Canoeing/Kayaking

River Run Resort and Recreation

River Run Resort and Recreation sits along the Caddo River in Glenwood, Arkansas—a small resort of 15 full hookup RV sites in Pike County, 30 minutes southwest of Hot Springs, where the Caddo River's spring-fed current, clear water, and accessible float corridor have made it a destination for the Ouachita Mountain float trip tradition that defines Arkansas river camping at its most authentic. The Caddo's character — cold, relatively clear, spring-fed water in a corridor of mixed hardwood and pine — distinguishes it from the more turbid river systems of the Arkansas lowlands and gives float trips here the clarity and coolness that make them genuinely refreshing in the Arkansas summer. Fifteen sites with 30 and 50-amp electric service, water, and sewer hookups provide the full hookup RV camping infrastructure, with WiFi connectivity supporting guests who maintain work or communication needs during their stay. River Run operates as a river outfitter alongside the campground, offering canoe, kayak, and tube rentals for Caddo River float trips — the combination of camping and outfitter services in a single property is the defining operational characteristic that makes River Run a functional all-in-one river camping destination rather than a campground where guests need to arrange float equipment separately. Paintball adds an on-property recreation option beyond the river activities, and dining options are accessible nearby in Glenwood. The Caddo River above DeGray Lake is recognized among Arkansas fly fishing and light tackle anglers as one of the more productive streams in the Ouachita Mountain region for smallmouth bass, spotted bass, and — during the March and April spawning run — white bass and hybrid striped bass that move up from the reservoir in concentrations that can make fishing exceptionally productive. The Caddo's pool-and-riffle structure in the middle reaches above Glenwood provides both float fishing access for anglers covering water by canoe or kayak and wade fishing opportunities at the gravel bars and deeper pools that structure the smallmouth population through the summer season. Lake Ouachita, north of the resort via Arkansas 84 and Arkansas 88, is the primary large-lake recreation resource within day-trip range — a 40,000-acre reservoir in the Ouachita National Forest with exceptionally clear water resulting from the low-nutrient geology of the Ouachita Mountains that sustains it, providing bass and trout fishing, scuba diving visibility rare for an Arkansas reservoir, and the surrounding Ouachita National Forest recreation infrastructure of camping, hiking, and ATV trails. Albert Pike Recreation Area in the Ouachita National Forest south of Glenwood on the Little Missouri River provides the whitewater canoe and kayak experience on the Little Missouri Falls Scenic Area in a National Forest setting. River Run Resort and Recreation operates through the Arkansas river recreation season, with the Caddo float trip peak from April through September when water temperatures are comfortable and flow conditions typically allow tubing and canoe navigation. The spring period from March through May provides the best combination of water conditions, comfortable temperatures, and productive fishing — particularly the white bass run in March and April. Hot Springs National Park, 30 minutes northeast, provides the historic bathhouse architecture of Bathhouse Row, the thermal springs that give the city its name and its original character as a nineteenth-century resort destination, and the Ouachita Trail's trailhead access for day hikes in the Zig Zag Mountains.

