Grassy Lake/Bell Slough

[Cal34]

Ive been a long time reader but never post. Just wanted to let everyone know that Grassy Lake is flooded & easy to get to from the dam or Bell Slough right now. Im a wildlife/Sports photographer & I was out there Saturday. There are Heron Rookeries, Several Beaver lodges (one gigantic beaver) owls, raccoons & plenty of other critters to see. I usually go out in my kayak to get snake pictures. The water is clear once you get in there and It's a great scenic place to explore, 99% of the snakes u see will be Cottonmouths but they wont bother you, Photographed alot of babies laying on small branches, saw over 30 snakes & only one water snake. Ive had alot of pictures published in Capture arkansas and other publications but no snakes yet so that's my goal now. It was like xmas for me.
I never see any trash except by the launch and dam. You won't see any other people either. Was gonna go today but im passing a kidney stone so that's out. I have several swamps around central ark mapped out to explore so this better pass fast! Im on my phone but I will post a link to my pictures from there & other places later. If u have any questions about the area let me know. If u go take a gps, its easy to get turned around in there If your not used to the area. I will probably be going next weekend if anyone wants to meet out there and go.

Chris Newberry

[Paddlegal]

Thank you so much for the post!

[Stan]

Grassy Lake is one of my favorite places to paddle. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and some members of the canoe club are working on developing a water trail there. A preliminary water trail has been flagged using pink flagging. (The long streamers make is easier to see the route.) While Grassy Lake can be accessed just below the Lake Conway Dam & going up Bell Slough, there is another access point at the end of Grassy Lake Road (Blue line on map). This map shows the preliminary water trail route and access points. (A GPS is still a good idea though.)

"Stan"

[Cal34]

Thanks Stan, Ive heard about the water trail and I went in from the boat lane on Grassy lake rd in Bell slough wma. I have been in from the dam side several times to when it was flooded like it is now. What are they gonna do when the boat lane dries up? It usually does by summer and some years by May. I guess the only way in then will be to paddle down Palarm from the dam, get out and drag and put in at the grassy lake floodgate. Pretty brushy there though. I saw the flagging out there.