Greers Ferry Lake campgrounds sit in the northern foothills of Arkansas' Ouachita Mountains at around 450 feet elevation. The 40,000-acre reservoir contains multiple Corps of Engineers camping facilities spread across the lake's 340 miles of shoreline with sites ranging from basic to full hookup options. Winter camping remains available at select locations while summer temperatures typically range from 85-95°F during peak season.
What to Do
Trout fishing below the dam: The Little Red River offers excellent trout fishing year-round. "Great campsite with close proximity to trout fishing and a beautiful lake," notes a visitor at John F Kennedy. The cold water release from the dam creates ideal conditions for rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout.
Hiking Sugar Loaf Mountain: The island mountain provides challenging day hikes with panoramic lake views. "You can rent paddle boats and kayaks for the small but beautiful lake that is known for fishing," explains a camper at Woolly Hollow State Park, which offers additional hiking opportunities within an hour's drive.
Scuba diving submerged structures: Divers explore old home sites and structures submerged during dam construction. The Dam Site area provides access to many of these sites, with one camper noting, "Surrounded by rocky bluffs and out croppings and heavily wooded. Fishing swimming, hiking, boating of all types, scuba diving for old home sites and so much more."
What Campers Like
Rocky shorelines for jumping: The natural rock formations create popular cliff-jumping spots. A camper at Heber Springs reports, "Since there are cliffs everywhere around the lake, one of the favorite past times of students is to cliff jump. There are cliffs of various heights all around the lake, but there is one in particular that's right at or just over 100 ft."
Sandy beach swimming areas: Multiple campgrounds maintain actual sand beaches rather than typical lake shorelines. At Devils Fork, a camper mentions the "Beautiful Park with multiple clean swim beaches. Many lake view sites." The sandy shorelines create more comfortable swimming conditions than typical rocky or muddy lake edges.
Cool river camping temperatures: Sites near the Little Red River benefit from the cold dam release waters. As one visitor to John F Kennedy notes, "Great spot for the heat of summer. Shady and a nice cool breeze off the cold little red!" This temperature difference can be 5-10 degrees cooler than lakeside sites during summer.
What You Should Know
Dam water releases affect river levels: River campsites can experience significant water level changes. A camper at John F Kennedy warns, "When the dam releases water, the river rises a lot. I'm talking a good 5 feet. Which can make it difficult to fish or enjoy the river."
Campground layouts vary significantly: Some areas feature newer, more spacious sites while others maintain original layouts. At Dam Site Campground, a visitor explains, "We had a pull through site in loop N that was perfect for our 41' fifth wheel...plenty big, clean, and level. It was a little sunny, but other than that no complaints. The other loops were more wooded, but wouldn't be good for big rigs."
Off-season visitor center operations: Some facilities maintain limited hours outside peak season. "Long haul ride on my motorcycle, the staff was great, scenery perfect, and fishing phenomenal. I intended to stay one day ended up staying for four," reports a John F Kennedy camper who visited during shoulder season.
Tips for Camping with Families
Look for dedicated swim beaches: Designated swimming areas provide safer conditions for children. A visitor to Old Highway 25 notes, "We love this campground. The sites are shady and there are rock bluffs that the grandkids love to jump from."
Check educational programming schedules: Rangers offer nature programs at several locations. One family at Woolly Hollow State Park shared, "The state park ranger had a weekend full of planned events from a box turtle demo to a sand castle competition. The best part was the guided hike with Master Naturalist group of AR."
Reserve water-view sites early: Premium shoreline sites book months in advance, especially for holidays. "This spot is popular so get your reservations in! Some come as you go spots but they go quickly!" advises a John F Kennedy camper.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges in wooded areas: Many older sites require leveling equipment. "Be aware that many of the sites might be hard to back into or hard to level your rig. The area is thickly wooded and that might make it difficult," notes a visitor to Dam Site, where the varying terrain creates uneven campsites.
Seasonal campground section closures: Not all loops remain open year-round. At Dam Site, a winter camper observed, "We like winter camping, but it appears that they close off most sections of the park during the colder months."
Verify actual site dimensions: Some sites cannot accommodate the listed RV lengths. One camper advises, "Depending on the size of your camper and your confidence backing in, these sites could be worth your time. Make sure you check in on the length of your trailer and the site before you arrive if possible. Some sites call out they can hold your camper but may odd shaped sites that are not conducive to a large camper."
