Best Campgrounds near Fort Smith, AR

A downed tree blocks part of the view, but still has a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. The disbursed sight is large, but only part of it is level enough to camp on in my opinion. Spy Rock overlook is down the road and the view is spectacular. There are also nearby waterfalls to hike to.. The road was well maintained upon our arrival, but the frequent off-road vehicle traffic of the four wheelers and side-by-side that go by constantly have combined with the recent rains to degrade it over the past couple of days. Even with the traffic, we did find some time to listen to the birds and sit in silence under the dark skies. T-Mobile has anywhere from one bar LTE to three bars of 5G extended to 2 bars 5G here. I was able to stream video on my phone before bedtime each night and use my phone to plan for the following day. There are too many trees to use Starlink so this was very helpful.

Had a wonderful time here. Went in early April so still too cold to swim, but the campgrounds were great. There’s a swing for kids

Campground is currently (April 7) closed for maintenance and flooding. Call before you go!

This was a great spot for two families and lots of kids! The boys had so much fun climbing the giant rocks. We were lucky to have the place to ourselves in November, sites were a little close together if it had been busier. Bathrooms were easy to get to but a little dirty.

We came to Heavener Runestone Park with three families and nine young children and had the BEST time! Totally worth the drive from Tulsa. The park is beautiful and secluded, very clean and well kept. It has some really fun little themed touches in keeping with the Viking Runestone. The history around the Runestone is so interesting, the kids loved hearing about the Vikings. The hiking was beautiful and just challenging enough to be fun while accessible for little kids. Bathrooms were clean and easily accessed from our tent sites. The views were spectacular. Out of the three cliff tent sites I would say only 1 was safe for kids, 2 and 3 were too close to the cliff (beautiful views though). The playground was really fun and right by site 1. It’s a big site so we put four tents and 15 people on that site comfortably, it also has a covered pavilion which helped us in the rain and a brief storm. The park hosts were incredibly kind and welcoming. One last note, you do need to bring your own drinking water in. We had such a great time and would totally recommend the park for adults or families. My only complaint was the persistent barking dog on the private residence by the entrance to the park, including late at night.

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! Would absolutely stay again. The hiking trails were right out of our campsite. Clean sites. Great tent pads. It was totally level we didn’t need any leveling done at all.

This is a great area by the river. It is a bird watcher’s paradise, and we saw a lot of people fishing. There is a boat access area as well. We did camp there in a tent for one night, but were politely told by a game warden the next day that, though it used to be open for that, it is no longer allowed. It is open to the public only during the day. There are still signs up showing tent camping, but they are apparently inaccurate. We had a great time and he welcomed us to stick around and hang out for the day, but no more camping. I was able to see multiple species of Oklahoma’s woodpeckers, some birds of prey, and many songbirds. Go during the day! Still worth it, even if you camp elsewhere.

I arrived about 11 pm. Totally dark. Set up camp, started a fire and relaxed a little. We to bed and woke to a beautiful view overlooking the valley. Site is large enough for 3,maybe 4 Overlanding Rigs. Couple established fire rings. Highly recommend. Camp sits about 30, 40 yards off the road on the left . Late Feb. overnight temp 40. Verizon cell works great.

We had a break in the winter weather this week and took three days to explore the trails around Lake Ft. Smith. As only one of four campers, we had the place to ourselves save the park keepers making their rounds to ensure our safety and the cleanliness of the park.

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.

January 31-Feb 3 2025. White Rock is a great little campground.  With only 8 tent camp sites it is very quaint.  The cabins were packed and there were many people visiting the overlook but my partner and I were the only tent campers. We arrived late, after sunset, and the host recommended tent site #1.  From the pictures we really wanted to set up in #5 but he insisted on #1 and recommended looking around in the morning if we wanted to move.  I'm thankful for his knowledge because sites 5-8 were juicy from the previous days rains. 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.  Sites 5-8 are smaller with smaller tent pads and the view from these sites is AMAZING!  Just know that with the view comes the wind and less space to stretch out.  We ended up staying in site #1 so our old hound dog could saunter around.  

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.  My AWD Mazda made the trip just fine and I saw a Toyota Camry at the overlook. Whenever you feel comfortable going over 15 MPH there will be a heavily rutted 180° hairpin turn.  If you forgot to bring something you'll probably find it or a substitute in the Office/General Store.  

Overall I loved this campground.  I will definitely be back in the spring or fall.

I usually like a more secluded area to camp but when I’m camping alone I love devils den, it’s super safe, gorgeous, plenty of room, great hiking trails!

I went there in mid January when it was super cold and the leaves were all fallen. I was the only one there. The river is beautiful and is accessible from all six campsites, which are all in a row on the left side of the road. There is no running water, but you can get your water from the river - there are a couple of places you can access the shallow parts of the river from. Just make sure to filter or boil it. A couple of vault toilets, one with toilet paper and neither of their doors lock. I didn't see any wildlife. Oh and you can drive to your campsite of course. The ground was either muddy or gravel-y. Not much privacy between sites in winter.

I stay here often. Super nice place run by the City of Mulberry that lease this park from the COE. They allow dumping of gray water BUT, it is illegal to dump gray water on the ground ANYWHERE in Arkansas! There is a city owned archery range next to the campsites. You can bike the road which is along the Arkansas River all the way to Alma to the west. The hosts are exceptional people who go the extra mile to ensure a pleasant visit. I had a medical emergency during one stay and the hostess stayed with me until the ambulance arrived. 

Senior discount of 50% on the camping rate.

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.  The sites are generally spacious.  If you want the best experience - grab one of the sites along the ridge (83, 85, 87) - these have a great view off the back and offer incredible space.  There are several hiking trails within the park and other activities during warmer months (i.e. pool).  If you have a large rig - make sure to take the West Fork exit off I-49 vs. the south exit (Winslow).  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.

The experience begins with the climb: the road winds up and around the bends and crooks of the mountain. The entrance and welcome center is grand and very accepting of anything from small vehicles to large diesel pushers. The camping spaces are large and accommodating, most are level and can fit almost anything you travel in. The amenities were clean and - while dated - all in good working conditions. The various trails are well marked and offer several levels of technical expertise. At the top you can camp or stay at The Lodge - which offers a myriad of services from food to catered events.

But the views ARE the reason to experience this park! They are simply delicious!

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!

Nice, quiet place. Great hiking! Not really a place for a quick overnight, the road in is steep and crooked.

Coordinates: 35.69300,-93.76803. Large dispersed site with a view, especially in the winter, of the mountains to the west. Located along Morgan Mountain Road, Forest Road 1504, a little over a mile north of AR Hwy 215. The trailhead to Spy Rock is about a mile north of this site. Altough eroded in spots due to recent heavy rains, Morgan Mountain Road was in good condition - no obstacles. A 2wd passenger car can carefully make it over the eroded areas. Except for one small spot, the site is not level - slopes downhill a little toward the ridge. Camping rigs may need leveling depending on the parking spot. Access into the site from the forest road is easy. There is a clean rock fire ring. Tenting camping is possible. Hammock camping may be possible using nearby trees. The site is mostly shaded. The forest surrounding this campsite is beautiful. I received no T-Mobile service during my visit. I decided not to camp here during my visit due to a brisk, cold north-northwest wind blowing through the campsite.