Who runs each lake · where you can swim · checked October 9, 2026
Lakes near Fayetteville & Northwest Arkansas
The public lakes in Washington, Benton and Carroll counties, grouped by who runs them, with the boating, fishing and swimming rules each agency posts. The short version on swimming: Fayetteville bans it in every city lake, Lake Fort Smith bans it on the lake, and Lake Wedington's swim area is inside a Forest Service closure. Beaver Lake's Corps swim beaches are the main place to swim in a lake around here. Rules and fees as posted by the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas Game and Fish, the cities of Bentonville and Eureka Springs, the Forest Service and Arkansas State Parks on Oct 9, 2026.
Orange pins and badges are open this weekend, from each place's posted schedule.
The essentials
Swimming: where it's allowed
- Fayetteville city lakes
- No swimming, wading or belly boats in any city lake: Lake Fayetteville, Lake Sequoyah, Lake Wilson.
- Lake Fort Smith
- No swimming on the lake (state park rule). The park pool is open Memorial Day to Labor Day only.
- Lake Wedington
- Has a designated swim area, but the Forest Service closed the whole recreation area on July 2, 2026 for a waterline project.
- Beaver Lake
- The Army Corps runs 10 designated swim beaches, no lifeguards. See our Beaver Lake guide for which parks are open.
- Everywhere else
- Arkansas Game and Fish has no swim beaches and posts no swimming rule for its lakes, and the cities below don't post one either, so there's no lifeguard and no marked swim zone. Ask the managing agency before you get in. AGFC's own advice if you swim off a boat: wear a life jacket, even if you're a strong swimmer.
Source: fayetteville-ar.gov
Fishing licenses & permits (Arkansas Game and Fish)
- Fishing license
- Required at every lake here for anglers 16 and up. Resident annual $10.50 · nonresident annual $60, 3-day $30, 1-day $15 · residents 65+ $3.50 (as posted by AGFC). Buy at ar-licensing.s3licensing.com, at a license dealer, or by phone at 833-345-0325.
- Trout permit
- Needed to keep trout anywhere in Arkansas, including the winter-stocked city ponds, and to fish the Beaver Lake tailwater at all: $10 resident, $20 nonresident.
- AGFC-owned lakes
- New July 1, 2026: anyone 16+ without an Arkansas hunting or fishing license needs a $10.50 annual WMA/Lake Conservation Permit to use AGFC-owned lakes, even just to paddle or hike (agfc.com/resources/licensing). Applies to Lake Elmdale, Lake Bob Kidd and Crystal Lake.
- Family fishing ponds
- Lake Bentonville and Lake Springdale are AGFC Family and Community Fishing ponds: rod or pole only, electric trolling motors only, release all largemouth bass, 3 catfish, 5 trout, 25 bream a day. A trout permit is needed to keep trout. Lake Atalanta gets winter trout too, under statewide limits.
Source: agfc.com
Boats & motors
- Fayetteville city lakes
- All no-wake (idle speed). State boating laws apply.
- Lake Fayetteville fee
- Lake access fee, ages 16+: $5 a day or $40 a year, plus a boat permit for each boat. No fee at Lake Sequoyah or Lake Wilson.
- AGFC-owned lakes
- No water-skiing, no personal watercraft and no hazardous wake (AGFC 2026-27 Fishing Guidebook, p. 39, at agfc.com/regulations).
- Lake Bentonville
- Canoes and paddleboards; no gas motors.
- Lake Leatherwood
- Motorboats allowed at no-wake speed; the park rents paddle craft.
Source: fayetteville-ar.gov
Arkansas boating law (Game and Fish)
- Life jackets
- One wearable life jacket per person on every boat, kayaks and paddleboards included. Kids 12 and under must wear one at all times.
- Boater education
- Required to drive a motorboat or sailboat if you were born on or after Jan 1, 1986, even one with only a trolling motor. Carry proof on board; the card is good for life.
- Registration
- Any boat with a motor must be registered, trolling-motor-only boats included.
- Near swimmers & docks
- Slow, no-wake (5 mph) within 100 feet of a dock, pier, swim area, raft or anchored boat. Jet skis stay at no-wake within 100 feet of swimmers or a marked swim area.
- Jet skis
- 16+ to ride without supervision; only from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. Not allowed on AGFC-owned lakes.
- Alcohol
- Operating a boat over 0.08% BAC (0.02% under 21) is illegal; a first conviction costs your driver's license for 6 months.
- Fishing report
- AGFC posts a weekly statewide fishing report, Beaver Lake included, at agfc.com/fishingreport.
