Heber Springs, Greers Ferry Lake, and the Trout Capital
Greers Ferry Lake defines Heber Springs more than any other single feature. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Greers Ferry Dam on the Little Red River in 1962, and President John F. Kennedy dedicated the project in October 1963, just weeks before his assassination. The resulting lake covers 31,500 acres with over 340 miles of shoreline, drawing boaters, swimmers, and anglers to what had previously been a quiet Ozark foothills community.
Below the dam, the cold-water discharge from the lake's depths transformed the Little Red River into one of the premier trout fisheries in the South. Brown and rainbow trout thrive in water that stays between 48 and 58 degrees year-round. In 1992, an angler caught a 40-pound, 4-ounce brown trout on the Little Red, a world record that stood for years and still attracts serious fly fishermen to the region. Several guide services operate out of Heber Springs, and the trout economy supports tackle shops, lodges, and restaurants throughout town.
Heber Springs is the county seat of Cleburne County, with a population around 7,100. The town sits on the north shore of the lake, and its economy is tied almost entirely to tourism and retirement. Retirees from Little Rock, Memphis, and points north have bought lakefront property and vacation homes, pushing property values higher than in comparable inland Arkansas towns. The Sandy Beach swimming area and numerous Corps-maintained campgrounds fill during summer weekends.
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Greers Ferry Lake defines Heber Springs more than any other single feature. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Greers Ferry Dam on the Little Red River in 1962, and President John F. Kennedy dedicated the project in October 1963, just weeks before his assassination. The resulting lake covers 31,500 acres with over 340 miles of shoreline, drawing boaters, swimmers, and anglers to what had previously been a quiet Ozark foothills community.
Below the dam, the cold-water discharge from the lake's depths transformed the Little Red River into one of the premier trout fisheries in the South. Brown and rainbow trout thrive in water that stays between 48 and 58 degrees year-round. In 1992, an angler caught a 40-pound, 4-ounce brown trout on the Little Red, a world record that stood for years and still attracts serious fly fishermen to the region. Several guide services operate out of Heber Springs, and the trout economy supports tackle shops, lodges, and restaurants throughout town.
Heber Springs is the county seat of Cleburne County, with a population around 7,100. The town sits on the north shore of the lake, and its economy is tied almost entirely to tourism and retirement. Retirees from Little Rock, Memphis, and points north have bought lakefront property and vacation homes, pushing property values higher than in comparable inland Arkansas towns. The Sandy Beach swimming area and numerous Corps-maintained campgrounds fill during summer weekends.
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