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Best Dispersed Camping near Havana, AR

68 Reviews

Dispersed camping near Havana, Arkansas centers primarily in the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests, where several free primitive sites exist along forest roads, creek beds, and lake edges. The Mount Magazine Wildlife Management Area contains multiple dispersed sites including Eickleberry Road, Buzzards Rock, and Spring Lake areas in the Ozark National Forest. Additional options include sites in the Nimrod Lake Recreation Area managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and various locations within the Ouachita National Forest, particularly around Jack Creek.

Access to many sites requires navigation on unpaved routes that vary significantly in condition. Forest Roads and County Roads leading to dispersed areas range from well-maintained gravel to narrow, eroded dirt tracks with occasional water crossings. Several locations, particularly those near Spring Lake and Jack Creek, may require high-clearance vehicles, while others present challenges during wet weather. Most dispersed sites feature primitive fire rings but offer no amenities such as toilets, drinking water, or trash service. Camping is generally permitted for up to 14 days. Some areas in the Nimrod Lake Recreation Area require permits, though most forest sites are free with no reservation needed.

The surrounding forests provide opportunities for hiking, fishing, and wildlife observation. Several sites offer water access, including riverside camping along Fourche La Fave River and lake access at Spring Lake. According to reviews, many areas remain uncrowded even during peak seasons. "The site offers a beautiful view of the lake. Easy walking access to the bank for fishing," noted one camper about Spring Lake. Another mentioned that Jack Creek provides "a large wooded dispersed campsite that has a short path down to Jack Creek" where "fishing and wading are possible." Cell service varies significantly by location and carrier, with most remote sites having limited or no connectivity. During hunting seasons, increased traffic occurs in some areas, particularly in wildlife management zones.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Havana, Arkansas (55)

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Havana, AR

68 Reviews of 55 Havana Campgrounds

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 12, 2022

    Dispersed FR132 Ouachita National Forest, AR

    Dispersed Camping near Ouachita National Recreation Trail, AR

    Located along Forest Road 132 (Winona Scenic Drive) in the Ouachita National Forest, Saline County, Arkansas. Flatside Wilderness Area located across the road from the site. Access to the Ouachita National Recreation Trail located nearby. Free dispersed site, no facilities. Rock fire ring. Should be enough parking for 2 vehicles. Suitable for tent camping, car camping, truck camping & van camping. Mostly level. There was plenty of firewood left by the fire ring. Camped here in February; very quiet. Only 2 vehicles drove by. Had a few bars of T-Mobile service.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 14, 2022

    Brown Creek Cascade Dispersed Campsite

    Free dispersed camping in the Ouachita National Forest

    Popular dispersed campsite in the Ouachita National Forest. Only one site; not a campground. Located on the gravel Brown Creek Road in Perry County, Arkansas. The South Fork of Brown Creek runs behind this campsite. Located next to the trailhead for Brown Creek Cascade - a short 1/4 mile hike (includes a creek crossing). This campsite is suitable for tent camping, car camping, camper vans & truck campers. Two vehicles can easily fit on this level site. There are other dispersed sites along Brown Creek Road. The site is close to the road; there's a large mud puddle covering one of the 2 entrances to this site. 2-wheel drive passenger cars can make it to the site. Large pine trees on the site. Hammock camping is possible. No water (except for creek). No toilets nor showers. No trash - take out what you bring in. May need to hike a ways in the woods to find firewood. Large rock fire ring on site. No AT&T and T-Mobile cell service. Very quiet; no vehicles passed by during the night. The sound from the creek was soothing.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 7, 2024

    Brock Creek - Charleston Rd Dispersed, Ozark NF, AR

    Nice Dispersed Site Above Brock Creek

    Not sure if the location pin is correct, so here are the coordinates: 35.49995, -92.80930. A large, wooded dispersed site situated above Brock Creek off of Charleston Road in a popular national forest OHV and multi-use trail area. Charleston Road is a wide, well maintained gravel road. The dispersed site can accommodate 2 or 3 vehicles - campervan size and smaller. There are 2 access driveways into the site. Access for a truck camper is tight due to the location of trees on the site. Access for 2WD low clearance vehicles may be rough due to some erosion. The dispersed site is a dirt surface with some embedded rocks jutting out. Some leveling may be required depending where the rig is parked. Tent camping is possible. There is a vehicle turnaround at the rear of the site. The site is shaded, so solar charging is limited. Except for a little bit of glass and some bullet shell casings scattered about, the site was clean at the time of my visit. The site has a large rock fire ring. There is a wide track that leads off the site toward the south along and above the creek. This track does not appears on any of the current forest service maps (including MVUM) that I have, so I'm assuming that it is not a legal motorized vehicle track. The track is hikeable. The site is convenient to OHV and multi-use trails. It was a pretty site during my summertime visit, but I bet it's beautiful during the Fall season. It is set back from Charleston Road. It is a really nice spot.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 23, 2025