Source: agfc.com
From Arkansas Game and Fish
- Fishing licenses & fees · who needs one, prices, where to buy
- WMA/Lake Conservation Permit · $10.50, new July 1, 2026
- Fishing regulations & guidebook · limits, AGFC-lake rules
- Boater education & boating law · life jackets, who needs the course
- Weekly fishing report · Beaver Lake and the tailwater included
- Family fishing ponds & stocking · Bentonville, Springdale, Atalanta
- Trout fishing & trout permit
- Lake maps · Elmdale, Bob Kidd and more
- Ozark Highlands Nature Center, Springdale · free, Tue–Sat
The big one
Army Corps reservoir, 28,299 acres
Beaver Lake
Project office: 2260 N. 2nd Street, Rogers
- When:
- Open all year; campgrounds and beaches are seasonal
- What's there:
- Swim beaches, marinas, Corps campgrounds and trout below the dam. Bass must be 15 inches to keep; below the dam, keep 2 trout, both under 14 inches, with a trout permit (AGFC). AGFC's weekly fishing report covers the lake. Everything else is in our Beaver Lake guide.
Fayetteville city lakes
Run by Fayetteville Parks and Recreation (479-444-3471). Open sunrise to sunset. All no-wake, and no swimming or wading in any of them.
- Family-friendly
City lake, 194 acres, marina & trails
Lake Fayetteville
1330 E. Lake Fayetteville Road, Fayetteville
- When:
- Closed Thanksgiving and from sunset Dec 23 through Jan 14
- Hours:
- Sunrise to sunset daily · marina 479-444-3471
- Admission:
- Lake access fee (16+) $5 a day or $40 a year, plus a boat permit
- What's there:
- Boat and bike rentals at the marina (call for prices), a 5.5-mile nature trail plus 4.3 miles of paved trail, the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, North Shore Park and disc golf. Crappie, bass, bluegill, redear, catfish. No trot, limb or jug lines. No swimming.
City lake, 389 acres
Lake Sequoyah
6608 E. Lake Sequoyah Drive, Fayetteville
- When:
- Open all year
- Hours:
- Sunrise to sunset · 479-444-3475
- Admission:
- No city fee or boat permit; Arkansas fishing license for anglers 16+
- What's there:
- Boat ramp and courtesy dock, nature trails with spur trails down to the bank for fishing, picnic areas. A birding spot: great blue herons, bald eagles, belted kingfishers. No-wake lake; no swimming. No daily limit on white bass (AGFC's Beaver Lake tributary rule).
City lake, 28 acres, off-leash dog park
Lake Wilson
4668 S. Lake Wilson Road, Fayetteville
- When:
- Open all year
- Hours:
- Sunrise to sunset · Parks 479-444-3471
- Admission:
- No city fee or boat permit
- What's there:
- Fayetteville's original water-supply reservoir. The whole 320-acre park is an off-leash dog park, with a pavilion and the Joe Clark nature trail around the lake. The last stretch is a gravel road over the White River. No swimming.
Arkansas Game and Fish lakes
Fishing lakes owned by Arkansas Game and Fish (833-345-0325, agfc.com). No water-skiing, jet skis or hazardous wake. Since July 1, 2026, visitors 16+ without an Arkansas fishing or hunting license need a $10.50 WMA/Lake Conservation Permit at Elmdale, Bob Kidd and Crystal Lake. AGFC lists no swim area at any of them.
AGFC fishing lake, about 148 acres
Lake Elmdale
Lake Road off Elm Springs Road, west Springdale
- When:
- Open all year
- Admission:
- Fishing license 16+, or the $10.50 conservation permit if you're not fishing
- What's there:
- Boat ramp and an accessible fishing pier. Bass, bream, catfish and crappie.
AGFC fishing lake, about 200 acres
Lake Bob Kidd
Bob Kidd Lake Road off U.S. 62, west of Prairie Grove
- When:
- Open all year
- Admission:
- Fishing license 16+, or the $10.50 conservation permit if you're not fishing
- What's there:
- Boat ramp, accessible fishing pier, bank fishing and paddle-fishing access. Bass, bream, catfish and crappie. Largemouth 13–16 inches must be released; no limit on white bass (AGFC).
AGFC fishing lake
Crystal Lake
Decatur, Benton County
- When:
- Open all year
- Admission:
- Fishing license 16+, or the $10.50 conservation permit if you're not fishing
- What's there:
- An accessible fishing pier (AGFC's listing doesn't show a boat ramp; ask AGFC's Rogers fisheries office, 833-356-0880). Bass, bream, catfish and crappie.
