This peaceful park makes great camping near Little Rock and is located on Lake Catherine, one of five lakes in the beautiful Ouachita Mountain region. The only full-service marina on the lake is here at the park and open in the summertime for bait, snacks/drinks, and fuel. Boat rentals are available year-round. The park also includes a launch ramp, pavilion, picnic sites, playgrounds, and a well-marked trail that leads to a waterfall.

 The park has 20 fully equipped cabins, including one two-bedroom cabin with a patio overlooking the water and private access to the lake from its own fishing pier.
 There are also many native stone and wood buildings on-site. The history of these structures dates back to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s.
 The park offers 70 campsites (47 Class AAA and 23 Class B), six primitive tent sites, one Rent-A-Camp, and one Rent-A-Yurt. Many of these sites are on the lakeshore.
 Park interpreters offer hikes, lake tours, and programs year-round. Guided horseback rides are offered seasonally.

Lake Catherine State Park Campground

Our first time at Lake Catherine was great! We had an awesome water site and views of the lake! The campground was packed full. I typically like to have a little more privacy when we camp, but close neighbors are worth it at this park. The bathrooms have not been renovated yet like many other AR state Parks, but they were still nice and clean. The marina offers several rentals from boats, kayaks to paddle boards. We rented a few Jackson Kayaks (they are so nice!) for the day and paddled the right up to our campsite. We also kayaked to the waterfall and then took the actual hiking trail to the waterfall. Great time had by our camping group! (Sites 28 &amp; 30)

Lots of water access! 

We absolutely love it here. 
Wonderful trails,fishing,cabins and camp sites and tons of photo opportunities.
The waterfall was flowing a little on the low side. That's not unusual since it is the end of summer. 
Everyone is very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend taking the family.

Adventure heaven

many things to see from lake, to water falls and trails, great place to visit

many features

We came on Saturday and are leaving on Friday. We stayed in Area A, all the sites are full hookups. The bathhouse is very clean and warm (useful since it was in the 40s). The campsites are spread apart with lots of trees for hammocking. The spots by the water had docks every couple of sites. There aren't a lot of trails but several of varying distance and difficulties (1 is ADA compliant). The waterfall is very pretty and looks like a great swimming hole in summer. There is a marina for renting boats. Cabins and yurts are also available. The only draw back is that Arkansas seems to be completely void of fish.;)

Spring break to Hot Springs 

Lake Catherine offers many different outdoor options close to Hot Springs.  The camp sites are spaced for privacy and are level for both campers and tents.  The facilities are updated and well maintained. The park has a couple hiking options along with the lake activities.  This SP will fill up quickly in the spring and fall, reservations are recommend.

Close to Hot Springs

The sites are fairly level with a lot of shade trees so bring you bicycles or walking shoes. There are four hiking trails. One of the trails leads to a waterfall that is a pretty photo opportunity. It's a nice place to stop for a picnic or dip you feet in the water. There is a store with the essentials plus a marina for rentals or fish bait along with a nearby swim beach. Camping area C has sewer hookups at the individual sites. You probably want to book up to a year in advance because the park stays booked most of the year. I've camped there during the weeks of Thanksgiving and spring break. I have three separate weeks reserved this summer. During the spring, summer &amp; fall seasons, there are campground hosts on site to assist or answer questions.

This campground is a relaxing place with nice facilities & walking trails.

We took my nieces on a weekend trip in our camper to Lake Catherine State Park. Our campsite backed up to the lake, so we had a great view. The campsite was a great size and well spaced out from our neighbors. There were trees to hang our hammocks.

We really enjoyed hiking the Falls Branch Trail with my nieces (8 and 10 years old). I would highly recommend this trail.

We will definitely camp here again.

Great hiking trails and wonderful lakefront site.

We love to go hiking here. There is a beautiful waterfall on one of trails that is fun to hike around. Campground is very well maintained. Only flaw here is the view from the campground; across the lake there is an industrial plant. 

great trails!

