Camping near Arkansas River - Terry Lock and Dam, AR

This privately on campground has tons of history in the bluegrass and country music areas, many famous visitors campground in the past and present.

This couple who used to bring their kids here when they were younger now at retirement age decided to purchase the campground after it had become rundown, and the owners had passed away. They have rehab that amazingly and are still I’m sure a work in progress because they’re always working on new plans, but enjoying the present as well. They have festivals, And all sorts of activities. A true family owned very good vibes kindred spirit campground. I stayed there in 2022 and was blown away at how much progress they had made in just two years in 2024. They seemed like they were certainly not close to done yet, but always enjoying the present as well. This campground is outside of Conway, Arkansas about 15 or 20 minutes in Otto,AR, more easily found under Vallonia. When you pull up Leicester Flats Road windy as it is, you are rewarded by an outdoor chapel overlooking the lake and then when you come over the hill, you can see the full lake in the beginning of the campground area. The views are amazing, and the vibes are very good. I cannot recommend this campground enough. I saw they have lots of fun things on the lake for kids and it seemed from the office a full flyer worth of scheduled activities.

Hands down my favorite site. Will forever love the peace & tranquility here. Just a reminder to please leave the site now you’d hope it would be left for you. The most beautiful spot on the Arkansas river

Simple and spread out. There are some big spots. Most have a fire ring.

Coordinates: 34.82029,-92.82184. Large creekside dispersed campsite located on a rocky, bumpy track, about 150 yards east of Forest Road 179 (aka Wildcat Mountain Rd). If going southbound on FR179, the track is on the left immediately after crossing a bridge. The track may look sketchy to some drivers, but I drove down it okay in my Subara. Good spot for car camping. The site itself is very rocky, so it may be uncomfortable for tent camping. There are trees for hammock camping. There are 3 large rock fire rings. This site is prone to flooding. The site appears to be popular and well used. There are no hiking trails, but the access track passes the site and continues along the creek - good for an easy stroll. Tried fishing here, but no luck. I do know from previous experience that there is fish in the creek. The creek is nice for a summertime dip when its running high. The site is mostly shaded; may be difficult to get a Starlink connection. I received no cell service. This is a pretty nice site, offering some privacy from the forest road and a wonderful sound of the creek.

Coordinates: 34.84016,-92.82538. Located along unpaved Forest Road 179 (Wildcat Mountain Road), about 3/4 miles south of junction with Forest Road 132. The forest road was in good condition during my visit. A 2-wheel drive passenger car should be able to reach this site. It is a large campsite, close to forest road; no privacy from the road. The site is a dirt surface with a very large rock fire ring. Mostly level. Tent and hammock camping possible. No T-Mobile service. Has AT&T 5G service. Shaded; connection to Starlink will be a challenge. Beautiful forest with a very small pond behind the site in the woods. May be able to back a truck camper into the site; I don't recommend anything larger. Pretty area; nice area for a stroll in the woods. There is a hiking trailhead near FR132 with a dirt parking space. This is a really nice, clean site if one doesn't mind the lack of privacy from the forest road.

Coordinates: 34.85844,-92.85765. Camped here in mid-December 2024. Large dispersed campsite in a wooded area positioned between the Winona Scenic Drive (Forest Road 132) and the Ouachita National Recreation Trail in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas. The site has easy access from both the forest road and the backpacking trail. Convenient to hikers and softroaders. The North Fork Pinnacle viewpoint is a half-mile hike from the campsite. The campsite is set back from the forest road; no issues with dust from the road. The site, as well as the driveway into the site, are dirt surfaces. There are 2 clean fire rings. I camped by the 2nd fire ring which is further away from the forest road. Maneuvering my van into position took some effort due to the trees at this spot; a little bit of leveling was required. The first fire ring, closer to the forest road, is easier to set up next to and more level. This dispersed campsite can accomodate 3 or 4 small to midsize rigs. Tent and hammock camping is possible. The site is shaded. About 100 yards west on the other side of the forest road, there is a clear-cut area which has a lot of downed limbs for firewood. There was spotty T-Mobile service, but good AT&T service, at this site. The ride on Forest Road 132 from the east (Hwy 9) is bumpy/rocky in several places. Erosion seems to be getting worse over time on this unpaved road. I aired-down the tires for ride comfort. Low clearance vehicles should be okay on this road. There are several other dispersed campsites, which are easy to find, along the road. Enjoyed camping here. Beautiful site in the woods. Quiet. Next to the Quachita National Recreation Trail which is a wonderful hiking trail.

Great value for the price, $48 cash/$53 card. No online reservations. Owner is really nice and helpful. Clean facilities. Quiet.  Sites along the stream have a great view and a great place to sit and enjoy nature. About 10 minute drive to the National Park/Downtown Hot Springs. Recommend using a water pressure regulator, one of my pipes started leaking from the pressure.

I really love this place because it’s so peaceful. This is why I like places with forests and lakes. I work in cities, block blast always so noisy there…

WARNING Stay on the good gravel roads. GPS took me down 4 miles of an old log trail that I wasn't able to turn around on. Spent thirty minutes cursing GPS and contemplating my life choices. I was headed for one of the other sites but was so tired when I saw this one I took it.

The site is at a crossroads so quite convenient. Only room for one vehicle. It does have a stone ring for a fire pit. The main draw however is that there is pretty good signal with Verizon here which is really rare in the area.

This park is well-maintained, with clean picnic areas and plenty of space for fishing, hiking, and just relaxing by the water. The views are stunning, especially at sunset. Slope Game

Didn’t have to drive too far down the road found a spot on the left. Nice stone camp fire circle, good flat spot for my tent, which is a four person. Bring a chair if you want a comfortable seat, also hard to find decent wood to burn, had to walk a bit to find. Not many cars drive down the road, saw some people hiking, also Sunday morning there were hunters out, so hearing gunshot pretty close to camp. All in all though it is good to be with nature and I’d go back to this spot or find another one on the road. I didn’t go very far down the road have more to explore!

Very beautiful place to stay!! Our site on the lake was very beautiful and every site on the water has a small dock you can fish off. Bugs were not bad at all. Would recommend this place to anyone.