Ouachita Campground at Edendell

15 RV Sites, 10 Tent Sites, 2 Lodges

Between Mena and the Talimena Scenic Drive on one side and Mount Ida—the self-proclaimed Crystal Mining Capital of the World—on the other, Ouachita Campground at Edendell in Oden, Arkansas occupies a basecamp position in the geographic heart of the Ouachita Mountains that is genuinely hard to improve upon: full hookup sites with EV charging, cabins, a pond, kayak rentals, walking trails, and a guest facilities building with free showers, bathrooms, laundry, and kitchenette all included in the reservation, in a year-round property surrounded by Ouachita National Forest and the river, crystal mine, and scenic byway access that makes the Arkansas Ouachitas one of the most rewarding outdoor destinations in the American South that most travelers haven't discovered yet. Full hookup RV sites with 30 and 50-amp electric accommodate big rigs in the forested Ouachita Mountain setting, and EV charging reflects a forward-looking property investment that serves the growing community of electric vehicle–towing RV travelers on the Ouachita circuit. Cabins provide the enclosed accommodation option for non-RV guests exploring the region, and the guest facilities building's free showers, bathrooms, laundry, and kitchenette—included in every reservation—represent an unusual amenity commitment that eliminates the coin-operated laundry and pay-per-shower calculus that characterizes most campground infrastructure. A pond on the property supports fishing and the leisurely campground waterfront experience, and kayak rentals provide access to the nearby Ouachita River and Little Missouri River float opportunities that define this part of western Arkansas. Oden sits in Montgomery County in the Arkansas Ouachitas, where the folded and faulted ridges of the east-west mountain system—a geological formation unique in North America for its ridge orientation—create the landscape of parallel ridges, narrow valleys, and stream-cut hollows that characterizes the Ouachita Mountains' distinct topography. The Ouachita National Forest encompasses 1.8 million acres of this terrain in Arkansas and Oklahoma, representing the largest national forest in the South and one of the most biologically diverse forest ecosystems in the eastern United States—home to black bears, elk (reintroduced successfully in the 1980s), and the pine-hardwood forest community that produces exceptional spring wildflower displays and consistent fall foliage. Mount Ida, approximately 25 miles east, serves as the gateway to the quartz crystal mines that make Montgomery County the most significant crystal-mining location in the United States—a geological consequence of the Ouachitas' quartz-rich Ordovician geology. Crystal mines near Mount Ida allow visitors to dig their own quartz crystals from the productive soil for a fee, producing the tactile geological experience that makes the Ouachita crystal country a memorable stop on any Ouachita itinerary. The Talimena Scenic Drive (Oklahoma Highway 1/Arkansas Highway 88) runs 54 miles along the Ouachita Mountains' ridge tops between Mena, Arkansas, and Talihina, Oklahoma—one of the most spectacular scenic byways in the South, with the ridgeline views across the Ouachita forest in fall foliage producing some of the finest color drives in the region. Ouachita Campground at Edendell operates year-round, providing access to the Ouachita Mountains' four-season character—the spring wildflower season from March through May, the summer river float season on the Ouachita and Little Missouri, the fall foliage on the Talimena Drive in October, and the winter crystal mining season when the mines are accessible and the forest crowds are absent. The campground's stargazing, in the genuinely dark skies of remote Montgomery County, is exceptional on any clear night regardless of season. Reserve your site or cabin at Ouachita Campground at Edendell and let the crystal country, the scenic byway, and the wild Ouachita Mountains show you the Arkansas that most travelers drive straight through on their way to somewhere else.

from $20/night

Treasure Isle RV Park

14 RV Sites, 1 Cabin

Treasure Isle RV Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, offers 14 RV sites and a cabin on Lake Hamilton, with 30 and 50-amp full hookups and rigs accepted to 42 feet. Four categories cover concrete back-ins and pull-throughs, gravel pull-throughs, and lakefront back-ins, with boat docks, a boat ramp, kayak rentals, and an outdoor pool on site. Fourteen sites run in concrete 30/50-amp back-in, concrete 30/50-amp pull-through, gravel 30/50-amp pull-through, and lakefront 30/50-amp back-in categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric, sized to 42 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The lakefront category is worth requesting early. A cabin serves guests without a rig. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, and a pavilion handle the practical side, with WiFi throughout. A multi-night discount applies automatically — 10% off stays of 7 to 21 nights, excluding cabins and kayak rentals. Lake access is the draw. Boat docks, a boat ramp, boat storage, boat rentals, and kayak rentals put guests on Lake Hamilton directly, with fishing, boating, and swimming from the property and an outdoor pool as the managed alternative. A playground, gaga ball, and corn hole fill the rest. Pets are welcome. Hot Springs sits in Garland County on the Ouachita reservoir chain. Hot Springs National Park's Bathhouse Row, the Oaklawn racing calendar, and the city's arts scene are all close, and the thermal springs have made this a resort destination since the early twentieth century. Summer lake season and the Oaklawn meet drive demand. With 14 sites, reserve well ahead.