Nice, shady, level sites with full hook-ups. Three very good trails within the park. Situated on a beautiful lake near Hof Springs, AR with a marina. 


Beautiful park!

We stayed at this camp ground in March of this year(2018) and I fell in love with this state park! It is so clean and well maintained! There are multiple sites close to the water. The sites are all a good size and level and easy to get into. The bath houses are clean. There are water and sever hook ups at each site. There are three walking trails and a waterfall to hike to as well. So quite and peaceful. We already have reservations for two weekends next year!

Love the camp ground!

Let me just start this out by saying, selecting a spot in Arkansas you are overwhelmed with options. State parks flourish and individual campgrounds seem to be countless. When traveling to the Hot Springs area It was a toss up as to which location would bear suit my journey, not only as a campground but as a part of the adventure. I elected to try Lake Catherine State Park, located just 10 miles outside of Hot Springs.

What sold me on this site were the numerous hiking trails, but what surprised me when I arrived were the lakeside water rentals located on premise as well as the actual beach recreation area.

I arrived later in the day and quickly made my camp in the primitive tent area. These sites have no water or electric hook ups however a very nice restroom facilities within 100 yards. They also boast a playground for the kids, not the only of the site. I was greeted by other campers and the sense of community was high at this facility.

My campsite included a table and grill and was nearby a fire ring. The area was much flatter than many camp areas and made for a quick site selection. In the distance deer grazed as the sun was setting.

The next morning I ventured toward the marina and was excited to find they have numerous boats for any level of experience available. Larger units available for full or half day use and smaller units for full or half day along with by the hour.

Hiking trails were my next stop after learning of the various skill levels including ADA accessible, moderate and difficult.

In addition to primitive camping the park offers RV and non-primitive tent camping. Also available are Yurt and Cabin rentals.

Office contains limited food and beverage options as well as supplies for lake visitors and a full picnic area overlooking the beach. Bathrooms and washrooms are scattered throughout the park and are kept impeccably clean with high water pressure.

Cell signal was good even on the remote trails during my stay.

This is by far one of the nicest parks I have camped not only on this journey but on any. Staff was knowledgeable about the park and others of the state and very helpful.

🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰

Easy 5 of 5 Bunnies. I will return!

Camping on any terms tent, cabin, rv all with comforts and outdoor play

Small open Campground with no specific sites (Tent Only Area). There is a small lot nearby to park then you must walk everything in. This can be anything from right next to your car to a few hundred feet away depending on where you want to set up. Picnic tables, fire rings and campground grills located throughout but again nothing is marketed as far as site numbers. The area allows for up to six camp permits per night. Could be good for smaller groups. It’s up away from the lake unlike the rest of the campgrounds in the park. There are restrooms nearby with flushing toilets and sinks. Also a playground is located close to the campsite. Overall it was clean but felt cramped among other campers and parking away from the tent made for multiple trips back and forth.

Small free for all tent sites

Stay in an RV, yurt, or tent when you're at Lake Catherine. When there's been rain, there is a gorgeous waterfall along a very nice hiking trail called Falls Branch. The longer hiking loop trail offers a couple of nice vistas from its high points. If you want to take a short float trip, call ahead to find out what times water from the dam gets released. Enjoy!

Popular spot with hiking and water activities

Lake Catherine is a beautiful park in Arkansas. I only stopped by for a hike as I was passing through, but this place looked like so much fun for day water adventures. There is a large swimming area on the lake where you can also boat, kayak, canoe and do any other water sport. The facilities were nice and there is a cute store and area to view animals. The campground was large with a lot of tent and RV campsites. The hike I went on took me by the lake and to a small falls where you could swim. The views were very nice. 

Lake Catherine

We had a great time! Yes there is a huge power plant across the lake but it didn’t bother us much. We had a water view site #032 loop B and there are many more. If you want to avoid the view of the power plant a bit , pick water edge site 25,26,27. 

