Pet Friendly

Rollin Oaks Park

20 RV Sites, 226 Tent Sites

Rollin Oaks Park in Center Ridge, Arkansas, offers back-in RV sites and extensive primitive tent camping in the wooded river valley country of Conway County, with rigs accepted to 30 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. This is a nature-first, 55-plus community that prioritizes the Arkansas woodland setting over amenity infrastructure — and prices accordingly. Back-in sites accommodate rigs to 30 feet, which suits smaller trailers and vans rather than large coaches. Primitive tent camping makes up the bulk of the property's capacity. A dump station and firewood are available on site. Guests should arrive largely self-contained; the infrastructure here is deliberately minimal. On-site programming is simple and traditional — a playground, volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, and seasonal special events, which is what family primitive camping has always been built around. Hiking runs from the property, and the dark rural sky makes for genuinely good stargazing. Pets are welcome. Supplies require a short drive, so stock up before arrival. Center Ridge Grocery and Quick Stop are each 6.7 miles out with food, drink, gas, and ice, the Dollar General in Center Ridge is 6.2 miles, and Birdtown Grocery is 7.4 miles. Conway County sits where the Ouachita foothills roll north toward the Arkansas River valley, in the rural interior that has kept the unhurried character larger campgrounds systematically remove. Petit Jean Mountain — among the most scenically spectacular and historically significant sites in Arkansas — is within practical range. The park serves the Arkansas camping season, with spring and fall delivering the most comfortable conditions for primitive camping. Reserve ahead for holiday weekends.

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

Mockingbird Mountain Resort

1 RV Site, 2 Cabins

Near Greers Ferry Lake in Edgemont, Arkansas—in Cleburne County in the Ozark Mountains where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Greers Ferry Lake impoundment of the Little Red River created the 31,000-acre reservoir and its clear, cold hypolimnetic release that established the Little Red River tailwater below Greers Ferry Dam as one of the premier trophy brown trout fisheries in North America—Mockingbird Mountain Resort provides 50 full hookup RV sites with six pull-through positions, three cabins sleeping up to four guests, and a Lodge sleeping eight to ten, with fully equipped kitchens, panoramic deck views of Greers Ferry Lake, free WiFi, self-serve laundry, and on-site staff support in the nature-focused mountain resort five minutes from the marinas, boat launches, swimming spots, and restaurants that Greers Ferry Lake's recreation infrastructure makes the defining amenity of the western shore. The cabins and Lodge with kitchen and lake-view decks, the five-minute marina proximity, and the Greers Ferry tailwater trout fishery within minutes define why Mockingbird Mountain is a destination resort rather than a highway overnight stop. Fifty full hookup RV sites with 30 and 50-amp electric, water, and sewer connections in a combination of pull-through and back-in configurations serve the RV camping market on the wooded Ozark Mountain property. Six pull-through sites specifically accommodate the longer RV configurations. Three cabins sleeping up to four guests each and a Lodge sleeping eight to ten provide the fully equipped enclosed accommodation for the non-RV visitor or the group that needs the cabin's communal kitchen, comfortable living space, and the covered deck with panoramic Greers Ferry Lake views that the Cleburne County hillside position provides. Fully equipped kitchens in both cabins and the Lodge give the extended-stay guest the self-catering option. Free WiFi, self-serve laundry, and the RV storage capability serve the practical amenity requirements. Long-term RV sites starting at $400 per month serve the seasonal and semi-permanent resident who chooses the Greers Ferry Lake address for the extended warm-season stay. Greers Ferry Lake's 775 miles of shoreline—one of the longest shoreline-to-surface-area ratios of any Ozark reservoir—provides the clear, cove-rich freshwater lake environment that watersports enthusiasts, bass anglers, and the scuba diving community that the lake's 100-foot visibility (among the clearest lakes in Arkansas) has developed as a dedicated user group. The lake's clarity results from the combination of the dolomite geology filtering the impounded water and the limited agricultural runoff from the Ozark Mountain watershed. The Little Red River tailwater immediately below Greers Ferry Dam is world-renowned among fly anglers for the trophy brown trout that the cold tailwater environment sustains year-round—the river holds the world record brown trout catch at 40 pounds, 4 ounces, and consistently produces fish in the 10-to-20-pound class that the local guide services target with streamers and midges in the specific water column that the cold bottom-release temperature creates year-round regardless of season. Mockingbird Mountain Resort is open year-round in the Ozark Mountain climate. The spring and fall represent the most temperate camping seasons, with summer bringing the lake recreation peak and winter providing the tailwater trout fishing that cold-water species specifically require. Reserve the Lodge for the family reunion, book the RV site early for lake-access summer weeks, and let Greers Ferry's world-record brown trout water and the Ozark hillside views earn the Arkansas mountain lake resort experience that the Little Red River below the dam makes uniquely significant.

