Boating on Beaver Lake

The Six Marinas on Beaver Lake

Beaver Lake has six full-service or semi-service marinas distributed around the lake, each serving a different geographic area. Choosing the right marina is partly a function of where you live on the lake and partly a function of what services you need.

Prairie Creek Marina -- Rogers

Prairie Creek Marina at 1 Prairie Creek Marina Drive, Rogers, AR 72756 (479-925-1623) is the largest and most full-service marina on Beaver Lake. In operation since 1966, Prairie Creek has 750-plus boat slips ranging from 10x20 feet for smaller craft to 18x50 feet for larger pontoons and sailboats. It is the only marina on Beaver Lake to offer 24/7 pay-at-the-pump service and diesel fuel -- a meaningful advantage for diesel-powered larger craft and overnight boaters. The marina has a floating restaurant (one of the few on-water dining options on the entire lake), a fully stocked ship store, and boat rentals including pontoons, deck boats, and wave runners. The 2026 season introduced the Prairie Creek Boat Club, a membership-based access program for boaters without their own vessels.

Lost Bridge Marina -- Garfield

Lost Bridge Marina at 12861 Marina Road, Garfield, AR 72732 (479-359-3222) serves the Lost Bridge Village community and the northwest arm of the lake near the dam. Boat rentals include deck boats, pontoons, and high-performance pontoon options. The Inn at Lost Bridge provides lodging one mile from the marina for overnight visitors. Lost Bridge Marina is one of the closest commercial marinas to Beaver Dam, making it the starting point for boaters who want to explore the narrower, more scenically dramatic western end of the lake.

Starkey Marina -- Eureka Springs

Starkey Marina at 4022 Mundell Road, Eureka Springs, AR 72764 (479-253-8194) serves the Carroll County southern portion of the lake near Holiday Island. Starkey is the closest marina to the Eureka Springs tourism corridor.

War Eagle Marina -- Springdale

War Eagle Marina at 23151 War Eagle Marina Road, Springdale, AR 72764 (479-751-2050) serves the Washington County and War Eagle Creek arm of the lake. This marina serves the most southerly and remote portion of the main lake body.

Hickory Creek Marina -- Lowell

Hickory Creek Marina at 12737 Hickory Creek Road, Lowell, AR 72745 (479-751-7366) serves the Hickory Creek and Lowell area of the lake, convenient to the Northwest Arkansas Medical Corridor and the Lowell-Bentonville corridor.

Rocky Branch Marina -- Near Rogers

Rocky Branch Marina is located near the Rocky Branch park area, an alternative launch and access point for the Benton County main lake body.

Public Boat Ramps

The USACE operates twelve developed recreation parks around Beaver Lake, most with paved boat launch ramps. Key launch ramps include Prairie Creek Park, Rocky Branch, Starkey, War Eagle, and Lost Bridge North and South. The USACE ramps are typically well-maintained and free to use, though some parks require day-use fees during peak season. Launch ramps are paved and suitable for trailers carrying boats up to approximately 26 feet in most locations.

What Boating Beaver Lake Feels Like

Pro angler Jeff Sprague has called Beaver Lake “literally ten minutes from downtown Rogers -- you get the serenity of the Ozarks without a long drive.” That description captures something genuine about the lake. The main lake body near Prairie Creek is wide and open, with the limestone bluffs rising from the water and the lake floor dropping sharply from shallow cove edges to depths exceeding 200 feet in the main channel. The clarity of the water is striking -- on calm days the bottom is visible to 10 to 15 feet in the main lake and the water takes on a deep blue-green hue that would not look out of place on a much larger reservoir.

The upper arms and tributaries feel like a different lake. The War Eagle Creek arm and Kings River arm are narrow and winding, with low branches, scenic Ozark bottomland, and a completely different character from the main lake. Exploring the tributary arms at low speed is one of the distinctive pleasures of Beaver Lake that casual visitors who stay near the marinas typically miss.

Regulations and Registration

All motorized watercraft on Beaver Lake must be registered with the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission. Boats are numbered and required to display registration decals. Houseboats are permitted on Beaver Lake. Personal watercraft (jet skis) are permitted. There are no horsepower restrictions for open-water areas.

No-wake zones are designated around marina entrance areas, near public swimming beaches, and in certain restricted coves. USACE rangers and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission enforcement officers patrol Beaver Lake during the boating season. Life jackets are required for children under 12 while the vessel is underway, and a throwable flotation device is required on vessels 16 feet or longer. Night boating requires proper navigation lights.

The Sailing Club

Beaver Lake supports an active sailing community through Eureka Charter Sailing (479-253-8007) based out of the Starkey area. The sailing club historically runs 12 to 14 races per year with active social programming. The main lake body near the dam is wide enough for competitive sailing, and the Ozark ridge terrain generates variable wind patterns that make Beaver Lake interesting sailing water.