Places To Go Camping In Arkansas

Beautiful Places Are Waiting To Be Explored In Arkansas

For the budget-conscious traveler, these free camping sites are a terrific way to experience Arkansas without breaking the bank. And as any regular boondocker will tell you, being self-sufficient can give you lots of satisfaction. These sites may not offer the most spectacular scenery youll see in the state, but theyll put you in the neighborhood. Theyre solid and reliable spots for taking a break from the highway and jumping-off points for more adventures outdoors. Where is your favorite boondocking site?

Old Highway 25 On Greers Ferry Lake

Old Highway 25 Campground is a favorite place for GREATtent camping around Greers Ferry Lake for us locals. Its a beautiful campground that is a little less populated than the Dam Site Campground in Heber Springs, and all of the best campsites are tent-only sites that are right on the water!

Old Highway 25 Park is located on Greers Ferry Lake in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of north-central Arkansas. The environment provides the ideal location for family camping, fishing, boating and hiking.-source

Wanderlust Rv Park & Cabins

• Phone:
• Address: 468 Passion Play Rd, Eureka Springs, AR 72632

Located about 5 minutes from downtown Eureka Springs, Wanderlust RV Park & Cabins is the place to stay if youre looking to discover the town and its surroundings.

Visitors will appreciate the variety of local attractions, including music shows, craft fairs, car and bike rallies, and a plethora of restaurants and shopping opportunities. You will also find many hiking and mountain biking trails just half a mile from the town.

The RV park is overlooking a deep valley where you can watch breathtaking sunsets. It has a restful ambiance and offers 88 full hook-up sites, 51 of which are pull-thru. There are also restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities. Cabin rentals are available, too.

Voted as the #1 RV Park in Arkansas by Readers Digest in 2018, Wanderlust RV Park definitely shouldnt be missed on your next camping trip through the Natural State.

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Gulpha Gorge Campground Hot Springs National Park

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Hot Springs National Park has a 4,000 year old natural spring that comes out of the ground at 147°! In the park there are several pools where the water has cooled enough that visitors can touch the warm waters. There are also two private bathhouses that allow visitors to soak in a bath of the crystal clear hot spring water. To camp at the springs you can stay at the Gulpha Gorge Campground which has 40 sites with full hookups including 30/50 amp electric, water and sewer. The site are large and suitable for RVs or tents. They do not take reservations and have a 14 consecutive day limit. Although it is rare to see one, there are black bear that live in Hot Springs parks so be sure to keep your food in bear proof containers.

Best Campgrounds In Arkansas

Home to the majestic Ozark Mountains, the Buffalo National River, and significant portions of three National Forests, Arkansas abounds with spectacular camping opportunities. Many of the best campgrounds are located on one of the state’s many lakes, making them perfect for people who want to fish, swim, and boat, but excellent campgrounds can also be found perched on top of mountains, in privately owned horse pastures, and nestled in the heart of the forest. Whether you want to escape into the backcountry with nothing but a tent or relax in your RV while surrounded by nature, here are the best places to camp in Arkansas. Certain attractions may be temporarily closed or require advance reservations. Some restaurants are currently offering pickup only. Hours/availability may have changed.

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Of The Best Places To Kayak In Arkansas

Arkansas, the Natural State, has 9,700 miles of streams and rivers running across it with 56% of its land covered with forests. The mountains, hills, rivers, woods, natural springs, caverns, caves and astounding vistas make Arkansas a year-round outdoor paradise.

If your gig is kayaking, Arkansas is a great place with its Class I-V whitewater, National Parks, National Wild & Scenic River system and State Parks youre guaranteed to find somewhere that fits your needs. In this post were going to cover some of what we think are the best places to kayak in Arkansas so lets get started.

The Mulberry River is 62 miles of cold, emerald green water with rapids rated from easy to difficult. The most paddled 45 miles of the Mulberry is a whitewater roller coaster calling for fast maneuvering through twenty significant Class I-III boiling rapids.

Challenging drops, house-size boulders, willow strainers and downed trees will have you screaming with joy and fear. Travel light, lash equipment and get ready for hard concentration, quick thinking and possible self-rescue skills. Paddle the run mid-October to mid-June. When the water is optimal, this river turns into the wildest in the state.

Dagmar Designated Campsite 1

This game management area is close to where there have been reported sightings of the elusive ivory-billed woodpecker. Many biologists believe the bird is extinct, but keep your eyes and ears open just in case. The Dagmar wetlands area also has some massive cypress trees that may be more than 500 years old. There are a few dispersed sites down a gravel road with washboarding in places.

