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Best Tent Camping near Big Flat, AR

543 Reviews

Tent campgrounds near Big Flat, Arkansas cluster primarily around the Buffalo National River, providing multiple options for overnight stays in natural settings. Rush Campground and Spring Creek Campground offer primitive tent sites with basic amenities, while Shine Eye Gravel Bar provides a more rustic experience directly along the riverbank. These campgrounds serve as popular staging areas for float trips and hiking excursions within the Buffalo National River corridor.

Most tent sites in the area feature compacted dirt or gravel surfaces with minimal improvements. Campers should note that drinking water is available at only a few locations like Rush Campground and Dillards Ferry, with most sites requiring visitors to bring their own water supply. Vault toilets are common at established campgrounds, but facilities vary widely between locations. Access roads to several campgrounds become challenging during wet weather, particularly at Spring Creek where the steep gravel road can become treacherous after rain. Fire rings are present at many sites, though seasonal fire restrictions may apply depending on conditions.

The Buffalo River area offers tent campers scenic riverside locations with varying levels of seclusion. Sites along gravel bars provide direct water access for swimming and fishing, while forested locations offer more shade during summer months. Tent campers frequently use these campgrounds as bases for paddling expeditions, with multiple put-in and take-out points available along the river. Campgrounds fill quickly during peak floating season from late spring through early fall, especially on weekends. A review on The Dyrt described Rush Campground as "primitive camping at its best. They have one vault toilet, 12 tent sites, and a water spigot. Right on the beautiful buffalo river." Another camper noted Spring Creek Campground was "perfect for me and my dog... The campsites are a good distance apart, they have plenty of room and have fire rings and picnic tables."

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Best Tent Sites Near Big Flat, Arkansas (23)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Big Flat, AR

18 Photos of 23 Big Flat Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Big Flat, AR

543 Reviews of 23 Big Flat Campgrounds

  • Amy W.
    Sep. 28, 2020

    Bayou Bluff Point of Interest (POI)

    Small campground with CCC-built rock shelters

    This recreation area is as close to off-grid as you can get with so many great options right off the pavement. This campground has no water or electricity but has 4 drive-up campsites with picnic tables, fire circle, and rock shelters that overlook the beautiful Illinois Bayou. I only recall seeing trash receptacles on the lower loop.  An upper loop is accessible by hiking in. These are tent sites only with no rock shelters on the sites. The rock shelters have a large rock fire area.  There's also a vault toilet on the lower loop. A pavilion onsite is reservable and has electricity. There's also several small trails through the campground but it's most fun when the water is low enough, to go down to the water and walk along the creek. The area is close to many great hiking trails and dirt roads to explore around Hector and makes a great home base. Just up the road is a great area to explore with Jeeps or ATVs. Look up Lindsey Mtwy. This area is not on many people's radar so it's possible that you may only see a local or two while you're here. I still had cell service with my Verizon network while I was in the campground but I lost service when I went down by the Illinois Bayou.  Overall, this is a heck of a nice campground for the non-electric camper. If you visit the area, please leave no trace. :-)

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 12, 2025

    Barkshed Recreation Area

    Mostly walkin tent sites

    Visited here on Oct 7, 2025. Did not camp here. There are a handful of first-come, first-serve primitive sites. I only saw one drive-in site down near the creek. There are about 4 walk-in tent sites up a driveway into a parking area. The walk-in sites are close to the parking area. One site, which is not quite level, has a picnic table. The walk-in sites have metal fire rings. There are 2 clean vault toilets with tp at the campground. No potable water. The tent sites have a dirt and grass surface. There are a few shade trees. Starlink connectivity is possible. No AT&T and T-Mobile service. Nice swimming hole down by the creek. Access to the North Sylamore Creek Trail is at this recreation area. Note that the unpaved forest road approaching the recreation area from highway 14 is sketchy in spots due to Spring storm damage. Sections were being regraded during my visit. Low clearance, 2wd passenger vehicles can make it, but should tread carefully. Also note that, due to storm damage, Tie Ridge Road between Barkshed and Gunner Pool Road was only open to 4x4 vehicles at the time of my visit.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 25, 2022

