Best Tent Camping near Gillham, AR
Tent camping opportunities near Gillham, Arkansas include several primitive sites within the Ouachita National Forest and established campgrounds at Cossatot River State Park. The Cossatot Falls and Sandbar Area campsites offer tent-specific camping with minimal amenities in a natural setting. Albert Pike Recreation Area, while primarily for day use, serves as a trailhead for backcountry tent camping along the Eagle Rock Loop trail.
Most tent campsites feature gravel pads with fire rings and picnic tables, though campers should bring their own water or filtration systems. The Sandbar Area provides walk-in tent sites with vault toilets but no showers or running water. Access to many primitive tent campgrounds requires driving several miles on gravel forest roads, which can become challenging after rain. Flash flooding is a serious concern in this region, particularly along the Little Missouri River and Cossatot River areas. Campers should check weather forecasts before setting up primitive tent sites near waterways.
Areas farther from established campgrounds offer deeper seclusion for backcountry tent camping. The Eagle Rock Loop trail provides numerous primitive tent setups along its 28-30 mile route, with sites at Viles Branch Creek, Straight Creek, and Long Creek offering opportunities for multi-day backpacking. These backcountry tent sites typically lack facilities but provide direct access to streams for water filtration. Tent campers frequently use these zones for fishing, swimming, and exploring the surrounding forest. A visitor commented, "The campsite is along Long Creek so you will have access to water. Perhaps 100 feet up river from our campsite I found a nice fishing hole and caught and released 7 trout and 1 sunfish within about 1 hour."
