Oak Lake

- BRENDA CLARK

With only a couple of weeks left until school starts, are you in need of a quiet place to get away? But not too far? White Oak Lake may be just the right place for you!

Located about an hour away from El Dorado at 563 Highway 387 in Bluff City, the 725-acre park is located among the wooded, rolling hills of southwest Arkansas.

Described as a haven for fishing enthusiast­s and nature lovers, the park represents the beautiful natural diversity of wild flora and fauna of Arkansas’s West Gulf Coastal Plain region.

The lakeside setting for camping and picnicking added to the fishing experience makes this a peaceful location for a day outing, or a longer vacation.

White Oak offers 45 campsites featuring four Class A, 37 Class B and four tent sites. Water and electricit­y are provided at 41 sites; the remaining four sites are for tent campers only. A dump station is near the bathhouse. Campers must register at the Visitor’s Center before occupying a campsite. Reservatio­ns can be made up to a year in advance.

If you are looking to go hiking or biking, White Oak has trails for both. Hikers can wind their way through a variety of environmen­ts from marshlands to beech-covered ridges.

Beech, hickory and white oak trees may be seen along the trails as well as deer, green herons and beavers. Selfguided brochures are available at the Visitor Center for the Spring Branch, Coastal Plain and Beech Ridge trails. The Fern Hollow Hike/ Bike Trail is a 10-mile multi-use trail. Bicycles can be rented through the visitors center.

The park features a newly renovated private bathhouse, visitor center with exhibits, a store with fishing supplies, marina with boat rentals, a launch ramp, pavilion, picnic sites and a playground.

The screened-in pavilion is on a hill overlookin­g the lake and is ideal for group get-togethers or family reunions. The pavilion may be reserved for a fee by calling or visiting the park.

Programs, guided hikes, nature talks, demonstrat­ions and evening presentati­ons are offered free of charge from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Program schedules are posted at the Visitor Center and on park bulletin boards as well at the arkansasst­ateparks.com website.

Programs, guided

hikes, nature talks, demonstrat­ions and evening presentati­ons are free of charge from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Program schedules are posted at the Visitor Center and on park bulletin boards as well at the arkansasst­ateparks. com website.

Campsite pictures, park informatio­n, and daily programs are also listed on the website.

To reserve your camping spot, call the park at 870-685-2748 or 870-682-2131, or reserve online.

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