Top Tent Camping near Hartford, AR
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Best Tent Sites Near Hartford, AR (16)
1.
Jack Creek Recreation Area
Blue Mountain, Arkansas3 Reviews4 Photos40 SavesJack Creek Recreation Area is located in a picturesque setting alongside towering rock bluffs and flowing waters. The area was constructed in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and displays several unique, historic facilities. There is a short trail that climbs a couple of hundred feet to a recently restored rock overlook vista that offers a panoramic view of whispering pine trees and colorful fall vegetation. Jack Creek offers day use and a primitive campground at no cost. Also from Jack Creek Recreation Area is a trailhead for the Hole-In-The-Ground Mountain Hiking Trail and Sugar Creek Hiking Trail. Hole-In-The-Ground Trail is not a loop trail and extends approximately four miles in length. The Sugar Creek Hiking Trail extends approximately three miles connecting Jack Creek to Knopper’s Ford Recreation Area. Click here for more information.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
2.
Pigeon Creek Dispersed
Big Cedar, Oklahoma3 Reviews22 Photos136 SavesIf you are one of those folks who prefers a different, more rugged camp experience, primitive camping is allowed almost anywhere in the Ouachita National Forest unless there is a sign stating otherwise, or it is a wildlife food plot. Located throughout the Forests are areas that have been campsites for many years. These are located along roadsides, trails, mountain tops, or near streams. Camping at dispersed locations have additional responsibilities: "Leave No Trace" so others can have a similar backcountry experience, pack out any trash or litter, scatter campfire ash around so it doesn't pile up, and leave the area better than you found it.
Please filter water before drinking! Beware of stream crossings after heavy rains.
Please read the Dispersed Camping guidelines before heading out.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Dispersed
- Alcohol
3.
Cossatot Falls Campsites — Cossatot River State Park - Natural Area
Wickes, Arkansas12 Reviews71 Photos122 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Group
6.
Shirley Creek
Oden, Arkansas2 Reviews9 Photos14 SavesThe picturesque and scenic Ouachita River is one of the most beautiful and clear rivers in the Ouachitas. Beginning in the Ouachita Mountains near Mena, AR, the Ouachita River is a popular floating and fishing river as it flows easterly through the Ouachita National Forest, eventually becoming part of Lake Ouachita and Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs, before continuing its journey south towards Louisiana.
Beginning near Pine Ridge, AR, the Ouachita offers about 45 miles of floatable river until it become Lake Ouachita near AR Hwy 27. Along this stretch, there are seven landing sites, five of which are float camps. These float camps include Shirley Creek, Rocky shoals, Fulton Branch. Dragover and River Bluff. All five float camps are free to the public. These Float camps typically have openings, even on some holiday weekends when other campgrounds are full. Only rarely are these float camps filled up.
Shirley Creek Float Camp is located off of AR Hwy 88, west Pencil Bluff, and is situated right on the banks of the Ouachita River approx. 6 miles downstream from the Pine Ridge Access. This float camp offers six camping sites, as well as picnicking sites, a vault toilet and canoe access to the river.
Shirley Creek Float Camp is typically open Spring through Fall for overnight use, and is available for day use only the rest of the year.
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- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Toilets
7.
Big Brushy
Oden, Arkansas1 Review4 Photos13 SavesAttractive wooded setting on stream bank.
- Pets
- Phone Service
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- Group
- Cabins
- Tent Cabin
8.
Straight Creek Campsite on the Eagle Rock Loop
Langley, Arkansas2 Reviews12 Photos47 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Trash
- Picnic Table
9.
Sandbar Area Campsites — Cossatot River State Park - Natural Area
Wickes, Arkansas2 Reviews17 Photos18 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Trash
10.
Pashubbe Backcountry Site
Be the first to review!Big Cedar, Oklahoma2 SavesPack it in; pack it out. Trail open to foot traffic only for 55 miles. 137 miles is now open to both mountain bikes and foot traffic. Segments opened to mountain bikes are from the western boundary of the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma to the Big Cedar trailhead on Highway 259, and from the Talimena Scenic Drive east of Queen Wilhelmina State Park to trailhead on Highway 7, north of Jessieville, Arkansas.
Horses, pack animals, and vehicles are prohibited. Portions of the trail tcross wilderness areas. To preserve the trail’s beauty, please camp at least 100 feet from the trail. Seasons of use: Open year-round. Weather is most favorable from autumn through spring.
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Showing results 1-10 of 16 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews In Hartford
360 Reviews of 16 Hartford Campgrounds
Applegate Cove Campground
Nice campground
Older Park. Renovations are being done... Pads, 10 ft picnic tables, playground... Right off the lake with awesome scenery. Couple who manages the place is really nice and helpful. Would stop here again.
Natural Dam
beautiful scenery but not many amenities
The scenery here is really beautiful, Geometry Dash Breeze but it is so deserted that it is a bit scary at night.