    Bayou Bluff Point of Interest (POI)

    Bayou Bluff Point of Interest (POI)

    The Bayou Bluff Recreation Area is now called the Bayou Bluff Point of Interest (POI). In summary, there are only 4 campsites, including a group site. Also, these sites are free, first come, first serve. Here's is info directly from the Bayou Bluff  page on the National Forst Service Web site: "Effective October 2021, Bayou Bluff became a Point of Interest. The fees are suspended for camping and day use and is now open all year. Upper loop is closed to camping and will be eliminated completely. Use of the vault toilet, large pavilion, three shelters, and a small pavilion will remain. The pavilions are managed on a first-come, first-service basis. Trash services are managed by visitors as "pack-it-in, pack-it-out," and Leave No Trace ethics are posted on information kiosks. Active partner groups and volunteers are helping extend the life of the current amenities, excluding trash services." Also: "Open all year. No fees. Upper loop closed. Pavilions available on a first-come, first-served basis only. No trash services. Pack it in- pack it out." The NF page also indicates that there is no water available, but there may water in the group site. The vault toilets are clean, and the campground grounds appear to be reasonably maintained. I recommend only tent camping here, as well as car/truck/van camping. Sites appear to be too small for RVs & trailers.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 15, 2025

    Gunner Pool Recreation Area

    Beautiful National Forest Recreation Area

    Camped at site #3 for 3 nights in early October 2025. This site was really good for my camper van; just about level. The site backs up to a beautiful forest. The campground in this recreation area has  27 sites in 3 separate sections. There are some sites at the "pool" which are appropriate for car and tent camping. There is a section down a dirt road along the creek bottom that has a handful of sites; these sites are also good for car and tent camping. I camped in a wooded loop; the sites here can accomodate car, van and tent camping. A few towables may fit in this section. This is a beautiful wooded campground; clean and very well maintained. Most sites are level. Hammock camping is possible in some sites. Most sites have a table, tent pad, lantern pole, metal fire ring and a grill. Some sites are open, some shaded. No hookups. Potable water is located in a central area of the sections; the water was turned on during my visit. There are 4 vault toilets - clean and supplied with tp. Parts of the campground is prone to flash flooding. Very peaceful; the campground wasn't too busy midweek. The campground has access to the beautiful North Sylamore Creek trail. Access to campground on the gravel Gunner Pool Road from Highway 14 was very good during my visit. This forest road goes through the recreation area; it is busier than you would see on typical forest roads. Love this recreation area. One of the best that the Arkansas Ozarks has to offer for outdoor recreation.

  • Renee H.
    Mar. 26, 2024

    Dam - Quarry

    Clean campground, nice location

    Average space between sites. Level paved sites with gravel picnic area including picnic table, fire ring, lantern hanger. Some sites had covered picnic area. Limited shade, most sites don’t have trees. Good access to sites. Clean and private bathrooms. Each room had its own lockable bathroom with toilet, sink and shower. Garbage cans were outside of bathrooms, as well as dumpsters near the registration building. Friendly staff upon check in. Campground was patrolled regularly. No laundry or recycling. Nearby road with little road noise. Verizon cell signal was excellent. There is a dump station and potable fill station. No store or food for purchase on site. No hiking in campground, but multiple trails nearby. Boat ramp at campground and lots of wading fly fishing in river. Fish hatchery across from campground.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 28, 2025

