144 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Devil's Den State Park Campground and Lake Fort Smith State Park both accommodate pets throughout their facilities. Devil's Den provides pet-friendly options across tent sites, RV spots with full hookups, and cabins where pets can stay with their owners. Sites include picnic tables and fire rings suitable for camping with dogs, with drinking water available throughout the grounds. Lake Fort Smith maintains extremely clean facilities with spacious sites that offer full hookups and level parking areas, making it convenient for RV campers with pets. The bathhouses at both locations are regularly maintained, with Lake Fort Smith's facilities described as spotless and updated.
Dispersed camping options near Devils Den allow free pet camping with more relaxed regulations, though these areas lack amenities like drinking water or toilet facilities. Hikers with dogs appreciate the Ozark Highland Trail which connects directly behind campsites at Lake Fort Smith, providing miles of pet-friendly hiking terrain. Dogs must remain leashed in developed campground areas to protect wildlife and other campers. White Rock Mountain Recreation Area offers additional pet-friendly options with both tent and cabin accommodations. During summer months, Lake Fort Smith provides a swimming pool and splash pad for humans, though pets aren't allowed in these areas. The park's visitor center features interactive exhibits about local wildlife while nearby marina services offer boat rentals for fishing excursions where pets can join their owners.
"Very pet friendly. And close to so many attractions in Northwest Arkansas!"
"Devil's Den is a gorgeous parked tucked in the mountains of Arkansas. The primary campground for RVs is one of the better campgrounds I have seen. The facilities and amenities have been great. "
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Lake Ft. Smith State Park is a beautiful park in the Boston Mountains. We drove over from Memphis to meet my brother’s family (who lives in Tulsa)."
"This is a nice modern park on the shore of the man made Lake Fort Smith."
from $23 - $163 / night
Check Availability"Located beyond a perfectly canopied gravel road and surrounded by miles of mostly uninhabited forests White Rock Mountain has been the most delightful treasure of 2016."
"The views, as other reviewers have said, are impressive and the Rim Trail is worth doing any time of day and any season."
from $15 - $215 / night
Check Availability"Simply put, this is a great little rustic place to get away from the hustle and bustle. The sites offer 20/30/50A hookups with water and septic."
"He greeted us with his precious dogs and hung out with us until we were settled in, telling us all about the property, trails, and nearby waterfalls."
from $15 - $35 / night
Check Availability"Was headed to Lake Fort Smith but area was booked so we stopped here and was pleased with our stay. Spaces are quite small but it has become the norm everywhere."
"It’s just far enough away from the highway so you have a quiet nights rest without hearing the traffic. The pond on the property has soothing sounds of peepers to fall asleep too."
"This campground is located in a great spot near the Ozarks."
"Would’ve been a nearly perfect campsite. Had it not been for all the trash left by others. Nice walk trails along the water. Local stop in for swimming and fishing."
"It’s in between the Arkansas river and Massard creek. You can launch a boat or you can go kayaking in Massard creek. There’s Cat fish, Perch and, Bass."
"Really nice campground you have two options in the A section you are right one a small river and one the B side it’s more of the wooded option but most sites have the Arkansas rive close by with mountain"
from $16 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Boat launch and lovely views of the Arkansas river. Close to restaurants and shopping ."
"We used it as a base camp to visit several Arkansas state parks such as Devil’s Den and Lake Fort Smith. The camp was clean, a little crowded, but very nice and relaxed."
from $16 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Dog friendly! Clean restrooms!"
"Access to Spy Rock trail, but the vast amount of cobwebs made it seem like it’s not used much."
ScoutGreat views, wonderful neighbors and a really nice dog park! Owners and management are very nice and helpful. Plenty of drive thru lots for big rigs. Higher end RV park, spacious lots, all utilities included. Beautiful new bathhouse kept very clean. Highly recommended!!!
RangerDevil’s Den SP had a great campground with full hookups available. The natural beauty of this area is breathtaking! Plenty of hiking opportunities and tons of activities. Very pet friendly. And close to so many attractions in Northwest Arkansas!
