Hickory Nut Mountain

plenty of spots & a bathroom! Not too far from Hot Springs National Park!

I have always loved camping here, it’s beautiful & peaceful, most the time when we visit we are the only campers in the area! Whenever we have encountered people, they has been super friendly. There’s a little road noise & a few cars that drive through to get to the main Trail, but that’s completely fine & didn’t bother us a bit! The only complaint I have is there is glass EVERYWHERE, I spent the whole first & last day picking up glass & trash. We left with three bags of trash from picking up after other campers. I just would hate for someone to not notice & go barefoot & cut themselves. Just remember to pack out what you pack in! Leave campsites cleaner than you found them! :)

The restroom is a basically a portapotty so be prepared for that otherwise there are picnic tables, grills and fire pits. It’s a 4 mile drive uphill with only narrow gravel roads. But it’s free to stay. We were alone at the campground the entire time we were there.

We didn’t care for the established sites at the top of the mountain so we headed back down Pollard Creek Trail- what a surprise gem we found! Creek bed camping! Cool spring to cool off on this warm fall day. Plenty of room for our tent and camp kitchen!

The actual campground itself is really gorgeous with a few campsites that distantly overlook the lake however there is glass and trash all over from disrespectful campers who do not care to clean up after themselves however there are also no trash cans here so it's unsurprising.

Stayed on a holiday weekend and the park rangers took to harassing certain campers they believed may have marijuana based on profiling and nothing more.

So in conclusion while the nature is beautiful both the campers and law enforcement will make your stay unbearable.

This is a gorgeous spot the view is amazing. Outhouse not so nice door doesn't lock. There is a fire ring, picnic table, grill and it's free. I spent 2 nights here and would definitely come back.

Nice view. T-Mobile Cellphone reception. Bathroom, tables, and flat dirt spots. I car camped without any problems. I did see a few trucks drive in and out for sunset, but otherwise I had the place to myself. Can’t ask for much more for a free campsite!

Hidden off road to the top for scenic view. If the gate is open then explore an hour worth moderate off roading. This place also offers great hiking trails and primitive camping. If you truly want to hide from the world, this is the place for a weekend solitude.

This campground was located down a 3 mile gravel road (my Hyundai hatchback handled it ok), on the top of a ridge overlooking Lake Ouachita. The view of the lake was fairly limited, but the site we stayed in did have a clearing in the trees big enough to catch a glimpse of the lake and the surrounding 'mountains'. The site itself was nice enough with a place to pull in, a large picnic table, metal grill, and a fire ring with a grate. The spot we picked was mostly rocky and downhill, so not great for tent camping. 

This campground shares a drive with a trailhead, so there was more traffic than I was expecting. The first night (Tuesday) we were the only people in the campground but the second night we had some neighbors. 
I will also mention that the second night, a truck came speeding through at about 11:30pm and stopped in front of our campsite before speeding off again down the road. Nothing happened, but it did make me feel slightly uneasy. 

Overall it was a nice experience, but I wouldn't stay here again.

Only got to stay for a night because of hurricane Laura, The park ranger kindly told us they were shutting it down. Otherwise, very nice free campsite. The picnic tables are beautifully made and there’s a fire pit. You get a view of the lake from the trees and at night you’re surrounded by “lightning bugs”. Which makes the experience a little enchanting.

Great campsite with parking, picnic tables, fire rings, grills, and a restroom. Right next to the trails! Beautiful view of lake below. Only issue was some broken glass around the picnic area. Please pack out all of your trash!