We were able to put our kayaks in right at our site and swim in the lake too. Nice trees for our hammock . There is a hike along the lake that leads to a waterfall where we could swim. Visited Hot Springs National Park, and this is a nice campground that is nearby. 




pick site 25,26,27

This was our second time staying at Lake Catherine. We had a site overlooking the lake. We had plenty of room to hang our hammocks and play yard games. There is an additional tent pad available if needed. We enjoyed the hiking trails and rented a few kayaks. It's a great lake for kayaking as the water was calm and there were only a couple of boats on the water. We will definitely camp here again!

Peaceful campground with great hiking trails

This was our first time camping here. We had my 8 and 10 year old nieces, who loved the hiking trails and the falls. It was too cold for swimming, but it would be a great place to swim in the summer. The campsites were spacious with separate tent pads available. There were yurts, boat/kayak rentals, a gift shop, and clean bathroom facilities. Our campsite overlooked the lake, which was really nice.

Beautiful lake with great camping and hiking.

We stayed in loop b site 18\. Originally we reserved site 25 but when we arrived the previous campers were having issues with their camper so we given the option to move to another available spot. So glad we did! You could still see the lake from our spot and there were fewer people. Lots of shade that in the summer would be very welcome. Less than 50 yards away is the bath house and it was always so clean, has showers, toilets, 2 sinks, hand soap and hand dryer. This may be the best bathhouse I’ve been to at a campground. We hiked the trail to the falls and it was a moderate intensity hike with a beautiful payoff.

Lakeside spot

My husband, myself, our dog and two friends tent camped for the weekend. We were lucky enough to have a site on the water. It's a nice park we hiked, rented a canoe and did some swimming. Very peaceful and nice campground. We will be back for sure.

Great weekend getaway!

The only reason I didn’t give a 5 is the partying kids across from us. They partied hard cussing and loud music until 3 am two nights in a row.

This is s wonderful park I grew up camping at. You can rent a boat and fish all day. Play in the waterfall or walk the great trails!

Great Park with nice trails.

Absolutely Gorgeous! My husband and I stayed 3 nights in site 26, back in with electric. If you bring a long enough hose, you could do a water hookup. We used the shower in the bathhouse across the street, which was very clean and had very strong water pressure. Huge site and a public pier behind us, which we had to ourselves for the most part. In the busier months/weekends, I would book away from the pier.

One of my favorite state parks

Lake Catherine provided a relaxing spring break! Beautiful scenery, nice hikes and very peaceful. The campground was quiet. Bathhouses were in good shape. Lots of space between sites to play frisbee, etc. 

  

There were some hiking trails with varying levels of difficulty. You need to be part billy goat for part of it. I recommend the path that runs along the lakefront and heads back to the waterfall. 

  

Only downfall was seeing the factory across the lake.

Spacious sites

We really enjoyed our stay at lake catherine. We hiked to the waterfall with 5 children all under the age of 6 and it wasn't too bad. The campground was nice. 

The waterfall was beautiful 

A great spot to get away! All sites are predominantly shaded. Most have 50amp/full hookup. Some are 30amp/water only. Satellite signal may be an issue with some sites due to the trees. All sites are paved and also have a tent pad. 

Very Nice 

We have visited Lake Catherine in the past and had wonderful experiences when we were in a camper. This go around we used our tent and the overall experience was OKAY. The camp sites are spacious and typically clean when you arrive. The site we stayed at was a little far from the bathhouse but it was lakefront. The bathhouse had clean showers but the stalls for toilets was dirty every day, even the day it was closed TWO HOURS for cleaning. During our stay, the animals were a little bit of a nuisance because they weren’t really afraid of people so we constantly had squirrels, ducks, and geese begging for food when we ate and raccoons got into our food supply (they ate just about everything) and our tent.  The main staff at the marina and visitors center were very friendly and helpful. However we went on an hour long lake tour and our tour guide only talked about 10-15 minutes. We have been on a lake tour before and it was much better so it just depends on who does the lake tour. The fishing at Lake Catherine was good, mostly caught baby brim, rock bass, and a 3-4 pound catfish on a trot line. Unfortunately, we were unable to catch a “money fish” that is stocked at the beginning of the season that you can turn in for cash! 