TravelerThis park is located on the Arkansas River. There’s a boat ramp, so bring your boat and enjoy the beautiful Arkansas River. Pets are allowed, there is a leash law. Bring your own firewood. Campsites are both Electric and primitive. Flush toilets and Warm Showers are available. Good cell service. Very clean and peaceful.
ScoutHog Valley RV Park is a solid place to stay, especially for families. The amenities are nice, particularly if you have children, with parks, basketball courts, and pickleball courts available. The two pools were closed for the season during our stay, so keep that in mind depending on when you visit.
The front staff was very welcoming and even escorted us to our spot, which was a nice touch. The park was quiet at night, and the sites were level with full hookups, which made setup easy. There are also plenty of spots available throughout the park.
A few downsides kept it from being a 5-star stay. The grass was extremely damp, and our dogs got soaked just from laying down. There is also only one trash area, located near the front entrance, which is pretty far from many of the sites. The dog parks were just average, possibly a little below average.
Overall, it was a good stay with great family-friendly amenities and friendly staff. I’d recommend it, especially for families, but there are a few areas that could be improved.
LegendThis is KOA, not my favorite place to stop, but they have good, basic facilities, sort of like Motel 6. They are just off I-40, so it was convenient for a one night stop. The sites were level, and were Pull-Thru so we didn’t even unhook. Full hookups, Some shade, a dump station. The shower/bathroom was clean. There is a small store. They also have cabins and tent sites; Free Wi-Fi, cable tv, a pool and playground, and a pond for fishing. There is a small Kamp K9 (dog park). When we were there everything was wet, and the smell of wet creosote from the log yard next door was terrible.
GuideI go here with my friends every summer we hike almost all the trails , it’s gorgeous last time I went there (summer of 23) we saw a wild river otter swimming there is so much wildlife out there and it’s just gorgeous absolutely stunning and worth visiting, family friends and dog / pet friendly if you want to take your dogs on a hike this is the place , has stairs and is not very handicapped accessible if you want to go to the bottom of the falls but it is completely accessible for a wheelchair if you just want to view the falls from the top and there are multiple handicapped accessible paved paths !
TravelerSimple, but nice. No frills. Quiet. If you are looking for a peaceful, quiet place, away from the city, this is a great place. I love it. Have stayed several times in several different sites. Will stay again. About 13 campsites, all gravel. Has a wooded trails for walking and a big open are for walking and playing with pets. Water, sewer and 30/50amp electric are easy access and to hook up. James the owner is great and has a U-Pick orchard as well.
RangerWe found this quiet spot with a small waterfall on Mountain Fork Creek that has a fairly large (semi-level) gravel parking lot right next to the natural waterfall which gives good noise cover for the road nearby. There are a few small trails along the creek and a few small bluffs with climbing spots for those who like some verticality.
Not great for solar panels but we had a good view of the north sky so Starlink works great here!
Also, a few stray dogs and cats came to see us a couple times.
