Hidden Lakes of Cleveland County
By Jodi Noblett
Alone or with a buddy, Gray’s Lake holds surprises around every bend. (below) Massive trees and glorious foliage provide a scenic paddle any time of year.
Arkansas locals always know of the best diners, the most refreshing swimming spots, and the best places to get a tall glass of Southern-style sweet tea. They also know where the sweetest fishing holes are, and Cleveland County’s locals have a double dose of these hidden pools in which to wet their hooks.
Tucked away deep in the woods of New Edinburg is an oxbow of the Saline River known as Crane Lake. This quiet pool is rimmed by mighty cypress trees, many with bases in excess of 6 feet in diameter. The lake itself consists of a muddy bottom with occasional stumps. Its length is approximately three-quarters of a mile from end to end, and around 120 yards in width at its widest point.
This long, slender lake is home to myriad fish species. In addition to bream, bass, crappie and an occasional catfish, Crane Lake is also home to an abundance of gar and bowfin (known as grinnel to locals). It’s the ideal fishing hole for both traditional anglers and those who fish with spotlights and bows.
In addition to an array of fish species, great egrets, great blue herons, hawks and owls make their homes here. And if you have a keen eye, you may even spot a honey bee hive swarming with life along the trunk of one of the many great cypresses that border the lake.
This beauty of a lake is nestled in an isolated area, but it’s not too hard to find if you keep your eyes open for the county road sign marking Crane Lake Road. The ride in is relatively smooth, and it can easily be traversed by car when the weather is dry. If the area has had recent rainfall, a pick-up truck might be the best choice for the ride in.
If you’re hauling a boat and trailer to this lake, exercise caution at the ramp. A portion of the launch ramp is paved and solid, but the pavement stops near the water’s edge and gives way to a muddy bottom with an abundance of ruts from previous fishermen’s rigs. The key focus is to take this ramp slowly and be prepared to lock your truck into four-wheel drive when it’s time to head back up the ramp.
Tranquil Crane Lake provides a relaxing afternoon of floating.
The locals’ other great fishing hole lies 14 miles to the northwest as the crow flies. There, find Cleveland County’s other hidden gem, Gray’s Lake, sequestered in the woods north of Kingsland. This fishing hole is surrounded by heavily forested habitat and, much like Crane Lake, is bordered by ancient cypress trees. Adding to the forestry along this lake are magnificent oaks and a variety of other hardwood trees.
Being an oxbow of the Saline River, Gray’s Lake is long and narrow, measuring slightly less than a mile from stem to stern, and just over 100 yards at its widest point. This lake offers a variety of game fish for rod-and-reel fishermen, as well as gar and grinnel for Arkansas’s moonlight bow fishermen.
Just like Crane Lake, this pool is accessible by gravel road. Unlike its neighbor to the southeast, the ramp at Gray’s Lake is solid, in good condition and provides a smooth launch.
Both of these hidden lakes are teeming with wildlife. Large dragonflies skim along the water’s surface, the sounds of locusts and songbirds fill the summertime air, and kingfishers fall from flight to, less than gracefully, plunge into the water to snag small fish near the surface.
Being born of the Saline River, Crane and Gray are sister lakes and share many similar features. In spite of these similarities, each lake is uniquely its own offering good fishing and spectacular scenery.
So, if you’re ready to get off the beaten path and find out what the locals already know, plan an excursion to the hidden lakes of Cleveland County to enjoy some of Arkansas’s scenic beauty and fine fishing.
