Lake Charles State Park, near Powhatan, AR

Lake Charles State Park

Excellent park for fishing, hiking, and enjoying the great outdoors

Check out the slide shows, pictures, videos, and information below.

What a pleasant find in the northeast corner of Arkansas. This park sits at the east boundary of the mountainous Ozark Region just where it starts to flatten out into the Upper Delta Region. The 654-acre lake offers excellent fishing, kayaking, and boating opportunities. The park has four hiking trails, swim beach, fishing piers, playground, picnicking areas and pavilions. The campgrounds are outstanding with full hookups and roomy campsites as well as rental units for those who do not have RV's or campers. If you prefer to stay in a motel, look in Pocahontas or Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. For those who like history, a day trip to two other state parks nearby Lake Charles can be taken in at Powhatan Historic State Park just 5 miles north of the park as well as Davidsonville Historic State Park just about fifteen miles away. Also, a few more miles to the east, there are two other state parks to visit: Lake Frierson and Crowley's Ridge.

For details about Lake Charles State Park and to make reservations, go to the Arkansas State Parks' Website.

Enjoy Pictures of Lake Charles

Hover your mouse over the pictures to see descriptions. The photos show some of the fun you can have at Lake Charles. Kayakers enjoy the lake and fishermen can fish from one of the covered piers or just from the bank. The campground sites are roomy and many are right on the lake. The visitor center offers an outstanding gift shop, sells live bait, and has a good selection of supplies. There are several trails for hiking, and one, the Cedar Trail, is an easy path around one end of the lake from the campgrounds to a fishing dock and tswimming area. This trail has lots of benches along the lake for resting or doing your fishing. There are three other trails, the White Oak Trail, the Mockernut Trail, and a short trail called Butterflies and Blooms.

Lake Charles Entrance Sign This sign is directly across from the Visitor Center.	Visitor Center Great Visitor Center with fishing supplies and nice gift shop and friendly staff.
Fishing Pier and Kayakers A favorite fishing spot at the dock. Also, kayaking is a great sport on this lake.	Campground Sites are roomy and many right on the lake.
Our campsite This is number 70 in C section, probably the best one in the park. Loved it.	Campsites are Roomy We set up our tent while at Lake Charles.
Boat Ramp in the Park We were camped directly across the lake from this boat ramp.	Fishing Pier Across from Our Site This pier is next to the ramp and across from our campsite.
Rental RV and trailhead There are a couple of rental units for those who want to camp. The north end of the Cedar Trail is near the rentals.	Cedar Trailhead Dick stands at the south end for the Cedar Trail.
Arlene on Cedar Trail Most of this trail is concrete with a short dirt path near the campground area.	Playground There is a nice playground near the picnic and swim area of the park.
Pines on Cedar Trail There is another fishing pier at this end of the cedar trail.	Mockernut Trail This trailhead is near swim area. We found it not as well taken care of as the other trails so didn't hike it completely.
Butterflies-Blooms Trail This trailhead near the Visitor Center is an easy, short trail. Resting benches along the trail let you enjoy the butterflies and birds.	White Oak Trail Arlene stands at trailhead of the White Oak Trail. This is a little longer trail, but not hard.
Dick Fishing Dick had a pet duck helping him to fish.	Dick and His Carp Dick likes to fish for anything! He also caught a couple of catfish.
Sunset Dick likes to fish any time! He is enjoying the sunset while fishing.