Scoutcalled on June 27th to reserve a cabin for 6, Saturday the 2nd- 4th, At first was told they had no cabins available about 15 min after I made the call John the owner calls me back to tell me they had a cabin that was a 2 room available for theses dates and it was 100 per night and would sleep 6. I said we would like to reserve it. After hanging up called to inform my husband that we got a cabin then remember that I forgot to see if dogs were allowed, so I had to call back to make sure cause I can’t leave my fur babies. When I called it was a young girl that answered and said yes dogs were allowed and proceeded to talk about her 2 little puppies that were in the office with her. When packing and getting everything we needed together on Friday the day before we left we called to make sure the cabin had bedding and towels etc.. the young girl said yes. We get to sparrow resort on Saturday afternoon 2 young girls checked us in gave me a key pointed us in the direction of the cabin we pulled up to a cabin unloading all our stuff and unpacked was at this 2 bedroom cabin for approximately 2hours when John the owner came to this cabin told us we was at the wrong cabin I told them the key unlocked it. They said this was not cabin 2 and the people that reserved it would be up later so we gathered our things and moved to the cabin they said was ours that was next door. OH MY WAS WE LET DOWN. Mind you we have 2adult children myself and husband and 2 teenagers and 4 dogs they put us in a concrete prison that had missing curtains holes around the air conditioning window unit It was dirty holes in the walls. One king size bed a chair and a futon couch one room box. Bedding on bed only with a dirty comforter. For$100 a night not including the float trip. We were let down but determined to make the best of this we went to the store and bought bedding and towels and cleaning wipes. The next morning get up and noticed no one was in the 1st cabin still. So my daughter and I go to the office to get out float paid for and ask if we could get the bigger cabin since no one was in it told them I would pay more for it the little brown haired girl said yes then the other girl with a nose piercing said no it was booked and we should have had to pay a pet deposit of 15 a dog and we needed to pay this fee and was nasty with me. I said I wanted to by one raft and 2 tube rentals she keep saying and 60 pet deposit the brown haired girl rung up the float while the nasty teenager kept repeating and pet deposit the other girl stated stop worrying about the deposit and she kept saying it! The sign read tube float for 4 hours was only$20 and the raft was 25 per person for 4hours she charged us 30 x 6 people to float the 4 mile I said the 20 tube for 4 hours she nasty teen says that for just playing in the water😡 really the sign clearly says 4hour float only$20 and 25 for rafting over 4 people. I ask again about the other cabin the nasty girl said Chelsea and her 2 daughters were staying in it. Really because Chelsea and John the owner were the ones that came to the cabin the day before and Chelsea said she was the cleaning lady and John was the owner. Always we paid our pet deposit and float trip and tried to make the best of this regardless i a grown woman not to be argumentative with a child. This morning comes and we can’t wait to leave we cleaned the crap out of our concrete box prison and went to to office to return our key and get my 60 dollar pet deposit back and the nasty little teen was by herself while we started recording the whole encounter since day prior I ask for my pet deposit she said it don’t work like that I said excuse me you say deposit that means I get my deposit back if no damage was done. John came in and said what do we want he said you want your deposit here thank for staying and goodbye🤯wow what service. The best part the large cabin stayed vacant the entire time. The teenager that was running John’s business will be his downfall she don’t know how to treat people VERY DISRESPECTFUL!!! Will never be back!!
Chester, Arkansas sits in the Boston Mountains of the Ozark Mountain range at around 1,500 feet elevation. The area experiences significant seasonal temperature variations with summer highs often reaching 90°F and winter bringing occasional snow. Campgrounds near Chester offer extensive access to both the Ozark National Forest and the Ozark Highland Trail system, with most sites providing primitive to full-hookup options.
Explore cave systems: Devil's Den State Park Campground offers unique cave exploration opportunities near Chester. "4 days of camping with the guys, exploring caves and trails, and overall having a blast!" reports Brian E., who visited for a bachelor's weekend.
Kayak the Mulberry River: Mulberry River Outdoor Adventures provides river access with equipment rentals. "You can Tube, float, kuyak, or just swim and relax. They have access to the national forest, and atv there also," notes Rick N., highlighting the range of water activities available.
Hike the Yellow Rock Trail: Located just outside the main campground at Devil's Den State Park Campground, this trail offers unique rock formations. "I highly suggest hiking the Yellow Rock trail just outside of the campground. The large rock 'mountain' it leads you too are so much fun to play on. They have tiny caves and are incredibly easy to craw around on," advises Cj C.
Experience waterfall hikes: The area contains numerous seasonal waterfalls after rainfall. "This weekend we went chasing waterfalls and hiked through caves it was BEAUTIFUL!!" shares Summer F. from Mulberry River Outdoor Adventures.
Clean facilities: Lake Fort Smith State Park maintains exceptionally well-kept amenities. "Absolutely the cleanest and most beautiful campground we've been in - in this part of the county yet. Sites spread far enough apart for privacy, full hook ups, cleanest bathhouses, and beautiful scenery!" reports Jennifer O.
