Searching for the best camping near DeQueen Lake, AR? DeQueen Lake is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Find the best campgrounds near DeQueen Lake, AR. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
Beavers Bend State Park is located in the mountainous region of southeast Oklahoma along the shores of Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River. Guests traveling down the winding roads through the forests of pine and hardwood trees will find adventure, beautiful scenery and plenty of activities inside this state park. The scenic beauty of Beavers Bend State Park makes it one of Oklahoma's most popular areas.
Towering timbers, crystal clear waters and rugged terrain make this state park an outdoor lover's paradise. Visitors to Beavers Bend State Park will enjoy hiking, biking, boating, fishing, water skiing, nature center activities, river float trips, canoeing, horseback riding and much more. Trout streams are stocked year-round and the park features two catch-and-release trophy areas. Escape into the serenity of nature and follow the Mountain Fork River as it flows from the base of Broken Bow Lake through the park below. This area provides visitors with spectacular views, as well as excellent canoeing and fishing opportunities.
Nestled among the trees and alongside the Mountain Fork River are rustic and modern cabins, RV sites and tent campsites, as well as two group camps. This 3,482-acre park offers 47 cabins with kitchenettes, plus 393 campsites and over 50 tent sites spread over eight camping areas. All RV and tent sites are available for online reservations. Waste dump stations are available. Leashed pets are welcome in the park and there are cabins with one and two bedrooms that allow pets for a small nightly fee.
Beavers Bend State Park also offers the Beavers Bend Lodge, situated along the shores of Broken Bow Lake. Every room within the lodge features amazing views of the water. The lodge offers four suites, a great room with a stone fireplace and a conference room. Guests at the lodge are served free continental breakfast in the great room each morning. The lodge can be contacted at the phone number above, by calling toll-free at 800-435-5514, via fax at 580-494-6177 or through email at lview@travelok.com.
$20 - $40 / night
Cossatot Reefs Campground sits along the lush banks of Gillham Lake in southwest Arkansas. Nicknamed the "Bright Spot on the Cossatot," Gillham Lake is a recreational oasis for outdoor enthusiasts.
Visitors enjoy the lake for its vast boating opportunities, and a boat ramp is provided for easy water access. The river can be canoed from a point below the dam to U.S. Highway 71 South, a distance of about 16 miles. For shorter canoe trips, there are access roads to the river at Mize Crossing and Ladd Bridge.Anglers will find smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass, crappie, channel and flathead catfish and various species of sunfish in the river. A short nature trail within the campground weaves through a quaint wooded section. In spring, the trail is painted with colorful redbud and dogwood blossoms.
Gillham Lake spans 1,370 surface acres and boasts 36 miles of shoreline. The lake stems from the Cossatot River, designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.
$18 - $40 / night
Beavers Bend State Park is located in the mountainous region of southeast Oklahoma along the shores of Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River. Guests traveling down the winding roads through the forests of pine and hardwood trees will find adventure, beautiful scenery and plenty of activities inside this state park. The scenic beauty of Beavers Bend State Park makes it one of Oklahoma's most popular areas. Nestled among the trees and alongside the Mountain Fork River are rustic and modern cabins, RV sites and tent campsites, as well as two group camps. Two yurts named "Happy Hearth" and "Bear Tracks" are also available for overnight lodging. These round, tent-like structures are located right near the Mountain Fork River. This 3,482-acre park offers 47 cabins with kitchenettes, plus 393 campsites and over 50 tent sites spread over eight camping areas. All RV and tent sites are available for online reservations. Waste dump stations are available. Leashed pets are welcome in the park and there are cabins with one and two bedrooms that allow pets for a small nightly fee.