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Why Youll Love Youngs Lakeshore Rv Resort

The sites at Youngs Lakeshore RV Resort allow you to camp in ultimate comfort with full hookups, cable tv, and wi-fi. The park provides a private boat ramp into Lake Hamilton, a propane service, and of course, close access to the town of Hot Springs. Best of all, this Arkansas RV parks rates are unbeatable!

Campsite Details & Lengths

A and E Loops are not available for reservation. They are strictly first come, first served and saving sites is not allowed. B, C, and D Loops are available for reservation 3 days to 6 months in advance by calling 1-877-444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov. Check-in time is 1:00 pm and check-out time is 12:00 pm. All drive-in sites are $30 per night and offer the following amenities available:

• Water hookup

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Campgrounds In Arkansas: Ozark

Consisting of two separate forested areas, the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests have more than 200 beautiful camping and picnicking spots for visitors to enjoy. There’s truly something for everyone RV and drive-in tent campers can park at one of the well-developed campgrounds with hot showers and easy access to one of the park’s beautiful lakes, while those seeking a little more solitude can pitch their tent in the middle of the forest where they won’t be disturbed. Camping fees vary from site to site, and there are many sites that charge no fee at all.

605 W Main St, Russellville, AR 72801, Phone: 479-964-7200

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What Dispersed Camping Means

Dispersed camping means pitching a tent in the middle of nowhere, away from civilization, away from any facilities, away from any other human beings. According to the Forest Service, Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE a designated campground.

For us, dispersed camping is the #1 way to get away from everything and just be together. Its a way for us to live in the moment and to see places we may not otherwise get to see. Its a way to enjoy nature and all that it entails.

Camping this way has allowed our family to camp in places we never imagined for example, at almost 10,000 feet in elevation next to a rolling mountain stream and an old abandoned mine or in the middle of the Ouachita Mountains surrounded by the scent of pine and amazing options for relaxing in a hammock or in the middle of a National Grassland with seemingly every star shining down from the heavens above.

Youve probably read the quote, Reading takes you places. Well, so does camping. Dispersed camping can take you places you never imagined possible and inspire you to take the road less traveled more often than not.

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Moro Bay State Park El Dorado

If you are looking for a place that has a campsite, marina, playground, picnic spots and trails within a park, then this is the one where you can have a nice weekend. It is a well-known place for different water sports and fishing. You can witness a barge and tugboat with a historical background as the Moro Bay Ferry showcases them.

The Best Camping Sites In Arkansas

Traveling is a beautiful way of rejuvenating the soul, with beautiful locales leaving memories for life. Recluses need more time to imbibe the spirit of nature, and that is why camping is a great option for them. In Arkansas, there are thirty-two state parks offering numerous sites to camp. So, pick up your rucksack and book your RV to have an astounding camping experience.

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Upper Buffalo National River Campgrounds

The upper Buffalo River features several National Park Service campgrounds with pretty sceneryarguably the prettiest in the park! The campgrounds of the upper Buffalo River are: Steel Creek, Kyles Landing, Erbie, Ozark, Carver, and Mount Hersey. The Steel Creek and Kyles Landing campgrounds are the most popular because of their proximity to the Ponca-to-Kyles Landing section of river. These are primitive campgrounds with basic tent site accommodations, including space for up to 3 tents , a picnic table, fire grate and lantern pole. Sites are $20 per night / per site. Drinking water faucets are available, as well as pit and flush toilets. There are no shower facilities. Pets are welcome, but must be on a leash at all times in campgrounds.

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Buffalo National River Maps For Sale

We carry excellent Trails Illustrated maps of the Buffalo National River in our store, which was can also mail to you in advance of your trip. Just give us contact us and indicate which map you prefer. For the map that covers the Ponca-to-Pruitt section, request the WEST HALF BUFFALO RIVER MAP. This map includes river and trail topo detail from the headwaters area downstream to Woolum. For the middle and lower river districts, request the EAST HALF BUFFALO RIVER MAP, which covers from Woolum downstream to Buffalo City where the river confluences with the White River.

Need your map before traveling? Call us at with your Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card and we can ship your map pronto! Buffalo National River maps are $13.95+tax. Shipping for one map is $5.00.