We’ve Seen Better

We loved our stay.  Our cabin was beautiful.   The park rangers gave us a pontoon boat ride.   They sent us in the directions to find a glorious swimming hole and waterfall.   Wish we stayed longer.   Almost forgot about the nice beach area.

Hidden waterfall 

Lake Catherine State Park was absolutely beautiful! Well priced with full hook ups, lots of space and beautiful views. Plus it's still plenty close to Hot Springs. Hiking was gorgeous but depending on which route you take it can be kind of long. The waterfall was beautiful and worth seeing. 

Highly recommend

Stayed four nights. The slots were dispersed well and wooded. All the trees make it hard to back in. Also, my slot was on a hill, and we arrived after dark so I had to back a 30 foot trailer up a hill in the dark avoiding trees but if three 21 year old girls can do it it’s possible. The other sites weren’t as bad, it’s hit or miss really. There were three areas, A B and C. They are divided by class, one is for bigger rigs and is right on the water near the dump station. All the slots are near the lake. There are wonderful trails and waterfalls to find. Pet friendly, good variety of trails with varying levels of accessibility, one even accommodates wheelchairs. There are two shower houses on each end of the park. There are hookups with or without sewage. 

Came for Hot Springs but the park was the best part!

We only been there for a single night because the rest of the week was fully booked but we already can’t wait to go back there. I loved the way the campground is well organized and feels cosy with all the trees around.

We just had the time to do the trail around the falls : it was packed so we came back early in the morning.

Lovely place

Nice place the only problem was these kids partying till 4 or 5am. Had great hiking trails and a place to cool off. Kayaked Lake Catherine was great. 

Awesome place

We just stayed one night but site 27 was a great place to set up 
Right on the water 

My only issue water hookup was a little far from the camper  bring a long hose next time 

What a great place 

nice trail quiet but very busy lots of people spots are a little tight but not to bad love it here 

love it here

Gorgeous, clean campground. The lord are spacious (we had a lakefront front view). The park has plenty of hiking trails. Our favorite led to a beautiful waterfall. This was a midpoint stop for us but we’ll definitely be back for an extended stay.

Gorgeous

We stayed in a Campsite B, spot 22, and it was awesome!! Our site was huge, with a 30 amp/water hookup, and a huge tent pad. We were a couple hundred yards from the lake and less than a 1/2 mile from a handful of trailheads. We were also really close to a fun little playground for the kids. We did the hike to the waterfall and it was great. It was very easy and had some fun playing around the waterfall. We will absolutely come back!!! The other great thing was no burn ban!! 

Great place with huge sites

Lake Catherine is a simple get away for the day or weekend with nice hiking trails. I advise advance reservation to secure a camping site.  

A simple get away for the day!

I thought the natural appearance was nice, it was clean but rustic. I really liked the large and wide sites, made getting in and out very easy. Hiking trails and paths were nice, but if you want to see the waterfalls they are seasonal so check before you go ....

Really peaceful and relaxing

This is a great park for RVs and those who love them. Only a few places were issues with our 35 footer. Staff was extremely helpful and we enjoyed the park and trails. 

Perfect for RVers

This was officially the first campground we stayed at after we bought out Uhaul CT-13. It was perfect for our first camping adventure.  It had great views of the lake from most of the campsites. The only thing I would say we had an issue with was the fact that there wasn't a lot of space between each camping spot. Other than that, the park was great.

Great lake and beautiful campground

Great swimming, boating, and hiking. Convenient facilities. Very nice camp sites.

Beautiful Park

Gorgeous views! The camp site host was a bit rude, be curious how it is in summer. Spent one night in a tent while driving from Texas to Illinois. The geese are vocal. 