This recreation area is part of Greeson Lake
$15 - $50 / night
Scenic 25-acre lake in remote mountain setting.The Civilian Conservation Corps developed the Shady Lake Recreation Area in 1937. The Shady Lake Trail traverses Saline Creek and passes the historic Shady Lake Dam. It continues along the eastern edge of the campground. The trail is ideal for day hiking. Mountain bikers may also use the trail. Individual campsite temporary closings: For your safety, the following campsites are closed while being evaluated for risk of flooding: B12, B14, B18, B20, B21, C1, C2, C3, C4, D4, D6, D8, D10
This recreation area is part of Broken Bow Lake
Bellah Mine Campground sits along the shores of DeQueen Lake in southwest Arkansas.
Boating and water sports top the list of recreational activities at the lake, and several boat ramps are provided for campers. Fishing is also a popular pastime, with large mouth bass, small mouth bass, spotted pass, black and white crappie, channel and flathead catfish and various species of sunfish available in abundance. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission have also stocked hybrid striped bass in the lake. There are plenty of opportunities for hunting on the lands around the lake. Except for developed recreation areas and lands in the vicinity of the dam, all project lands are open to the public for hunting. Game species include bobwhite quail, mourning dove, turkey, fox squirrel, gray squirrel, cottontail rabbit and deer. Although DeQueen Lake does not have a designated hiking trail, the vast expanse of land is open to the public and hiking activities are welcomed anywhere on project lands.
DeQueen Lake is part of a dam project located on the Rolling Fork River. The dam, completed in 1977, was built for flood control and water supply, and now provides a recreational oasis for thousands of campers each year. The lake boasts 32 miles of shoreline to its visitors, along with 8,700 acres of rolling green landscape.
The nearby town of DeQueen, Arkansas, offers gas, grocery and medical services.
$30 - $45 / night
$23 / night
Beavers Bend State Park is located in the mountainous region of southeast Oklahoma along the shores of Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River. Guests traveling down the winding roads through the forests of pine and hardwood trees will find adventure, beautiful scenery and plenty of activities inside this state park. The scenic beauty of Beavers Bend State Park makes it one of Oklahoma's most popular areas.
Towering timbers, crystal clear waters and rugged terrain make this state park an outdoor lover's paradise. Visitors to Beavers Bend State Park will enjoy hiking, biking, boating, fishing, water skiing, nature center activities, river float trips, canoeing, horseback riding and much more. Trout streams are stocked year-round and the park features two catch-and-release trophy areas. Escape into the serenity of nature and follow the Mountain Fork River as it flows from the base of Broken Bow Lake through the park below. This area provides visitors with spectacular views, as well as excellent canoeing and fishing opportunities.
Nestled among the trees and alongside the Mountain Fork River are rustic and modern cabins, RV sites and tent campsites, as well as two group camps. This 3,482-acre park offers 47 cabins with kitchenettes, plus 393 campsites and over 50 tent sites spread over eight camping areas. All RV and tent sites are available for online reservations. Waste dump stations are available. Leashed pets are welcome in the park and there are cabins with one and two bedrooms that allow pets for a small nightly fee.
Beavers Bend State Park also offers the Beavers Bend Lodge, situated along the shores of Broken Bow Lake. Every room within the lodge features amazing views of the water. The lodge offers four suites, a great room with a stone fireplace and a conference room. Guests at the lodge are served free continental breakfast in the great room each morning. The lodge can be contacted at the phone number above, by calling toll-free at 800-435-5514, via fax at 580-494-6177 or through email at lview@travelok.com.
$20 - $40 / night
Beavers Bend State Park is located in the mountainous region of southeast Oklahoma along the shores of Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River. Guests traveling down the winding roads through the forests of pine and hardwood trees will find adventure, beautiful scenery and plenty of activities inside this state park. The scenic beauty of Beavers Bend State Park makes it one of Oklahoma's most popular areas. Nestled among the trees and alongside the Mountain Fork River are rustic and modern cabins, RV sites and tent campsites, as well as two group camps. Two yurts named "Happy Hearth" and "Bear Tracks" are also available for overnight lodging. These round, tent-like structures are located right near the Mountain Fork River. This 3,482-acre park offers 47 cabins with kitchenettes, plus 393 campsites and over 50 tent sites spread over eight camping areas. All RV and tent sites are available for online reservations. Waste dump stations are available. Leashed pets are welcome in the park and there are cabins with one and two bedrooms that allow pets for a small nightly fee.
