Gaston's White River Resort, the Grass Strip in the Arkansas Ozarks Where You Taxi Past Your Cabin and the Trout Are Waiting

Gaston’s White River Resort in Lakeview, Arkansas, is one of the most beloved fly-in destinations in the country: a 3,200-foot grass strip (identifier 3M0) running alongside the trout-rich White River in the Ozarks. What makes it special is that it isn’t an airport with a resort attached - it’s a resort with a runway through the middle, so you can taxi your airplane right up to your cabin door and to the restaurant. Add world-famous trophy trout fishing just steps from your tie-down, and you have a weekend trip pilots plan their whole flying season around.

Where Is Gaston’s and What Is the Airstrip Like?

Gaston’s sits in a river valley deep in the Arkansas Ozarks, with bluffs on one side and trees everywhere. The strip is 3,200 feet of real turf, laid out roughly parallel to the White River.

The approach is the stuff of postcards. You descend into the valley with the river snaking beside you, break out over the tree line, and the mowed green runway simply appears along the water. The identifier is 3M0 - say it as “three mike zero.”

There’s a windsock, a fuel setup, and a flightline unlike any other. On one side are airplanes - Cessnas, Piper Cherokees, even the occasional Aeronca Champ. On the other side is the river. In between, ducks waddle across the grass and peacocks roam the grounds like feathered ramp agents.

Can You Really Taxi to Your Cabin?

Yes. When you shut down, you don’t tie down in a far corner and call a cab. You park on the grass, and your cottage is right there - some sit close enough to the strip that you can hear the trout jumping from your tie-down.

The same goes for meals. The Gaston’s restaurant sits up on the riverbank with big windows over the water, and there’s a spot to park the airplane right outside. You climb out, walk in, and eat breakfast while looking at your wings and the river at the same time.

The History: Al and Jim Gaston

The resort takes its name from Al Gaston and his son Jim Gaston, who ran the place for decades and grew a handful of fishing cabins into a destination pilots talk about with reverence. Jim passed away a few years ago, but his influence is still felt in every detail.

He’s the reason the runway exists. He understood that pilots don’t just want a place to land - they want a reason to fly. He built a place where you can fly to breakfast, catch a trout by lunch, and watch the mist rise off the water by dinner.

Why Is the White River Famous for Trout?

The White River is world-famous trophy trout water. It’s cold, clear, and spring-fed, kept cold year-round by tailwater released from Bull Shoals Dam upstream - exactly the conditions rainbow trout and brown trout thrive in, including some genuinely trophy-sized browns.

You can fish it several ways: wade in, hire a guide and head out in one of the classic flat-bottom White River johnboats, or simply fish right off the resort’s docks with your airplane parked forty feet behind you.

The fishing here builds traditions. One angler who flew in from Tennessee in a Cessna 172 has been coming the same week every spring for 31 years - first brought by his father as a teenager, and now bringing his own kids. Three generations landing on the same patch of grass.

How Do You Fly a Grass Strip in a River Valley Safely?

A 3,200-foot strip is plenty for many airplanes, but grass demands respect - especially in a valley.

Plan for soft-field technique. Grass isn’t pavement. When it’s wet with morning dew, your ground roll lengthens and braking changes. Keep the nosewheel light on landing and keep flying the airplane until it’s done flying.
Respect the terrain. There are trees off both ends and rising ground around you. Build your approach and departure planning around the obstacles.
Watch density altitude. On a hot, humid Arkansas summer afternoon, density altitude quietly robs climb performance right when you need it over the trees. Know your numbers, and fly in the cool of the morning when you can - which is also when the fishing and the light are best.
Always call ahead. For any private strip, confirm current field conditions and fuel availability, and let them know you’re coming. These courtesies keep places like this open to the next pilot.

Why Grass Strips Like Gaston’s Matter

Strips like Gaston’s are increasingly rare. There used to be far more little grass fields tucked into beautiful corners of the country, run by people who loved airplanes and wanted to share the places they loved. Many have been sold, paved over, or closed.

Gaston’s is still here - still grass, still welcoming airplanes. Every time a pilot flies in, buys fuel, orders a meal, or stays a night, they help keep it alive. Supporting these fields is how the next generation gets to discover them.

Key Takeaways

Gaston’s White River Resort (3M0) in Lakeview, Arkansas, offers a 3,200-foot grass runway where you taxi directly to your cabin and to the restaurant.
The resort was built by Al and Jim Gaston; Jim ran it for decades and championed the runway before passing away a few years ago.
The White River is world-class trout water - cold, spring-fed tailwater from Bull Shoals Dam holding trophy rainbow and brown trout.
The grass strip sits in a river valley, so soft-field technique, obstacle planning, and density-altitude awareness are essential; always call ahead for field and fuel conditions.
Flying into fields like Gaston’s helps preserve a shrinking network of grass airstrips for future pilots.