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An Outdoor Vacation to Remember
The Lake Greeson area has lots to offer in the way of outdoor recreation, and every season has something special to offer. When you come to Self Creek we invite you to "come outside and play" on beautiful Lake Greeson and the stunning Ouachita National forest!
Water Activities
Lake Greeson is a Corps of Engineers lake with 15,000 surface acres and is host to a variety of water activities.
- Boating and Waterskiing - Explore Lake Greeson with one of our rental deck boats, pontoons, or fishing boats. For details contact Self Creek Lodge & Marina at 8870-398-5000.
- Fishing - Lake Greeson has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the best fishing lakes in the Natural State. The lake is home to striped, black and white bass, as well as crappie and catfish. Let Hugh Albright's Fishing Guide Service assist you with the best "hidey holes." Call Hugh Albright at 501-767-2171.
- Swimming - Enjoy swimming in the lake or check out The Albert Pike away are recreational areas with good old fashioned "swimming holes," fed by cool clear underground springs.
- Dreamchaser Houseboats - For the ultimate in lake adventuring, DreamChaser Houseboats offer several different sizes of luxury houseboats all with fully equipped galleys, sunroofs and water slides - some even have hot tubs! While you're there, check out the great water toys, wave runners and tubies! Call 870-867-3480 or visit www.bigboats.net.
- Kayaking and Canoeing - Paddle peacefully in the cove behind Turtle Cove Spa or take to the nearby Ouachita or Little Missouri Rivers for some exhilarating fun!
- Eagle Tours (winter season only) - Enjoy an interpretive barge tour to watch the majestic bald eagle in his winter home. Marvel at the geologic formations that created the Ouachita Mountains and learn about the flora and fauna of the area. Call Mountain Harbor Resort at 870-867-2191 for details.
- Star Gazing - In our wilderness setting the celestial sky is spectacular! Take a moonlight boat ride to view the stars as you have never seen them before.
Hikes, Walks and Mountain Biking
The Ouachita National Forest covers 1.8 million acres of land in central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma and features over 700 miles of trails. Mountain Harbor Resort & Spa is centrally located in the Ouachita National Forest region with easy access to several hiking and biking trails just a short drive away. In addition, old logging roads abound around the resort area and along the lake shoreline for easy to challenging hikes and mountain bike rides.
- New in 2006 - Lake Ouachita Vista Trail!! -- The first phase (approx. 6 miles) of the new Lake Ouachita Vista Trail for hikers and mountain bikers is now open!! With two trailheads just a five minute drive from the resort/spa you can enjoy a picnic at Lunch Log Vista, the serenity of Hush Hollow-a moss and fern lined hollow - or catch a glimpse of wildlife at "Coon Tree Hotel & Vista", a large dead oak tree where raccoons like to sleep during the day. The trail meanders through the national forest with spurs that provide beautiful lake vistas. Lake Ouachita Vista Trail is scheduled to be completed by 2007 and will eventually cover over 15 miles of lake shore for hiking and mountain biking, with a trailhead starting here at Mountain Harbor Resort & Spa.
- Joplin Campground Loop (4 miles) - Starting at Mountain Harbor Resort this loop is an easy walk, jog, or bike ride on paved road. Gentle rolling hills take you to the campground peninsula where you are surrounded on three sides by Lake Ouachita. A midway stop at Micah's Point provides a rest stop and a panoramic view of the lake. Bathrooms and water stops available during spring, summer and fall seasons. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours. Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate
- Charlton Trail (4.3 miles one way) - This trail begins and ends at Charlton Area and Crystal Springs Recreation area. This hike trails up and down mountain slopes through a mixed hardwood and pine forest. Beautiful displays of wildflowers abound during spring and summer. Allow 2 to 2.5 hours. Trailhead is a 10 minute drive from the resort and spa. Difficulty Level: First half mile is most difficult; the rest of the trail is easy to more difficult.
- Prayer of the Woods Trail (3/4 mile) - This interpretive trail has over 55 species of plants native to the area with interpretive signs located at key interest points. Allow 1 hour. Trailhead is a 10 minute drive from the resort and spa. Difficulty Level: Easy
- Little Missouri Trail - (15.4 miles one way) This trail winds along a portion of the Little Missouri River, a designated wild and scenic river. Cascading waterfalls, stately hardwoods, old-growth pine stands, wildlife and seasonal color changes are just a few of the natural delights awaiting you. The trail is fairly level with a few steep inclines. Allow 10-12 hours one way. Trailhead is a 45 minute drive from the resort and spa. Difficulty Level: More difficult.
- Big Brushy Trail Complex - (3 to 12 miles) Brushy Mountain, Mountain Top, Rockhouse and Brushy Creek Trails allow many opportunities for loop trail hiking and biking. Along the trails are flowing streams, waterfalls, geologic formations and quiet woodlands. Trailhead is a 30 minute drive from the resort and spa. Difficulty Level: More difficult
- Womble Trail (37 miles) - The Womble Trail stretches from Northfork Lake to the Ouachita National Recreation Trail. It is considered one of the single best mountain bike trails in the area. Short segments of the trail meander along the bluffs of the Ouachita River providing breathtaking views. Travel time is 2 to 4 days, but shorter trail spurs are accessible. Trailhead is a 45 minute drive from the resort and spa. Difficulty Level: More difficult.
Other Outdoor Vacation Activities
- Horseback Riding - Mountain Harbor Riding Stables offers a 45 minute guided trail ride through the Ouachita National Forest with surprising lake vistas. Available for groups or individuals. Hours vary by season. Call 870-867-3022 to schedule riding times.
Tennis - The resort has 3 tennis courts for use year round. Equipment is available from guest reception at Mountain Harbor Resort.
Horseshoes, Volleyball, Half Court Basketball - For information or to reserve time for these activities please contact reception at Mountain Harbor Resort.
Golf - For tee times and information about nearby courses, please contact reception at Mountain Harbor Resort.
Crystal Digging - The Ouachita Mountains was considered a mystical location by the Native America Tribes and today geologists say that Arkansas and Brazil have the best quality quartz in the world. Many "dig-your-own" crystal mines are close by in the Hot Springs and Mount Ida area.
Diamond Hunting - It's finder's keepers at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, just an hour drive from the resort and spa. The only public diamond mine in the world, Crater of Diamonds offers you a one-of-a-kind adventure and the opportunity to hunt for real diamonds and to keep any you find. You'll search over a 37-acre plowed field, the eroded surface of an ancient, gem-bearing volcanic pipe. Since diamonds were first discovered on the site in 1906 over 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed.
Hot Springs National Park
The Park's rare natural features were first protected when Congress declared the area a "reservation" in 1832, some 40 years before Yellowstone became the world's first national park. From prehistoric natives forward, people have been using the hot springs for therapeutic baths for millennia. While preserving an array of 47 hot springs and their watershed, the park, which is located in the business district of historic Hot Springs, also provides hiking trails, scenic drives, camping and picnic areas.
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