$15 - $50 / night
Scenic 25-acre lake in remote mountain setting.The Civilian Conservation Corps developed the Shady Lake Recreation Area in 1937. The Shady Lake Trail traverses Saline Creek and passes the historic Shady Lake Dam. It continues along the eastern edge of the campground. The trail is ideal for day hiking. Mountain bikers may also use the trail. Individual campsite temporary closings: For your safety, the following campsites are closed while being evaluated for risk of flooding: B12, B14, B18, B20, B21, C1, C2, C3, C4, D4, D6, D8, D10
This recreation area is part of Broken Bow Lake
Traveler
Broken Bow area is nestled in and around the beautiful lake that supports many types of activities. The grounds are wooded, hilly and forestry - the campground areas are set up to maximize the areas available for camping - thus they are all close quarters. Be aware, there are 2 separate camping areas with 2 separate entrances and live help was not available - at least when we were there. The facilities are clean and modern but not centrally located within the camping areas.
Traveler
Quail circle is a nice spot with lots of trees and nice areas to hike and explore. The lake is beautiful. The facilities are a little dated, but generally clean. The showers have plenty of hot water. The RV spots have 30 amp hookups and water. No sewer.
Scout
After driving 4 hours to one of our favorite campsites in this area we arrived to find it closed until May 2025. No explanation why. We have camped here in winter several times before. Disappointing!
Guide
This park is a wooded area beside a lake. Campsites have a picnic table & grill. No electricity or water. No concrete parking pads. However almost all sites have a view of the lake. Beautiful views. Two pit toilets were clean & smelled ok.
Legend
This site was difficult to find. It is listed on the highway with a sign but on GPS it wasn't listed. The proper address is 4101 US-70, Kirby, AR 71950.
You book through recreation.gov but it is actually listed under Self Creek campgrounds. When booking just lok for sites listed on LOOP JW.
This is a good site for tents, campervans, and smaller rvs. There are sites for larger rvs but not many. It may be difficult to find a level spot if you're in a larger vehicle. There is only one site directly on the water. The remainder are on the wooded hill but still have a beautiful view of the lake.
The bathhouse has flush toilets and showers but is very old. They maintain it well and it is cleaned regularly. The toilets are perfectly fine but the showers are just old and a bit icky. I would suggest for showers going to the Daisy State Park. They have newer and nicer showers.
Guide
We found this on a whim but were pleasantly surprised. Great little campground. Picnic tables and fire rings are dated at best but functional. The view was phenomenal!
GuideThe GPS coordinates are wrong for this one but I couldn't locate the correct site. Tookus down a gravel road that wasn't bad until it turned to mud.
Guide
Large campground with lots of different areas to camp. They have sites in the woods, next to the water, and out in the open.
The bathrooms were clean and well maintained.
Guide
Amazingly beautiful and cheap. Bathrooms are vault toilets. They smell bad but the room is clean.
Legend
They have a lot of campgrounds but most are very close. Not a bad thing for those social butterflies but a little tighter than I like. Their bathrooms and showers are really nice. Clean and spacious.
It's definitely worth a visit but make sure to book well in advance. They sell out quick.
LegendThe price here is now $10 per day but if you have America the Beautiful Pass it's half price.
Couple downsides are that the bathrooms are pit style bathrooms and kind of nasty and unless you snag one of the sites far back in the woods you are pretty close to the highway so some noise.
It is my understanding that they are scheduled to update the bathrooms in the next year or two but until then I'd definitely suggest going to Arrowhead Point. It's right down the road, same price, quieter, and nicer bathrooms.
