Lake Catherine State Park

You can easily lose a day poking around the waterfalls and woods of this 2200-acre state park, named for Lake Catherine, itself one of the natural highlights of a visit to the Ouchatica mountain region. The park is just 12 miles from Hot Springs via State Hwy 290 and about 50 miles from Little Rock, making it one of the more accessible gateways to Arkansas' considerable natural beauty. If you're feeling rustic, consider booking a night here.