    Spring Creek Campground — Buffalo National River

    Primitive camping along the Buffalo River

    Van-camped in site #3 in mid-October, 2025. Free National Park Service primitive campground along the Buffalo Ntional River. The property serves as a drop-off and pickup location for kayakers and canoers. Outfitters may be coming and going. Not all sites are level; varies from site to site. Some sites are walk-ins. Clean vault toilet, supplied with tp and hand sanitizer. No potable water. Sites include table, metal fire ring, and lantern pole. Dirt surface. Good separation between sites but no privacy. A handful of armadillos were scrounging around during the evening. There is a partial view of the river through the trees. The road approaching the campground, CR99, is about 3 miles long and gravel, narrow in places. The last 1.5 miles has some minor erosion and rocky in places. There are no hiking trails at this location. No cell service. Starlink connectivity possible depending on the site. Tent and hammock camping possible. Fishing along the river bank. Overall, this is not a bad campground in a beautiful area.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 25, 2021

    Gunner Pool Recreation Area

    Basic but very quiet and peaceful

    General: We were apprehensive about planning to stay at this campground as the nearby one in Blanchard Springs was closed, we could not make reservations, five of the 27 sites were closed due to potential flooding from Hurricane Laura, and access is via a three-mile winding dirt road (not recommended for large RVs but it was navigable for our campervan), so we made alternate backup plans. There was no need to worry, however, as there were plenty of open sites, including some overlooking North Sylamore Creek when we arrived on a Sunday afternoon in mid-October for a hike. 

    Sites/Facilities: Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, tent pad, and lantern pole. There is a central water source.

    Activities/Amenities: This is a no-frills campground – no electric or water hookups, dumpster, playground, or flush toilets – just vault toilets. What struck me most was how quiet it was. There is access to the Sylamore hiking trail; you can hike five miles to the Blanchard Springs picnic area.

  • Tom K.
    Jun. 24, 2018

    Gunner Pool Recreation Area

    Wonderful overnight

    We hiked in to this campground from Blanchard and were pleasantly surprised. It is primitive in some aspects but not overtly so. They have vault toilets that were manageable and spickets for water. We grabbed a site that had a bi-level for the tent and picnic table. There was a fire ring as well. Overall, it has some stuff to do being by the river and a longish trail to explore. We may have been to tired to care about some of the finer details so we were pretty happy with this site!

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 5, 2021

    Gunner Pool Recreation Area

    Remote Inexpensive Camping Along Water

    For Full Video Review. CLICK HERE

    While traveling through this portion of Arkansas I stumbled upon a small roadside for Gunner Pool Recreation Area just a short distance past Blanchard Springs.    3 miles down a gravel, but well maintained roadway, the campground sat nestled between to sections of the water way.     On one side, slow moving water is met by the dam forming the blue toned pool and on the other a gentle flowing stream flanks the massive mountain side.   

    Along the camping loop, spaces are well separated and have plenty of room to spread out.   Each site is equipped with standard camping amenities such as picnic tables, lantern hooks and fire rings.      Vault toilets are centrally located in several areas of camp both on the upper and lower loops.   In addition locking style garbage cans are placed near restrooms. 

    When I visited the Forest Service was on property trimming trees and clearing debris from recent rain.   Their office is located just a short distance from the entry of the roadway, so they are often here to work on the property.

    A little gem in the midst of the campground is located just across from the pay kiosk, the story of the property and the CCC camp which actually created not only this property but also worked on neighboring sites at Blanchard.   Definitely check out the story!!

    Tips:

    • Bring your own envelop for the pay kiosk, when I visited the paper envelops were soggy and unable to be used.    You can easily pull one but putting money in them they simply fell apart.
    • Bring everything.   There are no stores in the camp in addition to no fire wood available at the campsite so make sure you come prepared.    The closest store for major things is located over 15 miles away.

Guide to Big Flat

Tent camping near Big Flat, Arkansas centers on the Buffalo National River basin, where rocky bluffs rise 400-500 feet above the waterway. Most campgrounds in this region sit at elevations between 500-800 feet, experiencing hot summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F and mild winters. Flash flooding can affect river access roads during spring and fall rainy seasons.