Legend
This location is right on the lake with quite a few camp sites available. The only down side is they have only one site available with electric and hookups. Everything else had no electric or hookups.
The electric site is $22 and all the rest are $10. If you have a senior pass they are half off though. It's first come first serve.
A nice boat ramp is on site as well as a swimming beach. The beach isn't really big and I visited in October so not sure how nice it is or deep but still a good option to have.
The bathroom has flush toilets and are decently clean. No showers but the state park right down the road has showers you can use for free.
Overall, I really like this place. It's quiet and peaceful. And most important, doesn't hurt my pocketbook too bad.
Legend
My first impressions of this site were terrible. The Bathrooms are extremely old and honestly seem like they're rotting down. The playground area is small but jot terrible. The area for rvs is pretty cramped with no privacy. Luckily while talking to some folks there they directed us on down the road. There are two more sections specifically for primitive camping that are really nice. There are a couple picnic tables and fire rings. There is also a nice pond. The cell signal isn't terrible but it's a bit hit and miss for internet.
Overall, I would suggest it but don't expect to use their showers or bathroom. Go a couple minutes down the road and use the state parks showerhouse. It's really nice.
LegendI never start a review like this, but this park had the cleanest bath house/restrooms I've ever experienced! 2 stalls in the shower in this loop and they each had a clean shower curtain, a bench, hooks to hang stuff. Immaculate. Better than some hotels!
Stayed in site 104 in the loop by the boat ramp. Nice shade and long parking pad. Sense of privacy. The sites that back to the cove had terraced areas, so if stairs aren't good for you then skip, but the arrangement made for a large area to spread out relax. This site had an additional parking pad next to it that was right next to the tent pad. Handy for ent campers to unload or boaters for boat, plus there were extra parking spots in the cul-de-sac leading down to the boat ramp.
The lake is sometimes smooth as glass. Kayaks for rent and this is a must do. Visitor center was being remodeled at the time of visit. 2 short hiking trails. Great state park!
Legend
Really enjoyed the Acorn campground - south end of park. There are many to choose from in this large state park, but I would return here. Site was level with the usual amenities all in working order and not too close to neighbors. The river ran directly behind the site and I was entertained by an otter family and ducks daily. There is a water release siren that sounds occasionally and it is loud, but it doesn't happen frequently, or at night, at least not during my stay.
Enjoyed the hiking in this park. Lots of great cleared trails. Often times I was the only hiker. A real gem is the COE access road that runs along the river past the spillway. If you walk far enough down you can view the real "wild" river with the islands of cypress trees and boulders creating eddies and the relaxing sounds of the river spilling over and around. 10 out of 10 stars
No Verizon service except at the nature center (definitely worth a visit especially if you have kiddos, and the ranger here is fantastic!!). You can jump on their wifi, or if I walked to the pavilion behind the store I could get one bar on my phone. Note off season store hours in photo. Not much in the store. The BBQ at the Lookout restaurant is the draw.
Guide
We stayed at AD10. It was a back in spot with an extremely high break over angle. The spot itself was fairly level but getting in and out is a pain. I recommend AD12 which is almost a direct back in from the road. The campground itself is very nice, but it is very winding with all the trees and spots slotted together. If you get a spot in the front near the road, there is a lot of through traffic for people going to or leaving the lakeside. The back of the campground was much quieter near the pull through sites. The dump site was directly across the street from the campground but you have to go down the road and either make a tight left turn or go further down and turn around. Bathrooms were not too far away, they were private, clean and AC. Not a lot of street lights throughout the campground made things nice and quiet at night. The site had okay Verizon cell service, around 10-20 mbps. The T-mobile service was much better around 50-60 mbps. Lots of activities to do around the park, there is the lake, plenty of hiking trails. The parking pass situation can get a little confusing at other areas of the park, but basically if you register your vehicle plate when you make the reservation, you are all set for your stay. It's a quick drive to Hochatown where there are things to do but depending on when you go it can be extremely busy. Broken Bow itself was about a 30 minute drive depending on traffic and there were more things to do, eat, and see. The traffic going back and forth between Hochatown and Broken Bow is quite busy and almost makes you not want to go anywhere. It causes a pain point when trying to get from the Stephens Gap area of the park to the main area of Beavers Bend, where you have to leave, hit 3 lights, wait 30 minutes, just to go 5 miles.Overall it’s a good campground but I might recommend staying at the other area of the park just for convenience sake, getting in and getting out.