from $48/night

Catherine's Landing

81 RV Sites, 18 Cottages

Catherine's Landing in Hot Springs, Arkansas, offers 78 RV sites and 18 cottages across 400 acres with a mile of Lake Catherine shoreline, five minutes from downtown Hot Springs. Sites carry full hookups with 30 and 50-amp service and cable TV, take rigs to 65 feet, and include waterfront back-in categories, with a zip line, splash pad, and boat ramp on the property. Seventy-eight sites run in premium back-in and waterfront back-in configurations, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 65 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Eighteen cottages serve guests without a rig. A general store, laundry, restrooms, showers, and a gated entrance handle the practical side. Two policies to note: the resort enforces a ten-year age restriction on RVs, though older coaches are reviewed for approval if you send a photo in advance, and all holiday weekends require a three-night minimum. The 400 acres carry the recreation. A zip line runs the property, a splash pad and outdoor pool cover the swimming season, and a boat ramp and fishing pier give direct access to Lake Catherine's clear, Ouachita-fed water. Canoeing, kayaking, hiking, and fishing all run from camp, with bike rentals, a dog park, playground, clubhouse, pavilion, and pond besides. Pets are welcome. Hot Springs National Park is the smallest in the system and the most historically layered thermal spring community in North America, with Bathhouse Row, Oaklawn racing, and the Mountain Valley Spring heritage all five minutes away. The resort operates through the Arkansas season, with summer lake recreation and the Oaklawn racing calendar driving demand. Book holiday weekends well ahead, and confirm RV age approval before arrival if your coach is over ten years old.

from $68 $59/night

Gods Country Resort

85 RV Sites, 7 Cabins, 11 Tent Sites, 1 Tipi, 2 Houses, 4 Wagons, 1 Lodge

God's Country Resort in Shreveport, Louisiana, offers 85 full-hookup RV sites, 10 cabin, house, and lodge units, 11 tent sites, and five tipis and wagons inside the Soda Lake Wildlife Management Area, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted up to 105 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Covered and deluxe categories with covered picnic tables and swings join economy and extra-large tiers, alongside a lazy river, water park, marina, and casino. Eighty-five sites span back-in covered, back-in deluxe with covered picnic table and swing, back-in economy with picnic table, fire ring, and grill, and back-in extra-large categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 105 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. The covered sites and the deluxe tier with a swing are unusual touches, and 105 feet accommodates the longest coaches. Ten cabins, houses, and lodges, 11 tent sites, and five tipis and wagons make the lodging range exceptional. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The property is gated — call 318-309-4322 for an entry code before you arrive. A lazy river, water park, and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with a marina, hot tub, disc golf course, jumping pillow, arcade, game room, golf cart rentals, playground, pavilion, dog park, casino, on-site dining, and a bar besides. Protected wildlife habitat minutes from Shreveport's riverfront casino district. Summer drives demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $40/night