What to do

Paddle through class I-II rapids: Kyle's Landing Campground offers excellent river access for paddling adventures. "This camp sees heavy traffic during the day due to being the take out for paddle trips down from the town of Ponca," notes Joshua H. The campground serves as a strategic endpoint for float trips navigating moderate rapids.

Explore historic mining sites: Rush Campground provides access to abandoned zinc mining operations. "This is the last stop before you enter the wilderness area of the Buffalo River. It was amazing," reports Matt S. Hikers can explore old mining structures and equipment within walking distance of campsites.

Night fishing opportunities: Gilbert Gravel Bar offers prime nocturnal fishing spots. "You can find Gilbert Gravel Bar off 65 just south of the city of St Joe's... You can tent here in preparation for a canoe trip or as a stop over along the Buffalo River," explains a reviewer. Smallmouth bass fishing is particularly productive during summer evenings.

What campers like

Isolation from technology: Campers appreciate the digital detox at Kyle's Landing. "This is the best disconnect from the world campground... Absolutely no cell service. No one in our group with varying cell service providers had service," writes Suzsan M., highlighting the true wilderness experience.

Wildlife viewing: Shine Eye Gravel Bar provides excellent wildlife observation opportunities. "This is just a gravel bar along The Buffalo National River but it is beautiful! There are no designated campsites, just park in the parking lot, walk down to the river and find a spot," explains Lindsey P. Dawn and dusk bring opportunities to spot river otters, herons, and occasional bald eagles.

Hammock-friendly sites: Many campsites feature mature trees perfect for hammock camping. "I was happy to have a table and a fire pit. I was happy to have the bathrooms close to our camp site," mentions Kaitlin R. about Kyle's Landing, while also noting they "had great trees to hammock on!"

What you should know

Road conditions vary dramatically: Access roads to many campgrounds become challenging after rainfall. At Kyle's Landing, "the road out can be a little slick as it is a very steep dirt road," warns Joshua H. Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended during wet conditions.

Limited drinking water: Most primitive sites lack potable water. "Be aware that there is no drinking water and I didn't get phone service (yay!)," notes Lisa B. about Spring Creek Campground, emphasizing the need to bring sufficient water supplies.

Seasonal crowd patterns: Weekends from May through July see highest visitation. "Great spot to camp, fills up fast on Fridays!" reports Ace R. about Kyle's Landing. Early arrival on weekdays offers the best chance of securing preferred sites during peak season.

Tips for camping with families

Opt for sites with vault toilets: For families with young children, choosing campgrounds with maintained facilities reduces stress. At Kyle's Landing, "There are toilet facilities that are well kept. Water access available but no hookups," explains Suzsan M., making it more suitable for families than completely undeveloped areas.

Pack weather-appropriate gear: Temperature fluctuations can be significant. "We were here last fall and the colors were simply gorgeous. It was quite chilly in the morning and evening/night, so pack warm clothes!" advises Ashley & Derek V. about Kyle's Landing, highlighting the need for layered clothing even in warmer seasons.

Consider noise levels: Some campgrounds experience more activity than others. At Kyle's Landing, one camper notes it's "a few miles down a dirt road but worth it," creating a buffer from highway noise but still experiencing "heavy traffic during the day due to being the take out for paddle trips."

Tips from RVers

Size restrictions apply: Most Buffalo River campgrounds cannot accommodate large RVs. Buffalo Camping & Canoeing in Gilbert offers the most RV-friendly option with 30-amp hookups near tent sites, though spaces remain limited to smaller rigs.

Plan for limited services: Dump stations are rare in the area. One reviewer at Dillards Ferry notes they "were the only people there and it was very beautiful & peaceful," but mentions limited services despite the presence of a sanitary dump.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Big Flat, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Big Flat, AR is Rush Campground — Buffalo National River with a 4.8-star rating from 4 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Big Flat, AR?

TheDyrt.com has all 23 tent camping locations near Big Flat, AR, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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