Brushy Lake State Park Campground
Quaint and Quiet
21 RV spots available around a small, family lake. Water and electric hook ups and clean dump station. Small park/play area and two large pavilions. Hiking trail located at the back of the park. Lake is great for fishing and kayaking. Not a major boating or water sport lake. First come first serve spots. Camp host is helpful and friendly. Calm and quiet stay
Cove Lake Complex
Hidden gem in the Ozarks
Fantastic smaller campground minutes from Mount Magazine. It seems to be overshadowed by much larger, better known places like Devils Den, so it's fairly quiet even when it's 'busy.' We also learned that it has new management as of this year (2024), a young family that's extremely hands-on.
We stayed as a group (three families with 7 kiddos total, ranging from 6-15), across two adjacent sites: 1 & 3. You could see the lake from our sites, but they don't sit right over the lake like some do. With so many kids in our group, we actually wanted that. Sites are extremely spacious and well spaced from each other, and would feel even more private later in the season when the trees are full. Bathrooms are simple pit toilets, but clean and well-maintained.
Boat rentals right onsite, concessions, even a small beach area! We will 100% be back. No cell service whatsoever with Verizon.
Outlet Area
RV and Big Rig Friendly Campground along Petit Jean River
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.
Girard Rd/Forest Road 20 Dispersed, Ouachita National Forest, AR
Somewhat private dispersed site off of unbusy forest road
Coordinates: 35.02531, -93.88228. Located just off of Girard Road (Forest Road 20) - a maintained gravel/dirt forest road. This road is mostly a single track - narrow with some minor erosion in a few places. A lifted 4x4 vehicle is NOT needed to drive to the site. The dispersed site is located 1.3 miles south of the turnoff to Jack Creek Recreation Area. This site is set off from the forest road on a narrow undesignated dirt track which is easy to miss. It is a small site with enough room for one vehicle - truck camper size and smaller. The site is mostly level on a dirt surface with a rock fire ring. It is mostly shaded, although solar recharging may be possible during the afternoon with solar panels being placed on the access track in front of the site. Tent and hammock camping are possible. Received a strong T-Mobile 5G signal here. Except for some peace and quiet, there is nothing remarkable about this particular campsite. However, is is located in the Jack Creek area of the Arkansas Ouachitas. This area has a few nice swimming holes and hiking trails which one can drive to. OHV recreation is also possible in the area.
Ashley Creek Recreation Area
Pretty Location, Free Primitive Camping
I didn't camp here, but thought I leave an updated review. Previous review still applies. This is a free primitive campground, but a permit is required to camp here; see COE Web site for info. There is a very clean portable john with tp in the campground. It appears that the campsites themselves have not been maintained in a while, although the campgound itself looks nice, with a view of the lake. Some of the sites are close together offering no privacy. I received T-Mobile cell service. Convenient boat ramp nearby. I wouldn't make this campground a multi-day vacation destinition, but it's convenient for an overnight stay and for those using the lake for recreation.
Mount Magazine State Park Campground
Nice Two Day Place
There is not a lot to do, and it is pretty far from the city. However, there are big RV sites and amazing sunsets. There is also a lake nearby.
Dog friendly.
There are lots of nature trails, but none very long.
Lots of ticks, tricky to get good starlink connection.
Mulberry River Outdoor Adventures
Campground itself awesome as for (Ty Floyd) the owner not so much
#1. We paid $135 in advance for 3 days and nights for 3 adult and 7 kids. On day two our kids was accused of throwing trash on the ground at creekbank ( lie ) we didn't allow our kids out of camp with food or drinks.
#2. Was accused of being neglectful parents for not being at waters edge anytime our kids was in the water even tho our kids had floaties or life jackets on and in site the entire time.
#3. We adults Was accused of vandalizing park table because we had placed extinguished cigarettes on the table keeping them off the ground.
#4. Wasn't told any park rules when paying or after until into the second evening.
When being griped at for using the provided electric and water we was told the camp sites was equipped with. ( No mention of extra charge at the time of reservation for using it).
#5. Was going to charge us for being there Thursday -sun when we arrived on Friday morning at approximately 8:30am.
#6.Griped about two visitors showing up. One of witch was just there a few minutes to pick up a member of our paid group who had to leave early.
#7.Their website says they understand things happen and people need to cancel their reservations so they give rainchecks in regards to refunds.
On the second evening when we needed to adjust our agreed reservations and was told ( ABSOLUTELY NO ! ).
Note: At no time was we asked to or told to leave but because of all above mentioned we chose to leave that second evening of our 3 nights.
