Best RV Parks & Resorts near Chester, AR
Searching for the best camping near Chester, AR? Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Chester. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
Searching for the best camping near Chester, AR? Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Chester. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
"It was somewhat tight getting a big rig in and out. And the parking spots are pretty close to each other. Everything was well kept up and maintained."
"It’s a former KOA campground with all those amenities but older. Nice pond along the tent camping area. RV pull through are a little tight but you pull in alternating so you backside to backside."
$60 / night
"The view of Black Mountain at sunset is amazing! We love the well-kept grounds and spacious back in RV sites. They also have tent camping that you can book online."
"Owner is great and mostly around checking on things. Clean, well maintained, safe, easy in and out, quiet, small park. 8 full hook up pull through sites in front. We will be back."
"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. "
"This campground is located in a great spot near the Ozarks."
$50 / night
$25 - $150 / night
"I have a travel trailer and stayed here many times, I love this place."
"Flat Sites, Clean, Nice Amenities, Nice Staff, Little Exposed in heat to Sun. Best shades sites rented in advance. (Site 24-27)"
"Most sites are concrete pads and even the gravel sites have a concrete pad for the picnic table."
"It is located right along the river and is close to other attractions like Fort Smith and the US Marshall’s Museum (literally down the block)."
"Very sweet owner who is a one man show. There are pull through sites and full hookups. $38 a night for that."
"PROS:
*CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN: you can’t camp in your RV any closer to downtown Fayetteville than at Southgate."
$50 / night
"We love the view of the mountain and the fact that we can ride our ATV to the Turner Bend Store to get gasoline and sandwiches. Mill Creek trailhead just 2 miles north from our campsite."
$22 - $25 / night
"Contacted owner late in the evening looking for a spot after a 9hour drive. This place had everything and the bathhouse was just like taking a shower at home!"
A little older of an area. Stayed in site B10. Close to level. We have a 36' 5th wheel, tow vehicle, plus another vehicle. Easy entry into site and large enough for all vehicles. Asphalt with concrete patio. There is a picnic table and fire ring. 50/30/20A We can kind of see the river from this site. Very roomy sites in the woods with plenty of shade. Mostly dirt ground. Older but clean restrooms. We didn't use them. There are single person combined toilet and shower rooms at the front of park. There are mountain bike/hiking trails all over, even a little bike park with ramps and jumps. Playground and boat ramp. No sewer hookups, but there is a dump station. Lots of mosquitoes in the evening. Although some sites need maintenance and the restrooms are old, this is a nice park. We stayed 2 days and would definitely stay again.
Awesome campground right on Mulberry River. From Full hookups, 50 amp to primitive camping right on the river. Mile long river hike , atv trails, 4 swimming holes, fishing kayaking , rafting( after spring rains). Owners are great and helpful. Surprisingly quiet. Park sells ice and wood. No w/ d. Offers long term camping for $500/ mo. Park well kept and clean. Very scenic.
This 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.
When I came here I had but one reason to check out this area, the abandoned once amazing Monte Ne. As a bit of a novice urban explorer I was intrigued by the history of this once giant which featured the first indoor swimming pool in the state, hosted a presidential function, boasted a gondola to ferry those visiting the facilities and was a part of a man’s manifesto of greatness. Then it fell to hard times and eventually to ruin much like so many other locations.
So what makes this area so intriguing? The ruin is now being slowly swallowed by Beaver Lake and the once grandiose walls are now somewhat of an embraced location for street art.
Rogers has several locations you can camp, but this is the closest to the site itself. I was excited to check it out and as I drifted further and further away from the Rogers city it started to look more and more remote. While there were some homes which scattered along the roadsides there wasn’t much in way of civilization.
Then I happened upon my location of the Monte Ne RV Park, a quaint and secluded space which embraces the peaceful location of Beaver Lake and makes for a perfect idealist setting for relaxing. While it isn’t the most updated campsite I had seen it by far was not the worst and the staff in the front more than made up for any short comings of some weary benches here and there.
