Fast Facts

Felsenthal - Each Fall River elevations are raised 5 feet at Felsenthal Lock creating the world's largest green-tree reservoir. The 15,000 acres of backwater lakes and sloughs within the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge is more than doubled to 36,000 acres creating an excellent site for both wintering waterfowl and waterfowl hunters.

Lock 8 - The Old Lock 8 recreation area is located on the site of what was Lock and Dam 8.  Lock and Dam 8 was completed in 1916 and this site is currently listed on the Register of Historic Places.  In 1984 H.K. Thatcher Lock and Dam located nearby replaced Lock 8 after nearly 70 years of service.

Thatcher - Completed and put in operation 1n 1984;  H.K. Thatcher is the northern most Lock & Dam on the Ouachita River creating a navigable pool all the way to Camden Arkansas, a distance of 52 river miles.

Crossett Harbor - In addition to the facilities at the park, Crossett Harbor is located in the center of the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge which makes it ideally located nearby to some of the best hunting and fishing areas found within the entire river basin.

Grand Marais - Grand Marais Recreation area is home to the annual Bream Festival and fishing tournament which takes place each year on the Friday and Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.  The waters here are well known throughout the region for its excellent Bream fishing.

Finch Bayou is known by the locals as Alabama Landing.

Sterlington Recreation area was once a site of a Lock and Dam.

Moon Lake Recreation area was closed in Sept. 2006 for complete modernization.  The area reopened in Oct. 2007.

Bawcomville Recreation Area has an annual Earth Day Celebration event.

Prairion Recreation Area allows primitive camping and drinkable water is available in the area.

Riverton has the only swimming beach on the Ouachita River in Louisiana.

Columbia Lock and Dam East host 2 annual hunts for the mobility impaired.  Participants are chosen by drawings and the events are in November and December.

Fort Necessity allows primitive camping, but there is no drinkable water provided.

Columbia Landing is located in the town of Columbia which is the home of the annual Riverboat Festival held annually in May.

Columbia Lock and Dam East is a favorite fishing spot for locals.  There is also a self guided nature trail available.

Jonesville Lock and Dam – Completed in 1972 and put into operation soon thereafter this lock and dam is the southern most control structure on the Ouachita/Black Rivers.

Clayton Landing – Located on the Tensas River this recreation area provides access to some of the area’s most active summertime bass fishing.

Harrisonburg Landing – Once the home of a lock and dam constructed in the early 1900’s visitors can still see the concrete steps leading down to the river from the site of former housing that was home to the personnel that operated the lock and dam.

Jonesville Landing – This recreation area is located within a short boat ride from the convergence of four (4) navigable rivers; which are the Ouachita, Black, Tensas and Little Rivers.  Also, there are still remnants close by of earthen mounds built by Native American tribes hundreds of years ago.

Little River Closure – If you want to see a river flowing two different directions during the year, come visit Little River Closure.  During high-water events in the spring the Little River flows into Catahoula Lake. Then in just a few short weeks the river flows back on its normal course into the Black River.

Catahoula Lake – The control structure at Catahoula Lake provided consistent lake levels as part of the migratory bird sanctuary located at the near by National Wildlife Refuge.  This truly is a sportsman’s paradise when it comes to fishing and hunting.