Beaverfork Lake RV Resort

26 RV Sites

Set on the quiet shores of Beaverfork Lake just two miles off I-40, Beaverfork Lake RV Resort offers a lakeside retreat that manages to feel genuinely tucked away despite its effortless highway access. Located at 27 Beaverfork Road in Conway, Arkansas—a growing college town about 30 minutes northwest of Little Rock—the resort combines the relaxed pace of lakeside camping with the convenience of a full-service RV destination. Whether you're stopping through on a cross-country run or planning a longer lakeside stay, Beaverfork delivers waterfront atmosphere without the waterfront price tag. The resort features 30/50-amp full hookup sites on concrete pads, giving big rigs a solid, level foundation for a comfortable stay. A clubhouse and snack bar serve as the social center of camp, while the boat docks put guests directly on the water. A dog park ensures four-legged travelers are well accommodated, and a dump station rounds out the essential facilities for self-sufficient RVers. Cornhole Golf—a Beaverfork signature—adds a unique twist to the recreational lineup, complemented by fire pits and grills throughout the resort for classic campfire evenings. Pickleball courts provide a spot for competitive play between the lake sessions. Beaverfork Lake stretches across several hundred acres of central Arkansas landscape, its wooded shoreline framing a water body that rewards anglers and paddlers alike. The lake is fished for bass, catfish, and crappie, and the resort's boat docks make launching easy for guests who bring their own watercraft. Kayaking and canoeing are popular ways to explore the lake's quiet coves, while the surrounding terrain offers walking and the kind of unhurried Ozark-adjacent scenery that keeps Arkansas under the radar for those who haven't discovered it yet. Showers, laundry, and the convenience of the snack bar keep the experience smooth from arrival to checkout. Conway itself is a lively mid-sized city anchored by three universities, giving it a youthful energy and a dining scene that punches well above its size. Little Rock, the state capital, lies about 30 minutes southeast on I-40, offering the Bill Clinton Presidential Center, the Arkansas River Trail, and a revitalized downtown riverfront. Lake Conway—one of the largest man-made lakes in the United States—sits nearby and offers additional fishing and boating opportunities for those who want to venture beyond Beaverfork's waters. Hot Springs National Park, with its historic bathhouses and thermal pools, is less than an hour's drive away. Spring and fall are especially pleasant on Beaverfork Lake, with mild temperatures and wildflowers or brilliant foliage adding to the lakeside scenery. Summer brings peak lake traffic—fishing tournaments, kayakers, and families making the most of the boat ramps and fire pits. The resort's proximity to I-40 makes it a logical overnight stop between Dallas and Nashville, but its waterfront amenities reward those who stay longer and slow down. Book your concrete-pad hookup site at Beaverfork Lake RV Resort and trade the interstate for a lakeside evening in the heart of Arkansas.

from $52 $45/night

Island View RV Park

51 RV Sites

Island View RV Park in Jefferson, Texas, offers 51 full-hookup back-in RV sites on Lake O' the Pines, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 50 feet behind a gated entrance. A beach and direct lake access sit on an 18,700-acre reservoir in the East Texas Piney Woods. Fifty-one back-in sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp, sized to 50 feet. The 20-amp option suits smaller trailers and vans that do not need a full 50-amp pedestal, and the 50-foot capacity handles most mid-size coaches. A gated entrance controls access, which matters more than it sounds at a lakeside park where day traffic can otherwise wander through. Pets are welcome. The lake carries the recreation. A beach gives direct swimming access, with boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding from the shoreline and a pond on the property besides. Hiking and biking run from the grounds, and the dark sky over the reservoir makes for good stargazing and productive birding along the cypress-lined shore. Jefferson is one of East Texas's most historically layered communities. Antebellum architecture lines the streets, the town's nineteenth-century steamboat history still shapes its identity, and the cypress-draped waterways of the Big Cypress Bayou system have defined this corner of the Piney Woods since before the Texas Republic. The combination of an 18,700-acre reservoir and a genuine heritage town within minutes is unusual. The park serves guests whose visit splits between lake recreation and Jefferson's heritage tourism. Summer lake season and the town's festival calendar drive the heaviest demand — reserve ahead for warm-weather weekends.

from $45/night

Big Al's Barefoot Bay Marina and RV Resort

65 RV Sites, 5 Cabins, 8 Tent Sites

Big Al's Barefoot Bay Marina and RV Resort in Pittsburg, Texas, offers 65 full-hookup RV sites, five cabins, and eight tent sites on Lake Bob Sandlin, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted up to 120 feet. Lakefront back-in, Sanctuary back-in, Grand pull-through, and Trailhead categories join classic and convenient tiers, with a full marina, boat rentals, and on-site dining. Sixty-five sites span classic back-in, convenient pull-thru, Grand pull-thru, lakefront back-in, Sanctuary back-in, and Trailhead pull-thru categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 120 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. One hundred twenty feet is among the most generous capacities anywhere, and the named categories tell you what you are getting. Five cabins and eight tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. A refundable security deposit is required at check-in on all sites and cabins. The marina anchors the property, with boat docks, a boat ramp, boat rentals, and kayak rentals for boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and swimming. A clubhouse, game room, arcade, billiards, horseshoes, golf cart rentals, a playground, pavilion, dog park, on-site dining, and a bar fill the rest, with live music and planned activities through the season. Lake Bob Sandlin is a 9,400-acre Corps reservoir with 120 miles of piney woods shoreline and a strong largemouth reputation. Summer and the spring bass season drive demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $16/night