Ouachita National Forest Cedar Lake Recreation Area
This is my favorite spot to camp
With so many trails that you can access just by walking out of the camp site. This is my favorite spot to camp in Oklahoma
Pigeon Creek Dispersed
No access
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
Clear Creek - Ozark Lake (AR)
Bugs bugs bugs
I don’t have many nice things to say about this campground. The bugs were out of control. The bathroom was out of order and a porta potty was set up beside it. The site we chose,#3, was the best site. We found some good trees to set up our hammocks with a view of the forest. 1 and 2 were ok, 4-9 were downright terrible. Basically a parking spot with a picnic area. All the sites were close together. The check in process consisted of a guy in an unmarked vehicle driving up and striking up a conversation without identifying himself. Check out works the same. If you have a boat or tv this park may be nice but I wouldn’t camp here. The hike around nearby lake Alma was the highlight of our trip.
Mulberry River Outdoor Adventures
Laid back and friendly!
This was my first camping experience since I was a kid and I loved it!! Everyone was so nice, but also gave us our space and didn’t try and start conversation. It did seem to be kind of a lawless land- no markings or signs to mark campsites, check in, or anything. To this day I have not been asked my name or my confirmation number!😂 Our spot backed right up to the river, and he said we could trim up some branches to make it our own if we wanted. But there was a big opening to the river just a 30 second walk away:) It’s a suuuuper clean river that doesn’t go above your knees, so perfect for walking around and cooling off. One downfall is there is only one bathhouse that has only one shower/toilet/sink combo, so there might be a good wait. However, when we went it was mostly RV’s there who have their own showers and toilets, so the waits were never more than say 10 minutes!
Pigeon Creek Dispersed
Would have been perfect
The 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.
Fort Chaffee RV Military
FHU for $18
Stayed here over a non drill weekend, and the whole place was deserted. Nice spot on the end with trees and the fishing pond. Must be self contained, no bath house. Conveniently located near Fort Smith AR.
Lee Creek Public Use Area
Not a campsite
This is not a campsite anymore. Code enforcement will call cops and have you trespassed!
William O. Darby RV Community
Great overnight spot
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! Would stop here again when passing through!!
Cedar Lake (Oklahoma) Equestrian Camp
Cedar lake for the win!
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.
Fort Smith-Alma RV Park
Quiet and clean
Was headed to Lake Fort Smith but area was booked so we stopped here and was pleased with our stay. Spaces are quite small but it has become the norm everywhere. Site A2 had fire pit, grill, picnic table was pretty level even with gravel. Fishing pond, dog walk area, propane station all on property for reasonable rates. Bathouse was clean and stocked. Only complaint was these little red mites. I looked them up and they are harmless but they were numerous and made us uncomfortable. I was especially concerned for our 2 dogs. I believe this is an old KOA under private ownership. They have done a great job updating the place. Jules at the office was also very pleasant and helpful.
Mulberry River Outdoor Adventures
Pure heaven on the water
I have been here a few times and I have to say it’s amazing. I can camp, buggy ride, swim and fish.
Natural Dam
Beautiful spot, no facilities
Pulled in about 7 pm. Several cars there but no other campers. Quiet evening without disturbance. It was chilly in the morning, so the fog off the waterfall was eerily gorgeous.
Riverfront RV Resort
Easy stopover in Fort Smith
We stayed at this newish RV campsite for an overnight. 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). Our kids enjoyed the playground, outdoor gym, and pickleball - it was too cold to swim. There is only one bathhouse, but it was clean. The front office has a small store and the staff was nice. There are several restaurants within a mile. There was a gate at the front. There is a walking trail along the river so if your campsite faces it, there is plenty of people walking along that trail.
Blue Knob Road in Ouachita National Forest
Its tight...but its 1500 feet
I have a CDL and back stuff all day. Don't try to pull in. Back in off the Buck Mountain
Springhill
Basic but Good Enough
You have to reserve your site in advance via Recreation.gov.
The park is adequate but nothing fancy. The restrooms /shower facility was clean.
Good bicycle park. Minimum 2 night stay when I reserved it (Friday Night). I only needed 1 night but paid for both - $26/night.
I didn't stay the second night because of my schedule, not because of the park. Good basic stay for the money. It was safe and clean.
Winding Stair Campground (Ok) — Ouachita National Forest
I did not stay here, just passing through.
I did not stay at this campground (I was driving the scenic byway), but I stopped for "scouting purposes". It seems very nice, the vault toilet was locked? But otherwise, a well kept dry campground with many sites and good views. Also, the pricing on here is incorrect; USFS website says $8/night for singles, $14/night for doubles (can't beat those prices honestly). Will stay if I pass this way again!
Mena Arkansas
Brodys camp site
Good secluded spot for Privacy
Waveland Park
Quiet and friendly staff
Can't not beat the price and the spot. Nice views, great place to unwind for a couple days with friendly staff. Bathrooms with showers, with an Access pass it's $10/night with electric and water. WOW! A lot of people seem to be camping here and taking their boats out.
Level spots with picnic tables and fire pits. Couldn't get our Starlink to work with tree coverage but have reception.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hartford, AR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hartford, AR is Jack Creek Recreation Area with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Hartford, AR?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 tent camping locations near Hartford, AR, with real photos and reviews from campers.