The typical person staying here while traveling is enjoying hiking and fishing along with boating and other outdoor based activities. It was a perfect location for access to the lake and though there were several people there, it didn’t seem crowded because the spaces are nice sized. There are more than a few long term campers here as well and much like any campsite which allows long term camping you can tell the difference in the residence spaces as they have skirtings on their RVs and plants outdoors.
I was able to find a tent site and settled in and was very pleased that it was very quiet. I met a couple that was also traveling and had been there a couple nights and they had said they had been out exploring a bit in the area and were quite pleased, even made a couple suggestions for me for my time at the location.
My site was typical in that it had a picnic table and fire ring. It did include electricity, which typically I am not concerned with but it was nice to have so I could charge my devices and edit some video.
Closer to nightfall I noticed several people were outdoors using their grills and moving around because the temperatures were a bit better. It was nice to see the community I was around and again the staff came around to check on everyone which was a very nice touch.
The positives of this campground:
TENT, RV and CABIN options
Shady sites - on hot days this can make all the difference
Friendly Staff
Free WIFI
AT&T Good Signal
The negatives of this campground:
Slightly outdated, needs some paint and some upgrades on some tables and benches
Trash - unfortunately when I drove in I noticed trash as one of the first things I saw, this looked like it had been tossed by people coming in and out instead of using trashcans
Bumpy Road
Well worth the stop to get to be so close to checking out Monte Ne. If I was to return to Beaver Lake this would for sure be on my list again!!
This is a lakeside campground with 2 primary sections terraced so that most campsites have at least a partial lake view. All sites are water/electric with sites 51 thru 57 offering 50 amp and the remaining sites 30 amp. Some of the 30 amp sites share water connections. There are 2 boat ramps and a playground. The dump station is just outside the gate and is in good working order. Cookson Bend has the potential to be a beautiful campground but lacks facility and grounds maintenance. Unfortunately, this is well below the COE's typical standards.
Follow route alerts by taking AR170 at West Fork from Interstate 49!
Do not go to Visitor Center to check in while towing. Go to campsite, unhitch, and then go to Visitor Center.
Fayetteville for Walmart, Target and other box stores + Braun's Ice Cream
Jakes in West Fork Harps grocery store & fuel
PROS
Senior discount
No fee to make my own on-line reservation
Dark sky friendly
Quiet during weekday stay
Campground E has lots of trees
Campsite asphalt parking pad level
Metal picnic table (on concrete pad), pedestal BBQ grill, metal fire ring with cooking grate that consumed half of the ring and metal lantern hook
Good space between most campsites
Campground E trash bin at every other campsite
Clean toilet/shower facility
Ample TP, hand soap and an electric hand dryer in toilet facility Campground E
Climate controlled toilet/shower facility. Felt great on a 38 degree morning!
Park ranger drive thru campground during daylight hours
Good signage throughout park concerning burn ban
Good assistant park superintendent presentation at the park amphitheater regarding the CCC constructing DDSP
Nice hiking trails
Squirrels will eat from your hand in Campground E
CONS
No cell service. Pay phone at campground toilet/shower facility
Only free WiFi is at camp store by the pool. We purchased WiFi from park vendor Viasat $20 unlimited for 3 days for one device
Cannot see or hear creek from site 89
Sewer connection at rear of site pad
No privacy from any other campsite in Campground E
Cannot move site picnic table
No camp host
This was our second stop at the KOA in Fort Smith AR. They have many improvements since out last stay. The campground is convenient to I-40. It’s far enough away to not have traffic noise. The sites are level, there is a pool, Propane, fishing pond, and camp store. Also hiking trails. Also some tent sites. There is a whole new section for Class A and large 5th wheel campers now. The are located behind a highway department facility, and last visit the smell of the treated power line poles was overwhelming. No problem this time. This is one of the few campgrounds I’ve been to that have a storm shelter!