Gorgeous 

PROS 

Senior discount 

Reserved on-line 365 days prior to arriving 

Site #68 allowed parking RV 12 feet from water edge which was fabulous 

Totally level site 

Asphalt campsite pad 

Pea gravel and grass around asphalt 

Good night sky viewing 

Squirrels ate from our hand 

Saw ranger patrolling campground frequently 

Waste containers every other campsite 

Metal picnic table on concrete slab 

One hook lantern pole 

Metal fire pit with cooking grate 

Pedestal BBQ grill 

Clean restroom/shower and adequate TP and hand soap. Women had 2 showers, 2 sinks, 3 toilets 

Weekend campground nearly filled to capacity 

4 bars Verizon LTE 

Hike to waterfall a bit tricky, but worth the effort 

Hot Springs National Park 15 miles from campground; nice to watch the crowds from Superior Bathouse Brewery 

Free water from the springs next to the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center- must have your own containers to fill 

Enjoyed Red Oak Fillin’ Station so much we dined there twice 

Diamond Head 19th Hole Restaurant, open to the public and very close to park entrance 

  

CONS 

Damn Canadian geese crap everywhere 

Fire pit was filled with oversized logs and once removed there was unburned charcoal and lots of ash 

Unable to move picnic table 

Site#68 no shade what so ever 

No privacy from other sites 

Lots of speed boat and jet ski noise, even after sunset 

Morning train noise 

Power plant lights and humming noise 

No security gate closure overnight 

No WIFI

Fabulous Water-Edge Campsite

We stayed in site 54 (w/e/s) that was right on the lake. We could walk to the dock right behind the site to fish, although did not have very good luck. I’m betting the fishing is better if you have a boat. We did not use the restrooms/bathhouse. This site is smaller but fit our 22’ trailer perfectly. We had our ebikes with us and road around a little, but the campground is not ideally set up for using them like we did at Petit Jean. We did have some pretty tall weeds that we wished would have been taken care of before we arrived, but not a deal breaker for sure.
We hiked several trails that were challenging and beautiful. Close proximity to Hot Springs so spent one day there. If I had it to do over again, I would have skipped it. Casino close by for those folks so inclined.
Wish we would have brought our kayaks🤨

Great site by the water

Very Clean and well kept campground. We stayed in a full hookup spot near a bathroom. Quiet for how busy the campground was - only heard the geese through the night. Lots of hiking trails from the campground. Would stay again. 

Beautiful sunrise on the lake

I really enjoyed my stay here! I spent a week in an E/W hookup site. The park was clean and quiet (even when full). People were generally kind and respectful. Facilities were well cared for and it was just a generally nice atmosphere. The staff were all very kind and friendly. There are a few close hiking trails with some beautiful views and of course it’s only about a 20 or so minute drive to Hot Springs National Park. The town of Hot Springs is fairly small, but the main drag along bathhouse row has a lot of cool little shops to browse. Cell reception with Verizon was good along with reception for my T-Mobile 5g internet. It worked even better with my booster. I would definitely stay here again. My only complaint was the hot water in the showers…it lasts for about a minute and then the rest of the shower is generally somewhat (not ice) cold. I took some record showers!

Fantastic State Park

Beautiful landscape. The trees are so tall and mature and the sites are all sitting on a serene lake. The spaces are so far apart you can enjoy your own spot without interruption. Bathhouses were super clean with showers. C loop has sewer and B loop doesn’t not much wildlife in the campground but herons and geese on the lake. The power plant across the lake was weird but also quirky. We had fun telling zombie stories about it. Three beautiful hikes right out of the campground. Camp store was well stocked and friendly. Overall fantastic stay and we would DEFINITELY be back. 100%. 

Large RV spaces 

Beautiful park, large sites, good hiking!

Solar eclipse 2024

12 mi off the Interstate. The office is only open until 5 PM. There are toilets next to the tent area, but the showers are over in the RV area. Nice swimming beach. A few hiking trails.