Join the fun near Buffalo National River. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Buffalo National River, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Buffalo National River and user-submitted reviews.
"This is primitive camping at its best. They have one vault toilet, 12 tent sites, and a water spigot. Right on the beautiful buffalo river. The sites were patrolled by rangers on a regular basis."
"Plenty of shade options. Restrooms are pit-style, so dont expect anything fancy. Did not see shower facilities where we were at."
"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."
"This primitive campground was perfect for me and my dog. We stayed three nights in October 2020."
"Stayed the night in Gene Rush Wildlife Management Area. Spoke with Arkansas Game and Fishing Commission Ranger. No despersal camping but you can camp in the 2 designated campsites."
"100% of Wildlife Management Areas in the state of Arkansas require a Hunting license or WMA camping permit purchased though Arkansas Game and Fish."
"Add to that that the road leading down to the waters edge from the campground was a dirt path that was wet and slick, it did make getting our crafts up a little rough."
"The sites has fire pits, picnic tables, and plenty of room to spread out and relax."
$20 / night
"It runs parallel to the Buffalo National River. Beautiful campground with well maintained grounds. It includes hiking trails, river access and walk in camp grounds only."
"Water access available but no hookups. Very low cost too. Picnic tables, lantern post, and fire rings at each site. Absolutely no cell service."
"Beautiful surrounding areas. Near Cobb Cave and Whitaker Point!"
"It was nice but the people camping next to is where up all night. They were loud and drunk but besides that we had a wonderful time."
$20 / night
"There are toilets and water spigots around the campground, but no showers. I set up camp at site #16 which was out in the open and provided us the best seats for the nighttime sky."
"Steel Creek is home to the most iconiv and photographer bluff of the Buffalo National River, Roark Bluff."
TravelerThis 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. :-)
ScoutGreat escape! It runs parallel to the Buffalo National River. Beautiful campground with well maintained grounds. It includes hiking trails, river access and walk in camp grounds only. Tents only are highly recommended. Rough road getting there and no cell service which is fine with me. The only negative is there are no showers. Only restrooms and an outside water supply. That's why I gave it a 4 star. If you are ok with not showing or doing a sponge bath then 5 stars.
https://youtu.be/2yF1A2QlTxw
LegendThe 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.
LegendLovely spot in Missouri. Passing through to Tennessee and found this gem of a spot with 2 vault toilets, trash and it’s free! Arrived at sunset in a Wednesday and only 2 other campers. There’s about 6 spots to pull in with a camper/ RV then at least 6 tent spots. Most spots have a fire ring and picnic table. 2-3 bars of LTE with AT&T. Little bit of road noise but no issues sleeping in my van. Everyone we came across was kind. No electric or water so come prepared. Closest town for supplies is around 25 minutes. Would definitely stay here again!
RangerAverage 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.
LegendThe Buffalo National River in northeast Arkansas was the first National River. The river runs for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states. When paddling the river you'll pass by some steep canyon walls. There are a number of developed as well as primitive areas to camp. We stayed at the Steel Creek Campground which had a large open field for tent camping. It was surrounded by a groove of trees that ran along the river. There's plenty of space for tent camping and some space for hammock camping, but all the sites are available on a first come first served basis.There are some great hiking trails in the area, but the real attraction is the river and the opportunity to paddle it. In the small town of Ponca (pop.13) there is an outfitter/gas station where you can get equipped and arrange shuttle service for a drop-off and pick-up paddle trip. When hiking around the area you'll often hike in the surrounding mountains which overlook the river. It lends perspective to see the topography up close and personal while paddling the river as well as from a distant while hiking in the mountains.
RangerOzark Campground is a simple loop of campsites with great sandy river beaches a minutes walk outside the campground. Nestled alongside the Buffalo National River, Ozark is accessible yet hidden at the same time. We chose this area for a perfect weekend getaway and for an exquisite Autumn camping trip. This was also the perfect time try out my new Ledlenser MH2 Headlamp.
Campground Review:
The sites are first-come-first-serve and cost $12 a night (with a maximum of 6 people per site). There are toilets and water spigots around the campground, but no showers. I set up camp at site #4 which was right along the treeline and had plenty of hammocking spots. Each site has a table, fire ring, grill and hook to hang your food or trash.
When we were there, the campground was manned by a friendly older gentleman who pointed us toward the vacant flat areas since we drove in late at night. The campground has a picnic/day use areas, beaches and lots of nature trails (for hiking and horseback riding). We went on a weekend in mid-October and there were probably about 10-15 other sites being used while we were there for 2 nights. So it is a pretty popular spot but I can definitely see why. The weather was fantastic with cool Fall nights in the 40's and nice warm days anywhere from 60 to 75 degrees. This is a great spot for a family getaway. I highly recommend it!