from $50/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

Whitewater RV Park - Mountain View

39 RV Sites

Established as the original RV park in Mountain View, Arkansas, Whitewater RV Park sits four blocks from the town square in a community widely known as the Folk Music Capital of the World—a title earned through the living music tradition that fills downtown Mountain View's covered bandstand and courthouse square with acoustic folk, bluegrass, and old-time music performances throughout the warmer months. The campground's walkable proximity to the square eliminates the need for a car when attending performances, making it the most logistically convenient base for guests visiting Mountain View specifically for its music culture. Pull-through and back-in RV sites with 30 and 50-amp electrical service are spread across grounds maintained with the green, well-landscaped character the park emphasizes as a point of difference from harder-surface urban campgrounds. A bathhouse with hot showers, coin-operated laundry, fiber-optic Wi-Fi, and cable television by request address daily comfort needs, and the park's free-use picking shed—a multi-purpose covered building suited for informal jam sessions and group gatherings—reflects Mountain View's musical identity in a tangible on-site amenity. The campground borders a city park that gives guests direct access to a significant array of outdoor facilities without leaving the neighborhood. Paved and unpaved hiking trails, a disc golf course, a playground, a pavilion, tennis courts with basketball hoops, a volleyball court, a public swimming pool, and public picnic areas are all accessible from the park's edge. The Stone County Amphitheater hosts larger organized performances, and Whitewater Creek produces a small but picturesque waterfall directly adjacent to the grounds that adds a natural feature to the otherwise town-adjacent camping environment. Mountain View's broader recreational appeal extends well beyond the folk music tradition. The White River, flowing through the Ozarks south of town, is one of Arkansas's most celebrated trout fishing destinations—a tailwater fishery below Bull Shoals Dam that supports wild brown and rainbow trout populations and attracts fly anglers and guide services year-round. Sylamore Creek offers canoeing and kayaking through scenic Ozark hill country, and the surrounding Stone County landscape encompasses multiple cave systems open for guided tours, crystal-clear spring-fed streams, and the extensive trail network of Ozark National Forest. Whitewater RV Park is open year-round, with the spring and summer folk festival season representing peak visitor demand. Arkansas Folk Festival and other Mountain View music events typically held in April and May draw visitors from across the region and can fill the town's limited accommodation inventory quickly. Advance reservations for festival weekends are strongly encouraged, as the campground's walkable location to the town square makes it the most sought-after RV position in Mountain View for music-focused visitors. The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View is the only state park in the country dedicated to preserving and presenting the traditional crafts and music of the Ozark Mountains, with live demonstrations, workshops, and performances that run from spring through fall and give visitors a structured immersion in the handcraft and musical traditions that Mountain View has built its identity around. The park's proximity—within easy walking distance of Whitewater RV Park—makes it an essential stop for guests interested in the cultural programming that distinguishes Mountain View from other Arkansas outdoor destinations.

from $25/night

Ozark RV Park and Cabins

67 RV Sites, 4 Cabins

Ozark RV Park and Cabins in Mountain View, Arkansas, offers 67 full-hookup RV sites and four cabins adjacent to the Ozark Folk Center State Park, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service, cable TV, ADA-accessible sites, and rigs accepted to 67 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Back-in and pull-through categories join a recreation center, walking trails, community fire pit, and dog park. Sixty-seven sites span back-in 30-amp, back-in, and pull-thru categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 67 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Accessible sites are available. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. One pricing detail: rates cover four people, with a $2 per person charge above that and an eight-person maximum per site. A recreation center, billiards, walking trails, hiking, and a dog park fill the grounds, with planned activities through the season and boating nearby. Pets are welcome. Mountain View is the undisputed folk music and traditional crafts capital of the Ozarks. Square dancing still happens on the courthouse square on summer weekends, and the regional traditions here are preserved as genuine living practice rather than nostalgia — musicians gather informally around the square most warm evenings. The park connects directly to the Ozark Folk Center State Park, with Blanchard Springs Caverns and the White and Buffalo Rivers close. Spring and fall bring the most comfortable Ozark conditions and the fullest music calendar, with foliage drawing October crowds. Reserve well ahead for festival weekends.

