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Lake Wedington

Introduction

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Lake Wedington is a 102-acre lake located amid a lush hardwood forest, and the 37-acre Lake Wedington Recreation Area. Born out of the Depression and built in 1938 by that era's Works Progress Administration (WPA), there are 18 family-unit campsites with hot showers at the restroom facility and 19 family-unit picnicking sites. Overnight guests can stay in any of the six recently refurbished cabins built by the WPA. The air-conditioned cabins have fully-equipped kitchenettes and sleep from three to six persons. Playgrounds, swimming, paddleboat and canoe rentals, volleyball courts, horseshoes and a snack bar are available during the summer. A seven-mile hiking trail is open year-round. Other amenities include a lodge, pavilion, boat launching ramp and boathouse.

Now on the National Register of Historic Places, it is one of northwest Arkansas's best-kept recreational secrets. The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville manages the recreation area through a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service manages the 16,000-acre Wedington unit of the million-acre Ozark National Forest through its Boston Mountain Ranger District.

The Lake Wedington area has also been established as a Cooperative Wildlife Management Area, with the Forest Service and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission entering into a partnership to improve area wildlife habitat. Game and Fish will control land use and give wildlife special designation, restricting some hunting until wildlife species can gain a better foothold in the area. Deer, turkey and quail are in very low numbers in the forest.

Fishing: The lake contains bass, bream, crappie, and catfish, and is regularly stocked with fish. Use of boat motors above 10 horsepower is not allowed, but larger motors can be kept out of the water and trolling motors used.

Lake Wedington can be reached from Fayetteville by traveling Ark. 16 west for 13 miles. The route is easily negotiable by camping trailers. For more information: 15689 Lake Wedington Entry, Fayetteville, AR 72704; (479) 442-3527.

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