Ohana Celebration Park

9 RV Sites, 1 Cabin, 5 Tent Sites

Ohana Celebration Park in Vilonia, Arkansas, offers nine RV sites, a cabin, and five tent sites on a lake in the central Arkansas countryside, with 30 and 50-amp full hookups on a big-rig-friendly layout. Premium lake-front and lake view pull-throughs join group RV sites, with a beach, boat and kayak rentals, and on-site dining. Nine sites run in group RV, lake view pull-through, and premium lake front pull-through categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp, with fire pits and picnic tables. The lake front and lake view categories are worth requesting early. A cabin and five tent sites round out the accommodations. A general store, laundry, personal mailboxes, restrooms, and a pavilion handle the practical side, and the group sites suit families or clubs traveling together. The lake carries the recreation. A beach gives swimming access, with boat and kayak rentals on site and fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boats from the shoreline, plus inflatable water toys in season. Walking trails, hiking, biking, a playground, community fire pit, and on-site dining fill the rest, with planned activities through the season and strong stargazing over the water. Pets are welcome. The park has been reborn since 2021 under the Mize family's stewardship from the historic Lester Flatt Memorial Park site, welcoming both short and extended stays. Vilonia sits in Faulkner County between Conway and Little Rock, with the Central Arkansas Karting Complex and Precision Paintball nearby. Summer lake season drives demand. With nine sites, reserve well ahead.

from $25/night

Ladera RV Resort

41 RV Sites

On Loop 301 in Sulphur Springs, Texas—in Hopkins County in the northeastern Texas Piney Woods and Blackland Prairie transition where the historic downtown courthouse square, the Southwest Dairy Museum's agricultural heritage, Cooper Lake State Park's 19,000-acre reservoir, and the Lake Fork bass fishing corridor to the south create the deep East Texas rural landscape that the Dallas market's two-hour commute has turned into the weekend outdoor retreat that Hopkins County's quiet authenticity still provides—Ladera RV Resort delivers 105 full hookup sites on concrete pads with private designer RV slips, paved internal roads, a dog park, walking trails, on-site bar and dining, a catch-and-release fishing pond, community fire pits, and WiFi across 48 manicured acres that the resort's "boutique" designation describes through the private slip design and the landscaped grounds rather than through conventional campground infrastructure. Concrete pads. Designer slips. Cooper Lake is 11 miles north. The 105 full hookup sites on concrete pads—private designer slips with paved access roads on 48 groomed acres—deliver the boutique RV resort experience that the Sulphur Springs corridor has previously lacked at this design and infrastructure standard. The private-slip concept, which creates the visual separation and the outdoor living space that most RV parks forgo for density, positions each site with the intentional privacy that the boutique designation reflects in operational reality. The on-site bar and dining creates the social gathering point that the resort's design infrastructure centers on as the evening amenity, and the dog park, walking trails through the 48 acres, catch-and-release fishing pond, and community fire pits create the daily recreation and social activity that the boutique resort guest expects alongside the hookup standard. Sulphur Springs sits in Hopkins County on US-67 between Dallas and Texarkana, in the county seat community whose 1895 Hopkins County Courthouse—the ornate Renaissance Revival landmark on the downtown square—anchors the historic district that the Sulphur Springs downtown's independent restaurants, antique shops, and the renovated Carnegie Library serve. The Southwest Dairy Museum, adjacent to the CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital campus, preserves the heritage of Hopkins County's dairy farming culture—the region's milk and butter production and the cooperative dairy industry that Hopkins County's pastures sustained through the 20th century create the agricultural identity that the museum's equipment and artifact collection documents. Cooper Lake State Park, 11 miles north on FM-71, provides 19,000-acre Cooper Lake—the largest lake in northeast Texas—whose largemouth bass fishing, the South Sulphur Unit's camping and hiking on the lake's southern shore, and the Doctors Creek Unit's equestrian trails and boat ramps create the public outdoor recreation infrastructure that complements the Ladera's private boutique identity. Lake Fork, 30 miles south via US-69, provides the 27,690-acre reservoir that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has managed for trophy largemouth bass production—Lake Fork holds 58 of the top 100 largemouth bass ever caught in Texas—and the bass fishing tournament circuit that the lake sustains year-round. Ladera RV Resort operates year-round in Hopkins County's temperate northeastern Texas climate, with the spring and fall seasons providing the most comfortable outdoor conditions for the outdoor social and fire pit culture that the boutique resort's evening atmosphere depends on. Reserve your designer slip at Ladera and let the concrete pads, the on-site bar, and Cooper Lake's 19,000 acres make the Sulphur Springs boutique experience the northeast Texas weekend getaway that the Dallas market has been driving two hours to find.