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Tips For Dispersed Camping

While a camper or RV is certainly possible in certain dispersed camping sites, weve found that a tent is the easiest way to go. A rooftop tent, especially, gives you the option to camp just about anywhere your car can go.

If youre worried about access to facilities, there are options besides digging a hole. A portable toilet is one option. Weve actually built a box onto our camping trailer that holds ours, and while camping, we set it up in a small pop-up bathroom tent. While Ill admit, it is pretty gross, it can be emptied at any RV station when needed. Though Im not above either, Ill take a tiny toilet over a shovel any day. Its that one comfort measure we knew we wanted when we decided to take on this travel style.

Minimalism is where its at when camping. Pack as lightly as possible. A few of the supplies we recommend are headlamps, lanterns, large water jugs , Campsuds , homemade hand and body wipes, rope, a knife, kitchen utensils and cooking pots, a camp stove, camp chairs, etc. Always pack lighter on clothes youll likely re-wear certain items. When camping in cold weather, layers are key. And when it comes to food, just remember there are animals, including bears, and food as well as trash will need to be locked up at night or hung from a tree.

Top 10 Campgrounds And Rv Parksarkansas

Arkansas is known as the Natural State by some, and the Land of Opportunity by others. Whatever nickname you call it by, one things for sure, Arkansas has an abundance of natural attractions that make it a prime destination for RVers and campers alike. This Southern U.S. state borders the Mississippi River encompasses the rugged Ozark Mountains and is home to famous cities such as Little Rock the home of the Clinton Presidential Center. With all that this state has to offer, its no surprise that its become a hotspot for RV camping.

With a number of RV campgrounds and trailer parks all over Arkansas, deciding on one can seem like an impossible task thats why weve taken it upon ourselves to research and compile a list of rates, amenities, and reviews of the top parks. So here they are- the best of the best- the top ten RV parks in Arkansas!

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Camp Aldersgate Little Rock

This is rather an institution for specially challenged kids in need of medical assistance. It serves to offer a camping experience for those kids and sometimes for senior citizens who are unable to camp otherwise. During summer camps, kids are encouraged to take parts in various fun outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, canoeing, and scuba diving under special guidance. Kota camps and weekend camps are also there for normal kids.

Discover The Best Free Camping Across The Usa

To be honest with you, we hate paying for camping. There are so many free campsites in America .

You should give it a try!

As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours. Every time you pay federal taxes, youre contributing to these lands.

Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers that love to score the best site!

Well send you the 50 Best Free Campsites in the USA . Access the list by submitting your email below:

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Campgrounds Near Me: Mount Magazine State Park

Home to the 2,753-foot Mount Magazine, the highest peak in Arkansas, the Mount Magazine State Park offers more than 2,200-acres of outdoor fun. It’s an excellent destination for activities like rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking, and if you really want to get your adrenaline pumping, there are two hang gliding launch areas. There’s also an excellent Visitor’s Center, which offers a gift shop and a variety of interpretive programs all throughout the year. When it comes to the campground, there’s a modern bathhouse with flush toilets and hot showers, and all the campsites have hookups for water, sewer, and electric.

16878 Highway 309 South, Paris, AR 72855, Phone: 479-963-8502

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Pack It In Pack It Out

Finally, when youre camping, take hold of this motto and never let it go Leave No Trace. When you go to leave, make it look as though you were never there. Take care of nature. Know that others want to enjoy this slice of camping happiness just as much as you. Leave no Trace means leave nothing behind. Pick up that trash, and take it with you, every last piece. Come up with creative ways to hang your hammock and hang your lantern, besides hammering things into trees.

Why Camping? Why Break Away from It All?

John Muir says it best

Keep close to Natures heart and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.

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Lake Fort Smith State Park

Two and a half hours from Little Rock, Lake Fort Smith State Park offers scenic views of the Boston Mountain Valley of the Ozarks and campsites with everything campers need to have a great camping experience. 30 campsites surround Lake Fort Smith, 20 of which are outfitted with full hookups, while the remaining 10 have no hookups. Backpackers may recognize Lake Fort Smith State Park as the terminus of the 240-mile Ozark Highlands Trail. Hiking is a must-do activity in this park, and nature hikes and lake tours are offered year-round.

The visitors center offers some history exhibits on the regions early history, so campers can enjoy a little educational activity in addition to the stunning natural beauty of the Arkansas forest. Swimming is not allowed in Lake Fort Smith, but there is a swimming pool in the park so campers can still take a dip.