## 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.
## Facilities

 The campground consists of 77 sites including 63 sites with electric hookups and 69 sites with water hookups. Most sites will accommodate two camping units. Other amenities include a dump station, fish cleaning station, hot showers, playground and a boat ramp.
## 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

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

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 

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

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 . 