from $29/night

Mountain View RV Park and Guest Motel

38 RV Sites, 1 Cabin, 8 Condos, 1 Lodge

Mountain View RV Park and Guest Motel in Mountain View, Arkansas, offers 38 full-hookup RV sites and 10 cabin, condo, and lodge units in the Ozark Mountains, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, ADA-accessible sites, and EV charging. Sites take rigs to 45 feet across named categories including Best View back-ins and premium pull-throughs with room for a tow vehicle. Thirty-eight sites run in 30-amp and 30/50-amp full-hookup back-ins along the fence line, Best View back-ins on gravel pads, and premium 50-amp full-hookup pull-throughs with space for a tow — all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 45 feet. Accessible sites are available, and EV charging is on site, still uncommon at Ozark campgrounds. Ten cabins, condos, and lodge units serve guests without a rig. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, firewood, and a gated entrance handle the practical side, and the property is open all year. On-site recreation is broad: a disc golf course, sports courts, basketball, horseshoes, corn hole, a recreation center, community fire pit, and walking trails, with a lake, pond, and creek on the property for fishing, boating, and kayaking. On-site dining covers meals, and live music and planned activities run through the season. Pets are welcome. Mountain View is the Folk Music Capital of the World, a living folk culture community where traditional Ozark music and crafts remain central to daily life. The walkable downtown, the Ozark Folk Center State Park, Blanchard Springs Caverns, Gunner's Pool, and the Syllamo mountain bike trails are all close. Music events drive occupancy here — check the calendar and book around it.

from $39/night

Little Rock RV Park

24 RV Sites

Convenience is underrated in campground selection. Not every trip is a wilderness expedition — sometimes you're exploring a region's cities, following the course of a river, or simply making smart time on a longer journey. Little Rock RV Park in North Little Rock understands this, delivering a clean, quiet, well-positioned campground for travelers who want easy access to the state capital region without the noise and price tag that often come with urban camping. The park offers full-hookup sites with 30- and 50-amp electric service, water, and sewer connections — the fundamentals executed cleanly and reliably. Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, and the big rig-friendly layout accommodates larger rigs without the tight turns that can make urban parks frustrating. A dog park on-site makes the park a practical choice for pet owners, and the pet-friendly policies reflect an understanding of how most traveling families are actually composed. The park sits conveniently off the main road in Pulaski County, with easy interstate access for regional exploration. North Little Rock and Little Rock together form a metropolitan region with more to offer than many visitors anticipate. The Arkansas River is the defining geographic feature — a massive, slow-moving waterway that the city's Big Dam Bridge, one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the United States, spans in impressive fashion. The River Trail system, stretching over a dozen miles along both banks, is a favorite for cycling and walking that delivers one of Arkansas's best city-and-nature combinations. The Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site stands as one of the most powerful civil rights landmarks in the South. Downtown Little Rock offers a walkable district filled with local restaurants, craft breweries, art galleries, and the bustling River Market District. The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the Clinton Presidential Center, and the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center add cultural and educational depth to a city that often surprises first-time visitors. The Arkansas River Valley region beyond the city includes Pinnacle Mountain State Park and the scenic Buffalo National River corridor to the north — the first national river in the United States and one of the Ozarks' most spectacular float trip destinations. Little Rock RV Park serves equally well as an overnight stop for travelers heading through the mid-South and as a base for exploring what this part of Arkansas has to offer. The park's quiet setting, reliable hookups, and proximity to the interstate system make it a practical choice that doesn't sacrifice comfort. Open year-round, it provides a stable and affordable home base in a region that rewards the traveler willing to look past the surface. The city of Little Rock is worth more than a night — plan accordingly. The people are genuinely welcoming, the food scene punches well above the city's size, and the natural surroundings keep outdoors-minded travelers occupied well beyond a single day.

