The Charlton Water Resort Area

Charlton Water Resort,
20 miles from Hot Springs

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Stowie and Amy got married on July 26th in the year of 2003 in Ruston Louisiana.

By 4:00 in the afternoon of July 28th they were cooling off at the Charlton Water Resort about 20 miles west of Hot Springs Arkansas. Is this a new destination for honeymooners? Well, I can't stretch the truth that far, but the real story is even more exciting.

Click on the picture for the rest of the story.

The Charlton picnic area is twenty miles west of Hot Springs, AR on U.S. 270. There are 67 camping sites up over the hill so that splashing tourists won't be too much bother. There are 57 units plus group facilities, 10 accessible units have electric, water, and sewer hookups). There are hot showers and flush toilets available.

The small swimming area is absolutely gorgeous. The rock-bound barrier lets you dangle your feet into the water just about anywhere around it. The water is crystal clear, as you would expect in an area so close to Hot Springs. The lower end is about three feet deep and the deep end up against the stone dam looked to be about 8 feet deep. It looks to be about 50 feet across, maybe 150 feet long. There are places to climb out and dive in placed conveniently on either side. Life Preservers are conveniently placed too. There are benches everywhere, many of them made of logs. Picnic areas abound, glorified with splatters of cool shade.

I found myself fascinated by the rock dam and rock retainer system. Square steps make it easy to navigate. Steps lead down to the bottom of the dam in back too and let you wade there in the rock pools. Great workmanship shows up in every detail. Little slits about two feet wide and two feet deep maintain the water to the same depth most of the time. In times of heavy runoff even more water can be released.

The amphitheater looks really nice, seating at the most 150. The drinking water doesn't taste all that bad. A state brochure claims there is fishing in the area, but if there is it must be further on downstream. That water is sparkling clear, and there was only one little bitty fish to be seen. The playground is small in size, but fun. On the other hand, there is plenty of room to let the kids run and scream without getting in anyone's way.

HIKING:

One troop of explorers came through while I was there equipped to the gills. They were carrying enough supplies to keep a tribe of Commanches on the warpath for a year. But the smiles on their faces would have lit up a dark room at midnight. Obviously they had been here before and were gone again.

There's one interpretive trail for the young-at-heart, and 4-mile hiking trail.

The second trail begins at Charlton Recreation Area and ends at Crystal Springs Campground on beautiful Lake Ouachita. Both areas offer camping, picnicking, and swimming. This trail is a popular day-hike/bike trail for nearby residents. It leads almost gently up and down mountain slopes where the clouds often hover in the hollows.

The trail winds through a mixed hardwood and pine forest of mature trees. Some of the vines on those trees will scare you from ten feet away, but closer scrutiny reveals that most of them are trumpet vines.

During the spring and early summer beautiful displays of shade-loving wild flowers will delight the discerning visitor.

Being a state park inside Arkansas, there is a $3 per vehicle fee to get into the recreation area. Load the kids up in a van and bring them on, they'll love it!

Lin Stone is an author, writer, photographer living in Mena, Arkansas. His writings have appeared nationally and internationally. Well nigh 50 articles now appear on the web for free viewing. Click HERE for a long list.

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