Open this year, but the details above aren't all posted for 2026. Check their site before you drive.
Fishing lake (AGFC access)
Swepco Lake
Gentry, Benton County
- When:
- Open all year
- Admission:
- Fishing license 16+
- What's there:
- Boat ramp and a fishing pier. Bass, bream, catfish and crappie; largemouth limit 10 a day, only one over 18 inches (AGFC). Not on AGFC's conservation-permit list.
Open this year, but the details above aren't all posted for 2026. Check their site before you drive.
Other city lakes
- Family-friendly
City park lake, 37 acres, spring-fed
Lake Atalanta
Lake Atalanta Park, just east of downtown Rogers
- When:
- Open all year; AGFC stocks trout in winter
- Hours:
- City parks 6 AM–11 PM · Rogers Parks 479-631-3350
- Admission:
- Free; Arkansas fishing license 16+ (statewide limits apply)
- What's there:
- A WPA lake from 1936 in a 236-acre park with 10 miles of soft-surface bike and hiking trail, over 4 miles of paved trail and 2,000 feet of boardwalk. Rod or pole fishing only (AGFC), a fishing jetty for anglers with limited mobility, and restrooms. Rogers doesn't post boating or swimming rules online; ask Parks.
Open this year, but the details above aren't all posted for 2026. Check their site before you drive.
- Family-friendly
City lake & AGFC family fishing pond
Lake Bentonville
2100 SW I St., Bentonville
- When:
- Open all year; catfish stocked Sep 25, 2026, trout in winter
- Hours:
- Sunrise to 11 PM · City of Bentonville 479-271-3112
- Admission:
- Free; Arkansas fishing license 16+
- What's there:
- Canoeing and paddleboarding (no gas motors), fishing docks, a boat ramp, playground and pavilion, next to Osage Park. No restrooms. Family-pond rules: rod or pole only, release all largemouth bass.
- Family-friendly
AGFC family fishing pond
Lake Springdale
Lake Springdale, on the Razorback Greenway, Springdale
- When:
- Open all year; catfish stocked Oct 2, 2026, trout in winter
- Admission:
- Free; Arkansas fishing license 16+
- What's there:
- Bank fishing. Family-pond rules: rod or pole only, electric trolling motors only, 3 catfish, 5 trout, 25 bream a day, release all largemouth bass.
Open this year, but the details above aren't all posted for 2026. Check their site before you drive.
City lake
Lincoln Lake
Co Rd 669, Lincoln (the city's listing)
- When:
- Not posted; call before you go
- Admission:
- Arkansas fishing license 16+
- What's there:
- AGFC lists it as a city lake with a boat ramp, paddle fishing and restrooms. The City of Lincoln's map shows the boat ramp off Jackson Hwy on the west side, a north parking lot off Rheas Community Rd, the dam and spillway, and the Lake Loop, Piney and Lower Eagle View trails. The city doesn't post motor, swimming or hours rules online; call City Hall at 479-824-4274.
Open this year, but the details above aren't all posted for 2026. Check their site before you drive.
- Family-friendly
City park lake, 85 acres, spring-fed
Lake Leatherwood
1303 CR 204, Eureka Springs
- When:
- Lodging and camping open all year
- Hours:
- Park office daily 8 AM–4 PM · 479-253-7921
- Admission:
- Rentals per hour: kayak $20, fishing kayak $25, paddleboard $20, canoe $25, paddle boat $25 · tube $10 a day
- What's there:
- A 1,610-acre city park around a lake held by a hand-cut limestone dam built by the WPA. Paved boat ramp and an accessible kayak launch; motorboats at no-wake speed; bait shop. 6 cabins, 3 mini cabins, 4 full-hookup RV sites (30 ft max), 4 electric and 13 primitive campsites. 25+ miles of trails, including seven downhill bike lines. Fishing is rod or pole only, catfish limit 5 a day (AGFC). The park doesn't post a swimming rule; ask the office.
Forest Service
U.S. Forest Service lake, 102 acres (closed)
Lake Wedington
Arkansas Hwy 16, 13 miles west of Fayetteville
- When:
- Closed since July 2, 2026 for a waterline project; no reopening date
- Hours:
- Boston Mountain Ranger District 479-667-2191
- Admission:
- When open: day use and boat launch $5 a vehicle
- What's there:
- When it reopens: a wheelchair-accessible swimming area (no pets on the beach), an accessible fishing pier, a boat ramp with a 10 hp motor limit, historic cabins and a campground.