Dogwood Springs Campground

8 Cabins

At 621 East Court Street in Jasper, Arkansas—the Boone County seat in the Arkansas Ozarks where the Buffalo National River makes its most dramatic passage through the limestone bluffs and cedar-forest hollows of the Newton County reaches, and where the Boxley Valley elk herd and the Upper Buffalo's whitewater sections create the specific outdoor identity that makes the Jasper area the most spectacularly positioned small town in the Arkansas park system—Dogwood Springs Campground and Resort combines studio cabins and cottages, 30 and 50-amp full hookup RV sites, tent sites with on-site electricity, a seasonal swimming pool, and the trail and river access that makes the Buffalo National River corridor the most sought-after camping destination in the Arkansas Ozarks. The campground's position in Jasper—minutes from the National River, within the zone of elk sightings, and in the geographic heart of the Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway—makes the drive time from any site to the Buffalo's most beautiful accesses negligible. Studio cabins and studio cottages provide the most enclosed and equipped accommodation—with full kitchens, private bathrooms, climate control, and fireplace options that make cold-season Ozark visits comfortable and self-contained in a way that tent camping cannot match. Full hookup RV sites with 30 and 50-amp electric service, water, and sewer connections accommodate the RV population, and tent sites with on-site electrical service bridge the gap between primitive camping and full hookup, giving tent campers the electrical access for lighting, fans, and device charging that modern tent camping increasingly depends on. A seasonal swimming pool provides controlled aquatic recreation during the Ozark summer when the Buffalo River's flow can vary with rainfall patterns. Coin-operated laundry facilities, a covered pavilion with picnic tables, designated fire rings at select sites, and clean showers and bathrooms complete the practical amenity inventory. The Buffalo National River—the first national river designated in the United States system, protected by Congress in 1972—flows through one of the last undammed, free-flowing rivers in the lower 48 states with the specific water quality and natural character that undammed status preserves. The Upper Buffalo, accessible from Jasper, provides the most technically challenging and scenically dramatic whitewater paddling on the river system—running in late winter and early spring when seasonal rainfall fills the narrow canyon sections—while the lower sections provide the flatwater float experience that summer and fall visitors access by canoe and kayak. The Boxley Valley elk herd—one of the largest free-ranging elk herds in the eastern United States, reintroduced to the Arkansas Ozarks in 1981 from Rocky Mountain populations—inhabits the Boxley Valley and surrounding ridge terrain in numbers large enough that morning and evening wildlife viewing from the valley road has become a specific Jasper-area activity that visitors plan trips around. The fall rut in September and October brings bugling bulls to the valley floor in the same manner that Rocky Mountain elk are famous for, but accessible by car on a paved road rather than requiring a backcountry hiking permit. Rock climbing in the Ozarks, cave tours at the Cosmic Cavern and Mystic Caverns near Harrison, and elk-viewing photography constitute the activity calendar that gives the Newton County area its multi-day destination credibility. Dogwood Springs Campground and Resort is open year-round in the Arkansas Ozarks' four-season climate. The fall elk-viewing season and the spring whitewater season represent the two demand peaks most specific to the Jasper area. Reserve your cabin or RV site early for October elk rut weekends and let the Buffalo National River and the Arkansas Ozarks earn the wilderness reputation that one of the Midwest's finest river corridors deserves.