Traveler
I keep coming back here to dig for diamonds. There are cheaper campgrounds in the area, but the State Park grounds are top notch. Very level camper pads, stable power and water and everything is well maintained. There are multiple bath “houses” — single shower room style privacy, not a large room with curtains. A playground in the sites for kids to play on also.
The only downsides that come to mind are the iffy WiFi (the reservation system is pretty accurate on which sites have “good” WiFi and which do not) that is decent for casual web browsing but not likely to be streaming possible. And then a mixed pro/com is that satellite connections (direct or Starlink) is going to be rough due to the wooded aspect of the sites — although the trees do help keep the camper cooler. 🤷🏻♂️
TravelerRight off of Forest road51220, large area to park and camp all by yourself. stream is 40 feet away with a swimming hole. Very private
TravelerThis is a quiet campground with plenty of shaded and nearly perfectly level pull ins. Power is consistent. Water pressure fluctuates from good to high — regulator necessary. Wifi is spotty, but the reservation center is pretty accurate on strength of WiFi at various sites. The site we are in right now, WiFi is sketchy.
In cool weather, a walk to the diamond field would be fine. In hot weather, no way.
Guide
Stopped in for a couple of nights. Power and water with a great view of the lake. Staff were wonderful and helpful. Would stay again if ever in the area.
ScoutWith so many trails that you can access just by walking out of the camp site. This is my favorite spot to camp in Oklahoma
Guide
Had a very relaxing time with the family here. The campsite is very clean and the lake is beautiful. All of the staff are great!! Only negative thing was the bathrooms. Heater looked to be on and it was pretty hot inside.
Scout
We drove slowly back and forth along the road exactly where the coordinates lead us to but there is no vehicle access to the forest there. It’s completely overgrown
TravelerThe river and creek merging was so beautiful! It was a beautiful drive there. But whoever was there before me trashed it out. It’s sad.
GuideThis was on my wifes bucket list, didnt find any diamonds, got dirty but had fun and got dirty. Sites and bath house were nice , full hook ups
Legend
Beautiful and lush and QUIET. I love it. Asphalt and gravel sites. Clean bathrooms. Water and electric only. Gorgeous 3 mile hike around the lake. I hear it’s a fishing lake but we don’t fish. Enjoyed the scenery and peace. Would come again and again. Don’t forget the ice, there’s nothing close. Site 33 looks to be my fav.
GuideThis camp is ideally located in the Crater of Diamonds State Park with easy access to the Visitors Center by foot or car. The campsites are well maintained and adequately situated to afford some privacy. There are 6 individual bathrooms with toilet, sink and shower, in the bathouse nearest to us that are modern and clean. The shower was "almost" hot.
The only negative is that the adjacent site's fire ring is too close to our back window and the smoke from a fire could enter our window.
This is our second stay at this park and we would definitely return.
Camping near DeQueen Lake, Arkansas, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to hike, fish, or just relax by the water, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near DeQueen Lake, Arkansas, has something for everyone, whether you're a family looking for fun or an RVer seeking adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near DeQueen Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, DeQueen Lake offers a wide range of camping options, with 131 campgrounds and RV parks near DeQueen Lake and 9 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near DeQueen Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near DeQueen Lake is Beavers Bend State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 56 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near DeQueen Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 9 free dispersed camping spots near DeQueen Lake.
What parks are near DeQueen Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 28 parks near DeQueen Lake that allow camping, notably Gillham Lake and Dierks Lake.