from $55/night

Marval Resort

85 RV Sites, 71 Cabins, 13 Tent Sites, 3 Lodges

Marval Resort in Gore, Oklahoma, offers 85 RV sites, 74 cabin and lodge units, and 13 tent sites on Lake Tenkiller, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted up to 90 feet. Site categories are named for what they offer — Park View, River View, and Premium River View, in both water-and-electric and full-hookup configurations — behind a gated entrance. Eighty-five sites run across 30-amp water-and-electric, 30 and 50-amp water-and-electric, 30 and 50-amp full-hookup with sewer, and Park View and River View variants of each, sized to 90 feet. Seventy-four cabins and lodge units carry a large share of the inventory, and 13 tent sites cover simpler camping. A general store, propane fills and exchange, and a gated entrance handle the practical side. The recreation roster is extensive. An outdoor pool and splash pad anchor the summer, with a lake supporting boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming, and boat rentals on site. Mini-golf, a clubhouse, game room, craft room, arcade, ping pong, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, gaga ball, and horseshoes spread across the grounds, with golf cart rentals, walking trails, a playground, pavilion, and dog park besides. Live music and planned activities run through the season, and the property serves as a wedding venue. Pets are welcome. Lake Tenkiller is one of Oklahoma's most pristine reservoirs — crystal-clear water, limestone bluffs, and the Cookson Hills' hardwood backdrop make it the most scenically distinctive lake in the eastern Oklahoma hill country, and one of the state's premier bass fisheries. Summer lake season drives demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $24/night

Hidden Grove RV Resort

107 RV Sites, 16 Cabins, 10 Tent Sites, 1 Onsite RV/Trailer, 1 Apartment

Hidden Grove RV Resort in Honey Grove, Texas, offers 108 full-hookup RV sites, 17 apartment and cabin units, and 10 tent sites with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 72 feet. Concrete and gravel categories are listed separately across premier and standard tiers, with an outdoor pool, lake, pond, and kayak rentals in Fannin County. One hundred eight sites span back-in concrete, back-in gravel, premier back-in concrete, premier pull-through concrete, and pull-through gravel categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 72 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Publishing the surface by category is unusually transparent — you know whether you are on concrete or gravel before you book, and 72 feet handles a long coach. Seventeen apartments and cabins and 10 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, and RV storage handle the practical side. An outdoor pool anchors the property, with a lake and pond supporting fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and kayak rentals. Walking trails, hiking, horseshoes, corn hole, a playground, and picnicking fill the grounds, with live music through the season, wine and beer tasting nearby, and productive birding. Pets are welcome. Managers Brian and Cat Pierce are full-time RVers themselves, with more than 25 combined years in hospitality — the firsthand perspective shows in how the property is run. Spring and fall are most comfortable in northeast Texas. Reserve ahead for warm-weather weekends.

from $25/night