from $75/night

Cloud Nine RV Park

40 RV Sites, 3 Tent Sites

Cloud Nine RV Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is a premium campground where relaxing comes easy — extra-wide full-hookup sites with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a fitness center, and a clubhouse give guests the resort-quality amenity package for the thermal spa and Ouachita Mountain resort city that has drawn visitors to Garland County's healing waters since the 1800s. Hot Springs's position in Garland County on US-70 between the Ouachita National Forest's ridgelines and Lake Hamilton gives the park the specific resort-city campground character of a property in the most historically significant health resort destination in the American mid-South, where the National Park Service preserves the Bathhouse Row's eight Victorian bathhouses on Central Avenue as the most complete thermal bath resort streetscape remaining in the United States. The campground's resort amenities give guests the same comfort orientation that Hot Springs's spa and resort culture has sustained as its primary visitor appeal for 150 years. Extra-wide full-hookup RV sites with Wi-Fi, cable, fitness center, and the clubhouse amenity package give Cloud Nine the specific resort campground character of a Hot Springs property whose amenity level matches the resort city's hotel and spa market orientation — the fitness center and the clubhouse give guests the social and exercise infrastructure that the Hot Springs resort visitor's active lifestyle and the extended-stay market specifically value, and the extra-wide sites give the full-size modern coach the maneuvering clearance that the narrow sites of older Arkansas campgrounds frequently cannot provide. Pets are welcome. Bathhouse Row, the National Park Service's collection of eight restored early-20th-century bathhouses on Central Avenue in Hot Springs National Park, preserves the most architecturally significant and most historically complete thermal spa resort streetscape in North America — the 1915 Fordyce Bathhouse Museum's fully restored stained glass, ceramic tile, and ornate Beaux-Arts interior give the Hot Springs spa heritage its most complete physical survivor in the bathhouse complex that drew Babe Ruth, Al Capone, and Presidents Cleveland, McKinley, and Roosevelt to the thermal waters of the 47 hot springs that discharge at 143°F from the Ouachita Mountains' Hot Springs sandstone. The Buckstaff Bathhouse, the only bathhouse still operating in its original format, gives visitors the authentic Hot Springs thermal bath experience. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort on Central Avenue gives Hot Springs its professional thoroughbred horse racing — the Oaklawn Racing and Gaming Center's January-through-April meet, with the Arkansas Derby and the Arkansas Racing Classic representing the track's most prestigious prep races for the Kentucky Derby, gives the resort city its specific spring racing season that annually draws the thoroughbred racing market from across the South and Midwest to the most historically significant horse racing venue in Arkansas. Cloud Nine RV Park serves guests year-round in Garland County's mild Arkansas Ouachita Mountain climate, with the spring racing season from January through April, the summer lake recreation on Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine from June through August, and the fall Ouachita National Forest foliage season from October through November representing the three primary visitor demand cycles in the Hot Springs resort city calendar. Lake Hamilton, immediately southwest of Hot Springs on US-270, and the downtown's Bathhouse Row give the campground's guests the immediate recreational and heritage touring access that the resort-city campground position specifically enables. Reserve sites well ahead for the Oaklawn spring racing season and the peak summer lake resort period.

from $39/night

Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort

42 RV Sites

Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort in Cotter, Arkansas, provides a classic White River tailwater fishing camp on one of the world's most celebrated trout streams, where the cold, clear flows released from Bull Shoals Dam's depths create year-round water temperatures ideal for the rainbow and brown trout that have made the White River tailwater between Bull Shoals and Norfolk Lake a pilgrimage destination for fly fishermen across North America. The park's position directly on the White River in Baxter County gives guests the immediate river access—fishing from the bank, the dock, or launching drift boats and jonboats for guided float fishing—that defines the Cotter experience for anglers whose primary purpose is time on one of the continent's most productive trout rivers. The park's facility reflects its identity as a working fishing camp built for anglers: full hookup sites, cabin rentals for the non-RV fishing party, a clubhouse, fishing guide services that provide local expertise on the White River's most productive trout holding lies and seasonal patterns, river access with boat dock, fishing pier, a store with supplies, propane fills and exchange, showers, bathrooms, laundry, and pet-friendly policies for the sporting dogs and companions that fishing trips include. The corn hole and outdoor social spaces serve the evening gathering culture of fishing camp life, and the White River's visible current from the camp creates the ambient background that reinforces the angling community identity of this Baxter County riverfront property. The White River's transformation from a warm-water Ozark stream into a world-class cold-water trout fishery is entirely attributable to the thermal stratification of Bull Shoals Lake—the cold hypolimnion water released from the dam's bottom gates throughout the year maintains water temperatures in the 45-58 degree range year-round regardless of ambient air temperature, creating a trout habitat that supports enormous rainbow and brown trout populations in a river system that the surrounding Ozark highland geology keeps exceptionally clear. The IGFA world record brown trout was caught on the White River below Bull Shoals Dam, and the river consistently produces trout in the 20-inch-plus range that draw serious fly and spin fishermen from the metropolitan areas of the Midwest and South. Cotter's position at the confluence of the White River and the North Fork of the White River creates the triangulated access to two high-quality tailwater trout streams from a single base camp, and the Buffalo National River—the first national river designated by Congress, 36 miles northwest via AR-62—provides the contrasting wilderness float trip experience in a pristine free-flowing Ozark river canyon of extraordinary beauty. Mountain Home, the Baxter County seat approximately 10 miles east, provides the restaurants, grocery, and commercial services that make extended fishing camp stays in Cotter comfortable. Ember Shoals Outdoor Resort operates year-round in Baxter County's Ozark climate, with the White River's cold tailwater temperatures supporting productive trout fishing in every season—the winter low-flow periods often produce the year's largest fish as trophy brown trout concentrate in the deep pools below the dam, and the summer crowds that warm-water lake destinations experience are absent from the Cotter tailwater where the cold, misty river retains its solitary fishing camp character regardless of season. Float fishing trips in drift boats guided by local outfitters represent the White River experience at its fullest, and the park's guide service connection provides immediate access to the expertise that makes first-time White River visitors most productive.