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Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At Ozark Campground, I tested the MH2 Headlamp by Ledlenser. I happen to already have a headlamp, which I got for cheap at a local outfitter store. The MH2 blew my headlamp out of the water! I decided to do the nice thing and give the MH2 to my partner in crime since he has yet to own a headlamp, but by the end of the trip I was full of regrets for not giving him my old one! :)
What I loved about this headlamp:
We will be definitely be using the Ledlenser MH2 for all of our outdoor adventures in the future!
LegendArkansas is one of my favorite places to camp. The state’s focus on their outdoor spaces is apparent when you travel to any one of their campsites or state owned facilities. They really stick to their “Natural State” theme to say the least.
I traveled down Scenic Route 7 from Eureka Springs to Little Rock and found Buffalo National River, which until that trip I didn’t know was even there. And how did I discover it? A sign pointing me into the direction of Ozark Campground and outdoor space.
At the time of my visit I had no idea what to expect when I got out of my car and started walking toward what appeared to be a hiking trail. It opened up to the beautiful turquoise waters of the river, something I didn’t know existed in this area of Arkansas. Nothing I had read or researched had mentioned this natural beauty just waiting to be explored.
Satisfied with my find I looked more into the camping area which included fire rings and picnic tables. There didn’t appear to be anyone settled in due to the recent rains and the moist ground where the primitive dry campsites were located. I noticed on the entry kiosk there was additional information about the site including that it is a seasonally non-charging facility which sounded way to good to be true considering there were 31 spaces there and had to be a popular favorite when the weather was better.
During the summer months there is a flush toilet, so I went to check it out and it was nothing to exciting but well maintained. During the winter they did provide vault toilets but no running water.
A negative I could see for some is the lack of cell signal with AT&T, this was an issue pretty much the entire scenic highway however not just at the campground. I also noticed it would probably be pretty difficult to travel down the road if weather was icy, with the rain that had passed through it was slick so I can only imagine if the ice was full force, otherwise I would say this would be a great place to get winter mountain photos.
TIPS:
Check out the river the water here is some of the most clear you will find and perfect for a number of activities. I found it to be perfect for swimming or relaxing but a lot of people kayak here.
Bring a walking stick. There are several areas around here you will find perfect for hiking.
RangerWhat it's like....
The campground has sites available for camper/RVs, tents, and also has six platform tents that you can rent to sleep at. The platform tents have electricity available in the tents, but thats about it. The platform tents are pretty big and they do have cots, chairs, tables, inflatable mattresses, etc.. available to rent if you want to up your platform tent experience. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table, and there is access to a dump station for the RVs and campers. They have an onsite general store that has about everything you could want from sandwiches to spark plugs you should be able to find what you need. There are also some disc golf holes set up, a basketball goal, and a "hammock city" area in the middle of the primitive campsites. The bathrooms are pretty magical with access to 25 cent/min showers and the campground even has WIFI, which isn't a reason to go camping, but when you don't have any cell service it comes in pretty handy.
What to do....
The campground is located about 10 miles north of the Boxley Valley in Arkansas which has some of the best hiking and canoeing you will find in the US. If you like to canoe or kayak and you haven't been on the Buffalo National River, you are truly missing out on one of the most scenic rivers out there. There are also ton's of hiking trails many taking you to the various waterfalls in the region. If you are stumped on which trails to go on my two go-to hikes in the area are the "Lost Valley Trail" and the "Whittaker Point (Hawks Bill Crag) Trail". Both are pretty accessible to all and will not disappoint.
What I thought....
I've been to the area before so I knew the hiking / waterfall chasing would be amazing, and it was, but I had never heard about the campground before. I was more than pleased with campground. Everyone we ran into who worked there was extremely helpful and I could not have been more impressed by the cleanliness of the park and its amenities. I was especially impressed by by the bathrooms at the grounds and that the campgrounds had WIFI. The only reason I gave this campground a 4/5 and not 5/5 was how close it was to the highway. Being in the middle of know-where helped keep the traffic down at night, but if there was anyone passing you were going to hear it. Regardless, I would 100% go back and probably do so pretty soon and take the whole family.
Tent camping near Buffalo National River in Arkansas offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the scenic beauty of the area. With a variety of campgrounds available, you can find the perfect spot to set up your tent and unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Buffalo National River?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Buffalo National River 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 Buffalo National River?
TheDyrt.com has all 29 tent camping locations near Buffalo National River, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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