Best Cabin Camping near Arkansas River - Terry Lock and Dam

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.

The folks that run this place were incredibly welcoming and awesome. We stayed here in the middle of April so it was still a little too cold to swim. The bathrooms/showers were clean and decent. We had a nice primitive spot we were able to drive up to. They also have spots that you can park at and walk to. Electric spots as well. There’s fishing and a boat ramp as well. The lake cabin was awesome! It was recently renovated. We will definitely stay here again any time we’re in the area.

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.

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Easy 5 of 5 Bunnies. I will return!

Lake Catherine State Park, like all Arkansas state parks, is immaculately clean!  Most RV sites have close access to the water and there are small stationary docks to park your boat. 

 A short trail leads you to a waterfall or take the longer trail for a fun hike through the woods.  Swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking are all a part of the fun. 

The cabins are rustic but well-appointed.  All cabins have water views.  

No matter the time of year, Lake Catherine State Park is a wonderful place to visit.

Both camping or renting a cabin are great choices at this fun lake. The amenities are great, the cabins are very nice, and the lake has places to swim or rent boats.

Simply Beautiful we loved our cabin on the lake. The view was amazing!! We did a lot of fishing and caught lots of fish and turtles. They have a great place to swim and a play ground for the kids. Stuff was very nice and place looked like it was kept up well. Only down side was the power plant across the lake and how hard it is to find your cabin at night due to no lighting what so ever.

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.

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.;)

I really like this campground. Really pretty location. Great hiking trails, waterfall, a marina where you can rent a paddle board, kayak, canoe or pedal boat. It also has cabins, a camp store and seasonal riding stable so you can take a trail ride. It’s also convenient location to visit Hot Springs.

Adorable charming park with lots of history and natural beauty like waterfalls. Friends had made camping and boat tour reservations about 6 months in advance, that’s how nice and popular this area is! We got one of the super cute “rustic” cabins, each one has different things like number of beds, dogs allowed, showers, kitchen setup, etc. so call ahead. Not too far from grocery which is always a plus when traveling with kiddos and multiple families.

This park is beautiful, wooded, many amenities.  There are lakefront, lake view, and other sites. There are full hookup, electric and water only, and tent areas. There are cabins, a lodge, and an amphitheater. The lake is beautiful. There is plenty of wildlife, including deer, squirrels, and others.  It is located near Hot Springs to the north,  I 30 to the south. Garman Gardens is near. There seems to be a nice breeze most of the time. Our only problem was the water source was on the opposite side from the electric hookup.

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 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.

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.

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 & 30)

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 & fall seasons, there are campground hosts on site to assist or answer questions.

I am quite fond of the state parks in Arkansas and this was a clean, quiet, beautiful and safe location near Hot Springs. I was very happy that I could also bring my dog. When I reached my campsite my booking tag was already there and there was some firewood placed on the fire pit for me already. I was only a minute walk from restroom facilities. I also found it was very easy to book last minute after receiving a recommendation from a local barista.

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.

Just passing through, but was a nice campground. Looked like it was well taken care of. Barely talked to the staff. Late checkin and early depart for me. Cable and wifi worked.

It was great. I have the only tent site they offer. It’s away from the RV area. The couple that runs the KOA are super friendly. There is a pool but not open for some reason. Small dog park. Camp store. Clean. And an ice cream shop! The only drawback is it’s close to the freeway and you can hear a LOT of traffic.