The Petit Jean River, flowing from an outlet, divides this US Army Corp of Engineers campround into two areas. There are 38 campsites, with electricity and water hookups. This includes three multi-family sites. Fees range from $18 to $40. Reservations are made on recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. First come, first served sites may be available outside the reservation season. The campground description at recreation.gov indicates that the campground is located on Blue Mountain Lake, but there is no lake access from here. A drive to Waveland Park is required for Blue Mountain Lake recreation. Most sites are waterfront; a few are just a short walk away from the Petit Jean River. Most sites have picnic table shelters. There are 12 sites and a restroom/shower house along the north bank of the river. The remaining campsites, along with a restroom/shower house, are on the south side of the river. The sites on the north side, except site #6, are in a open area offering little shade. The sites on the south side are along a forest and are more shaded. There is no privacy between campsites; several sites, especially on the south side, are close to each other. The north side restroom/shower house was closed. The south side restroom/shower house was very clean. The roads accessing and in the campground are paved. The campground is setup to accommodate RVs and big rigs, although tent camping is possible. Fishing in the river appears to be the main recreation activity. Walking access to the river bank is provided by stairs. Two playgrounds are at the south side camping area.
If you are ever driving through Arkansas a trip to Mount Magazine State Park is a must. Mount Magazine is the state’s highest point topping out at 2,753 feet and delivers sweeping views of broad valleys, lakes, winding rivers, and distant mountains. The rugged rock outcroppings protrude from the densely wooded forests. What makes this park even more spectacularly beautiful is that it is surrounded by National Forest lands encompassing glorious acres of woods.
In the late 1800’s, the railroad made travel easier and people were drawn to the area for its cooler weather and awe-inspiring scenic beauty. Resort lodges and restaurants sprang up and the resort “Town of Mount Magazine” began. Soon a post office, parks, streets and a dance pavilion dotted the town. The town took a turn when drought, erosion, and the Great Depression brought the town to collapse. The 1934 Resettlement Act purchased all the private land on the mountain and was shortly transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. In the late 1930’s and 40’s, the Works Progress Administration built campgrounds, trails, cabins, and a lodge were constructed. A fire destroyed the lodge in 1971. In 1998, Arkansas State Parks entered into a cooperative agreement with the USDA Forest Service to develop Mount Magazine State Park. The lodge reopened in 2006 and graces the same beautiful setting as the original structure.
We found this park very relaxing which is kind of amazing because there is so much for outdoor enthusiasts to do making it hard to sit still. There are miles and miles of hiking trails, horseback riding, hang gliding launches, cycling, and some of the most dramatic locations for rock climbing and rappelling. The diverse mountain ecosystem offers amazing bird watching and wildlife viewing and provides habitat for over 90 species of butterflies. Many were brightening the woods when we were there. We were there at a time when wildflowers were blooming so the forest floor was lit up with color. The higher altitude and cooler weather on the mountain meant that trees had not leafed out yet but a look down in the valley was a stark contrast with trees fully leafed out. The park has a relatively small campground with a meek 18 sites with full hook-up (two of which are 50 amp). Campsites are well-spaced with gravel pads and patios with fire pits and picnic tables. We so enjoyed hanging around our campsite but for those that don’t camp you will be perfectly comfortable in the lodge or cabins.
The Lodge at Mount Magazine has breath-taking views and some rooms have spa tubs on their balconies to enjoy the view. Thirteen cabins dot the ridge line offering the same awesome views and Jacuzzi tub options on your balcony. At the lodge is The Skycrest Restaurant which is a nice treat for those not wanting to cook. We decided to have drinks one evening on the veranda enjoying the setting sun lighting the valley. The next day we popped in for lunch where $6 got a plate of open-face prime rib sandwich, mashed potatoes, salad, and squash casserole. Pretty good deal if you ask us.
This state park so worked for us. It was the combination of the reading in a quiet wooded campground, being able to go to the lodge for a drink, lunch and great view and spending hours walking in the woods. The park is a good 30 minutes drive from the nearest town so you may want to stock up so you can just relax on the mountain.
Chester, Arkansas, offers a variety of RV camping options that cater to different preferences and needs, making it a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Chester, AR is Fort Smith-Alma RV Park with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.
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