Denby Bay

Description:

This trail leg begins at Denby Bay Trailhead where US Highway 270 crosses the southern end of Lake Ouachita’s Denby Bay recreation area and terminates at the Tompkins Bend Trailhead and campground near Shangri La Resort. The trail is light to medium grade as it meanders through several miles of high-canopy, old-growth forest. Take the half mile spur out to Sunset Vista, sit on one of the many benches along the trail, and watch the sun slowly melt into the surface of the lake. Expect golden photo opportunities as well as quiet spots of solitude. If you are lucky, you may find the "Coon Tree Hotel", a large hollow oak where you can often see raccoons sleeping on large limbs some 50 feet above the trail. Look for Hush Hollow, a quiet little valley of streams covered with lush ferns and moss year round, Dogwood Draw, Lunch Log Vista, and Old Breathless Hill.

At a leisurely pace this five mile leg can be walked in two hours or biked in about an hour. But if you seek a shorter hike you may exit the trail at 2.9 miles, the Homestead trailhead parking area located on Shangri La Road about 1.5 miles north of the US 270 turn off. See the map.

Surrounding Area:

The entrance to the Watchable Wildlife Handicapped Accessible trail will be on your left as you approach this trailhead. The trailhead is at the lakeshore and folks will probably be fishing there.

Length:

2.9 miles to the Homestead trailhead; 5 miles to the Tompkins Bend trailhead

Difficulty:

Easy

Amenities:

Porta potty at the trailhead.

Directions to Trailhead:

Go east from Mount Ida about 9 miles or west from Hot Springs about 25 miles on U.S. Highway 270 to Shangri La Rd. You can’t miss the Shangri La Resort sign on 270. Turn north off Highway 270 onto Shangri La Road, travel a short distance, and then turn left onto Old Hway 270. Pass the Watchable Wildlife Trail on your left and ontinue to the trailhead right at the edge of the lake.

Accommodations:

Lake Ouachita Shores Resort across the lake has lodging but no restaurant. However, there is a campground and the Shangri-La Resort & Restaurant near the P2 Tompkiins Bend trailhead, the end of the Denby trail.