Worth the drive
State park lake, marina & rentals
Lake Fort Smith
15458 Shepherd Springs Road, Mountainburg
- When:
- Marina Wed–Sun 8 AM–5 PM through October; closed Nov 1–Mar 15
- Hours:
- 479-369-2469
- Admission:
- Free entry. Kayak or canoe $10/hour, $40/day · 16-ft boat with 9.9 hp motor $85/day · party barges $230–$350/day
- What's there:
- No swimming, water-skiing, paddleboarding or jet skis on the lake. Bank fishing and a fishing pier, cabins and a campground in the state park.
Call ahead
These come up in older roundups, but nothing official confirms a 2026 season yet.
- Lake Wedington. Closed since July 2, 2026 for a Forest Service waterline project, walk-ins included, with no end date. Call 479-667-2191 before you drive out.
- Lincoln Lake. The City of Lincoln posts only an address, a trail map and a lake map, with no motor, swimming or hours rules. Call City Hall at 479-824-4274 before you launch or swim.
- Siloam Springs Lake. AGFC lists a boat ramp at a lake by this name in Benton County, but we couldn't find a city page for it. Call Siloam Springs before you go.
Quick answers
- Do I need a fishing license to fish lakes in Northwest Arkansas?
- Yes, if you're 16 or older, at every lake here. An Arkansas resident annual license is $10.50; nonresidents pay $60 a year, $30 for 3 days or $15 for a day. Keeping trout takes a $10 trout permit (residents). Buy online through Arkansas Game and Fish or call 833-345-0325.
- Can you swim in Arkansas Game and Fish lakes?
- AGFC doesn't post a swimming ban at its lakes, but it has no swim beaches or lifeguards either, and water-skiing and jet skis are banned there. AGFC's advice: wear a life jacket if you swim off a boat.
- Do kids have to wear life jackets on a boat in Arkansas?
- Yes. Under Arkansas boating law, kids 12 and under must wear a life jacket at all times on any boat, and every person on board, kayaks and paddleboards included, needs one.
- Is there a nature center in Springdale?
- Yes. Arkansas Game and Fish's JB and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center, 3400 N. 40th St., is free and open Tuesday–Saturday 8:30 AM–4:30 PM (833-356-0847), with trails, an archery range and exhibits on the Spring Creek Trail.
- Can you swim in Lake Fayetteville?
- No. The City of Fayetteville bans swimming, wading and belly boats in all city lakes, including Lake Fayetteville, Lake Sequoyah and Lake Wilson. Fishing is from the bank or a boat only.
- Where can you swim in a lake near Fayetteville?
- Beaver Lake's 10 Army Corps swim beaches are the main option; there are no lifeguards. Lake Wedington has a swim area, but the Forest Service has closed it since July 2, 2026. Fayetteville's city lakes and Lake Fort Smith ban swimming.
- Is there a fee for Lake Sequoyah?
- No. The City of Fayetteville charges no lake access fee or boat permit at Lake Sequoyah or Lake Wilson. Lake Fayetteville's access fee is $5 a day or $40 a year for ages 16 and up.
- Where is Lake Elmdale?
- Off Elm Springs Road on the west side of Springdale. It's about 148 acres, owned by Arkansas Game and Fish, with a boat ramp and an accessible fishing pier. Anyone 16+ needs a fishing license or AGFC's $10.50 conservation permit.
- Do I need a permit for Bob Kidd Lake?
- Yes, if you're 16 or older: an Arkansas fishing license to fish, or AGFC's $10.50 annual WMA/Lake Conservation Permit to paddle or visit without fishing (new July 1, 2026). Bob Kidd is about 200 acres, west of Prairie Grove off U.S. 62.
- Can you kayak on Lincoln Lake?
- AGFC lists a boat ramp and paddle fishing at Lincoln Lake, and the city's map shows the ramp on the west side off Jackson Hwy. The city doesn't post motor limits or hours online, so call City Hall at 479-824-4274.
- Where can I rent a kayak on a lake near Fayetteville?
- Lake Leatherwood in Eureka Springs rents kayaks for $20 an hour, and Lake Fort Smith rents kayaks and canoes for $10 an hour (marina open Wed–Sun through October). Lake Fayetteville's marina rents boats and bikes; call 479-444-3471 for prices.
- Is Lake Wedington open?
- No. The Forest Service closed the Lake Wedington Recreation Area, walk-in access included, on July 2, 2026 for a waterline project. No reopening date is posted; call 479-667-2191.
Dates, hours and prices are as each business posted them on October 9, 2026, and they change. Spot something out of date, or run one we missed? Tell us.
Nobody paid to be on this list. Inclusion is editorial.