from $32/night

Hot Springs Campground

5 RV Sites

Just five minutes from downtown Hot Springs and nestled beside the boundaries of Hot Springs National Park—one of America's oldest federally protected natural reserves, established in 1832 as the Hot Springs Reservation four decades before Yellowstone became the first national park—Hot Springs Campground & RV Park provides the most convenient private camping access to the thermal waters, historic Bathhouse Row, and the Ouachita Mountain outdoor recreation that make Hot Springs one of the South's most complete resort destinations. Full hookup RV sites, tent sites, and cozy cottage accommodations sit in a shaded, natural setting with full amenity infrastructure including WiFi, laundry, fire rings, picnic tables, bathhouse facilities, and a clubhouse for guest gathering. Full hookup sites with electric, water, and sewer serve RVs of all sizes in the shaded, wooded setting that characterizes the Ouachita Mountain forest surrounding Hot Springs. Cottages provide enclosed accommodation for guests who want a structure without hotel pricing, and the campground's pet-friendly policy accommodates the traveling dogs that accompany many Ouachita Mountain visitors. The clubhouse provides covered gathering space for groups, and the clean, well-maintained bathhouse facility supplements the cottage and RV hookup infrastructure. WiFi and laundry complete the essential services for guests planning multi-day stays to work through the National Park's extensive hiking trail network and the lake recreation that the Hot Springs area's multiple reservoirs provide. Hot Springs sits in Garland County in the Ouachita Mountains of central Arkansas, where 47 thermal springs emerge from the western slope of Hot Springs Mountain at a constant 143°F—the geological consequence of rainwater percolating two miles into the earth, where geothermal heat warms it before it resurfaces along a fault line beneath the city. Bathhouse Row, on Central Avenue in the heart of downtown Hot Springs, preserves eight bathhouses built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Gilded Age resort style that made Hot Springs one of America's most glamorous spa destinations—a city that served as the spring training home of major league baseball teams and a gathering place for presidents, gangsters, and celebrities from the 1870s through the 1960s. Hot Springs National Park's 26 miles of hiking trails traverse the surrounding Ouachita Mountain terrain from the Hot Springs Mountain Tower summit to the forested ridge trails that provide views across the Garland County landscape and the lake system that surrounds the city. Lake Ouachita, 15 miles northwest at 40,000 acres, is Arkansas's largest lake and consistently rated among the clearest lakes in the central United States—a remarkable reservoir for pontoon boating, kayaking, fishing, and the scuba diving that the exceptional water clarity supports. Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine to the south of Hot Springs add additional boating and recreational water access within minutes of the campground. Hot Springs Campground operates year-round in the Ouachita Mountain climate, where Hot Springs' moderate elevation provides cooler summers than the Arkansas lowlands and mild enough winters for comfortable thermal bath visiting through the off-season. The Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, the legacy of Hot Springs' thoroughbred racing tradition that dates to 1905, runs its live racing season from January through April—a significant draw that fills the city's accommodations during winter. Reserve your site or cottage at Hot Springs Campground and let the thermal waters of Bathhouse Row, the Ouachita trails, and the remarkable layered history of America's spa capital make this Arkansas National Park stop one of your most memorable.