A 7,200-acre lake right on the southern edge of town, created in 1932 when the Carpenter Dam on the Ouachita River was completed. It's the closest of the big Ouachita lakes to Hot Springs proper and sees plenty of boats, paddleboarders, and fishermen — striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish are the main quarry.
Rental docks line the shore: pontoons, jet skis, and party barges are all easy to organise. The Belle of Hot Springs paddlewheel boat runs sightseeing and dinner cruises out of a marina on the north shore. The lake is busier and more developed than nearby Lake Catherine — pick this one if you want services close by, the other if you want quiet.