Tompkins Bend, near Mt. Ida, Arkansas, is a fantastic spot for those looking to enjoy lakeside camping with plenty of amenities. The campground offers spacious sites, many of which provide stunning views of Lake Ouachita, making it a perfect backdrop for your outdoor adventures.

You'll find that most sites are well-shaded and equipped with picnic tables and fire pits, ideal for evening gatherings. Visitors have noted the clean facilities, including restrooms and showers, which help keep things comfortable during your stay. One camper mentioned, “The campground and lake were very quiet while here,” which adds to the relaxing atmosphere.

For outdoor enthusiasts, there are numerous hiking and biking trails nearby, including the Lake Ouachita Vista trail system. If you’re into fishing or just want to enjoy some time on the water, the small marina allows for easy boat access, and many campers have enjoyed swimming right in front of their sites. With a playground for the kids and wildlife like deer and blue herons spotted around, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained.

While some sites can be close together, the overall vibe is friendly and welcoming. Whether you're camping in a tent or an RV, Tompkins Bend is a solid choice for a memorable getaway.

## Overview

 Tompkins Bend on Lake Ouachita, is a great family camping destination. The combination of lush mountain scenery and roomy sites big enough for two camping units, make this quiet location an ideal place for an outdoor getaway. [Click here][1] for the Lake Ouachita Virtual Tour. 
## Recreation

 Water skiers, jet skiers and anglers can all enjoy the crystal clear waters of the lake, while hikers enjoy the campground's location on the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT), which meanders across the south end of the lake. Wildlife enthusiasts can find everything from bobcats to black bears and deer in the forested mountains surrounding the lake, and Bald eagles are often spotted in winter.
## Natural Features

 Lake Ouachita is fed from the cool waters of the Ouachita River in central Arkansas. Surrounded by the Ouachita Mountains and National Forest, it's crystal waters span over 40,000 acres and extend for 30 miles, making it the largest lake completely in the state of Arkansas. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Head to Hot Springs National Park and discover how it earned the nickname, \"The American Spa.\" Or take a scenic drive through the 1.8 million-acres of Ouachita National Forest. Here, off-roading enthusiasts can take on the Wolf Pen Gap Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System. 
## Contact Info

 This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (501) 767-2101. 

[1]: https://corpslakes.erdc.dren.mil/visitors/virtual/ouachita/tour.html

Tompkins Bend

Searching for the best camping near Story, AR? Story is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Arkansas camping adventure.

Story

The Best Camping Near Story, Arkansas

This is a relatively large campground, appropriate for RV and tent camping. The campground is nicely situated near the end of the LOViT cross country MTB/hiking trail. There are sites ranging from primitive to water and electric. Each site has a table and a fire pit and is within reasonable distance from flushing toilets. There are showers available, a playground, and boat ramp. I didn't prefer how busy the campground was or how close the sites were to each other.

Great location on Lake Ouachita 

We enjoyed our 2 night stay here. We arrived on Friday evening and found our site was even closer to the lake than expected. We were nearly surrounded by water and it made for a pretty view--especially at sunrise. Some of the other sites looked a little muddy, but ours and the one next to it were built up and relatively dry. We had a table, a lantern pole, and a fire pit. There was a faucet next to the site and several covered trash cans across the street. It was quite cool and the breeze off the lake made it feel even colder, so be prepared for that. There isn't much privacy anywhere in this campground as far as I could tell. Our neighbors were very close and there aren't as many trees as you might expect. I don't know that I'd want to stay here during a busy weekend, but it was good for winter camping.

The bathrooms were clean and the one near the boat ramp is heated. The booth was closed for the season, but the campground host came by once to check our reservation. We saw several deer grazing behind the playground and a Bald Eagle flew over our site one morning. 

Beautiful Lakeside Camping

Tompkins Bend campground on Lake Ouachita was the perfect place for early summer family camping. Every site had a lake view and most are right on the water. Our site was not level but not terribly off either. The sites are wooded, with paved pads and are very large and spacious. The bathhouse was in good condition. The women’s showers had hot water and great water pressure, but the men’s showers did not have quite as good water pressure or warmth. There are several great trails nearby, including Lake Ouachita Vista trail system- great for hiking and mountain biking. The playground was great, but unfortunately a pretty long walk from the campsites. We spotted several deer on our walks around the campground as well as blue herons, ducks and geese on the water. From what we could see, it also seemed a very popular fishing area. The peace, beauty and spaciousness of the sites more than made up for any minor inconveniences.

Beautiful waterfront camping 

Our favorite campground on Lake Ouachita. Quiet. Water/boat access. Coves for kids to play in. 

Quiet!

Most sites are right along the lake. Views are great. Well shaded and spaced sites. 30/50 amp here. Water at every site. Dump station on site as well. Campground and lake were very quiet while here. Granted we stayed during the week in the fall. Park rangers are very friendly. Must reserve via recreation.gov. No self pay or cash option on site. Verizon signal is good enough for making the reservation. 

Great lakeside camping

We stayed here on the lake for four days. The site was spacious and well spread out from it's neighbours. There are both tent camping and rv sites with power hookups. Most of the sites circle the beautiful lake. 
The grounds have a small marina to drop your boat, then most people parked right on the lakeside beach in front of their camping site. 
Did a few trails in the area. The forest is beautiful and the lake is wonderfully inviting. Enjoyed both swimming and fishing in front of our camp site.

Beautiful lakeside camping

One of the few lakes where residential housing is not allowed on the water . Really nice area with decent bathrooms , nothing special . Lots of hiking and biking nearby and a couple good restaurants at the marinas . 

Lakeside Views 

While Joplin CG a couple of miles down the road has magnificent views, we stayed at Tompkins Bend and not disappointed. Well maintained, clean(including restrooms and showers), and lots of sites with great lake views. Sites 1-16 are least desirable due to noise from COE pump/water facility. Sites 50-77 have great views of sunset. We were at 34-C which was level and ample room, but not the best lake view. Would definitely stay again!

Great COE campground

I tend to like COE campgrounds. However, this one was a different experience for me. It's laid out in a way that it seemed like there was no space between sites and no berms or green cover to give the feeling of some privacy. The site next to me parked their truck about 10 feet from my site on the dirt between us. Boats on trailers are parked in between sites on diagonal or however to make them fit.

  

Narrow, windy road into park is nicely paved. Nicely shaded, almost level gravel/asphalt site (not very wide with a tree on one side that would obstruct a rig with slide, awning side is tight too) with picnic bench, fire ring, lantern pole and BBQ.

  

Also, the lake is very low right now. I was told that the state is drawing down the lake for hydro power and because there hasn't been any rain in awhile it's starting to show. It was fun to walk the lake bed and look for rocks and minerals that are usually covered by water. Not much else to do if here if you don't have a boat. Otherwise, a nice place to sleep while visiting the area.

Photos of Tompkins Bend

Real photos from real campers