Lake Chicot State Park, State park with oxbow lake in Chicot County, US

Lake Chicot State Park covers 211.6 acres in Chicot County, Arkansas, on the shore of Lake Chicot, a 22-mile oxbow lake that was once the main channel of the Mississippi River. The park sits in a pecan grove among large cypress trees, with 122 campsites, 14 cabins with kitchens, a summer swimming pool, screened pavilions, a playground and a combination store and marina with a launch ramp.

The lake formed when the Mississippi River shifted its course and separated an old bend from the main river channel. This created one of North America's largest oxbow lakes in this location.

Lake Chicot was once called a polluted eyesore; cooperation among several agencies restored it for wildlife and recreation. The park's cypress trees create a bayou setting where birds and other animals live alongside visitors, and the visitor center exhibits explain the area's natural resources.

The park holds 122 campsites across three classes, plus 14 cabins with kitchens, many with a fireplace, lake-view patio and fishing dock. A combination store and marina sells fuel and bait, rents boats, motors and personal watercraft, and runs a launch ramp. The visitor center rents bicycles. A swimming pool is open in summer.

Lake Chicot is the largest oxbow lake in the United States and the largest natural lake in Arkansas, formed when the Mississippi River abandoned a bend. The lake was once a polluted eyesore and was restored through cooperation among several agencies. The park covers 211.6 acres in a pecan grove.