Swimming options: Beyond just lakes and rivers, some campgrounds offer designated swimming areas. "Pros: Many activities at the Visitor Center for children... Recreational area with a playground that is updated," explains Ryan S. at Lake Fort Smith State Park, noting they "would like to give it a try in the spring/summer when the pool and splash pad are open!"
Firefly viewing: Several forested campgrounds provide ideal conditions for firefly observation. "To balance out the bad insects, there are lots and lots of fireflies here at dusk. There are no fireflies where I come from, so these were a treat to see," shares Alex M. from Redding Campground.
Spacious campsites: White Rock Mountain Recreation Area offers well-spaced camping options. "All of the sites are well maintained and within a short walk to the water spigot and vault toilet. Sites 1-4 are well spaced and have large tent pads," details Erin-Frannie R., adding "Sites 5-8 are smaller with smaller tent pads and the view from these sites is AMAZING!"
Road conditions: Some campgrounds require navigating difficult access roads. At White Rock Mountain Recreation Area, "It's a slow, beautiful drive. The reviews are correct that the last hour of the drive is only 20 miles. Make sure to stop for gas! It is an unpaved road that in some spots is maybe wide enough for 2 small vehicles to pass each other," warns Erin-Frannie R.
No cell service: Communication capabilities vary significantly between campgrounds. At Devil's Den State Park, "There's no cell service whatsoever but Wifi (paid) is offered by the park. Make sure to stock up on supplies beforehand - there are not many options within that area as far as food and services," advises Gonzo A.
Seasonal closures: Always verify campground status before planning your trip. "Campground is currently (April 7) closed for maintenance and flooding. Call before you go!" warns Jo from Devil's Den State Park Campground.
Wildlife concerns: Prepare for potential wildlife encounters. "Note: there are snakes and ticks. A lot of ticks. Take a flashlight with you in the dark and be cautious. I encountered a copperhead on my night time bathroom run," cautions Suzsan M. from Redding Campground.
Choose level sites with railings: Some campgrounds have steep terrain that may challenge families with small children. "Many of the campsites are on a grade. They all have multiple levels with stairs and have no railings. We had 5 children <6 years of age and the sites were somewhat perilous. If you are a parent with small kids, sites 17-20 and sites 2-3 are better," recommends Ryan S. at Lake Fort Smith State Park.
Look for kid-friendly water features: Seek campgrounds with safe water access for children. "My favorite camping spot yet. Aside from the extreme humidity this was a great family getaway. Pool, great trails, and the creek/river kept my kids entertained and worn out!" shares Melissa M. about Devil's Den.
Check for playground proximity: Consider how accessible play areas are from campsites. Ryan S. notes that at Lake Fort Smith State Park, "the playground requires that you drive to it which is inconvenient."
Pack extra insect protection: The Ozarks are known for heavy insect activity. "P.S make sure and bring lots of bug spray," advises Cj C. after visiting Devil's Den State Park Campground.
Select optimal sites for leveling: At Aux Arc, "If you need sewer service, I would recommend site #11 as the most level pull-through site, although there's not a bad site in the park," suggests Donna H.
Use appropriate entrance routes: Some campgrounds have challenging access roads. "If you have a large rig - make sure to take the West Fork exit off I-49 vs. the south exit (Winslow)," advises Gonzo A. about approaching Devil's Den State Park Campground.
Consider size limitations: Many dog friendly campgrounds near Chester have site restrictions. Melanie G. notes that at Redding Campground, "Site 16 appears to be the only site here suitable for 5th wheels, and its appeared to be a tight squeeze to back in."
Prepare for utility variations: Water pressure can vary significantly between campgrounds. "As the norm with COEs, the water pressure was very good so you'll need a reducer," warns MickandKarla W. about Aux Arc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Chester, AR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Chester, AR is Devil's Den State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 88 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Chester, AR?
TheDyrt.com has all 144 dog-friendly camping locations near Chester, AR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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