Lake Ouachita is a large reservoir created by the impoundment of the Ouachita River. The lake is surrounded almost entirely by the Ouachita National Forest an enormous and pristine woodland blanketing hill country. There are many islands on the lake that are broadly distributed along its complex shoreline. The region of the lake accessed from Crawford Landing is a beautiful and complex network of deep coves and bays as well as a few small islands. This is a lower use area and launch facilities are somewhat primitive which is a plus for many paddlers.