    Brown Creek Rd/FR805 Dispersed

    Nice wooded dispersed site above a small creek

    Coordinates: 34.87057,-92.89844. Camped here on April 20, 2025. Located along Brown Creek Road (Forest Road 805), appoximately 1/2 mile west of the Brown Creek Cascade dispersed site and trail head (see separate listing). Large, level site with a dirt surface. Should easily accomadate 2 or 3 rigs and tents. Recommend campervan and smaller rigs. Due to the trees on the site, a truck camper will have a difficult time pulling all the way into the site (although it can park on the access driveway). Easy access from the forest road. The site is clearly visable from the forest road; no privacy, and dust may be an issue during the dry season. Only 6 vehicles passed by during my stay (which was on a Monday evening). There is a large, nicely constructed rock fire ring on the site; other than this, there are no amenities at the site. A small creek is down the hill behind the site; the creek is dry during the dry season. A beautiful wall of trees is across the creek. The site is shaded; solar charging and Starlink connectivity may be difficult. Hammock camping is possible. No T-Mobile cell service. No access to hiking trails at the site; trailheads for Brown Creek Cascade and the Ouachita National Recreation Trail are a short drive away. Loved this site. Peaceful at night. The only sounds came from the birds, the breeze and the creek. Note that due to recent severe Spring storms, portions of Brown Creek Road have some erosion. The rocky surface is moderately rough in places, although a 2WD passenger car can make it if driven carefully through the rough spots. No issues for high clearance 4x4 vehicles.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 6, 2025

    FR1802A, Meadows Knob Rd Dispersed

    Secluded, Light Usage, Dispersed Camping in the Ozarks

    Coordinates: 35.58695,-93.20723. Camped here Dec 29, 2024. Set well off of Meadows Knob Rd. Expect pinstriping along the access track to this secluded dispersed campsite. FR1802A toward the site has some erosion; low clearance vehicles may high center in one or two spots. The main forest road into this part of the Ozark National Forest is okay. The campsite is in open area, located in an old clear cut area. There is a partial view of the distant mountains. The site is a level, dirt surface. Not a large site; okay for one rig. Tent camping possible. No nearby mature trees for hammock camping. The site is overgrown with grass and weeds; a weed whacker is needed to clear the rock fire ring. There is a spot on the ground where a previous campfire was made. Good AT&T and T-Mobile 5G service. No shade; access to Starlink is possible. No hiking trails, although there is a 2-track for hiking that leads down into Graves Creek Canyon and some unnamed waterfalls. The hike along this trck is nice. This is not a pretty dispersed site, but it is well off of the main forest road; very private. Access to the site may be difficult for some vehicles. High clearance 4x4 vehicles should have no problems.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 26, 2022

    Middle Fork Dispersed Site AR Ozarks

    Creekside Dispersed Site, Middle Fork Illinois Bayou

    Large clearing along the Middle Fork of the Illinois Bayou. Located on Middle Fork Road, about a 1/4 mile in from AR Hwy 27, near Hector, AR. The site is on national forest land and appears to be popular. It's large enough for 3 car/truck/campervan rigs. Area is level for rigs & tents, although the ground is mostly hard buried gravel - maybe uncomfortable to sleep on without pads. Three large puddles on the site. Three ways to enter the site from  Middle Fork Road. Middle Fork Rd itself can easily accommodate 2wd passenger vehicles. Other dispersed sites further down the road along the creek. The site is not pristine, but it's nice to camp close to the bayou. Very peaceful, but there is occasional faint truck noise from Hwy 27. A half dozen or so vehicles passed by, some were residents who live further down the road. No facilities; need to bring your own water. No trash pickup; pack in, pack out.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 21, 2025

    Blue Knob Road in Ouachita National Forest

    Nice Dispersed Site at FR76/Buck Knob Trailhead, Ouachita Trail

    Free. Title of this review should be "Buck Knob...", not "Blue Knob...". Camped here in mid-November, 2025. Large dispersed site at the FR76/Buck Knob trailhead for the Ouachita National Recreation Trail. Should easily accomodate 3 campervan-size rigs. There is a small rock fire ring. There is no picnic table directly on this site, but there is one at the start of the trail, a short walk from the trailhead. The campsite is nearly level where I parked my van. Tent and hammock camping are possible. The site is partially shaded, but I believe limited Starlink connectivity is possible. The dirt/gravel site is close to the forest road, but there is some foliage and ground cover which provides a little bit of separation and privacy. Forest Roads 48 and 76 approaching this area of the national forest are narrow in places but, overall, in good condition. There are a couple of bridges on FR76 west of the campsite that are very narrow with railings; may be too narrow for a truck camper and larger to pass through. I received AT&T and T-Mobile service during the time of my visit. I loved this campsite; very peaceful. Convenient for hiking in a beautiful forest.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 6, 2024

    Group Dispersed, Charleston Road, Ozark NF, AR

    Large Group Dispersed Camping

    Coordinates: 35.50873, -92.81549. Group dispersed site located less than a 1/4-mile south of the Zing Trailhead on Charleston Road. Charleston Road is a wide, well maintained gravel road located in a popular national forest OHV area. This dispersed site is a level with a dirt and grass surface. The site can accomodate multiple vehicles; tent camping is possible. There is a large rock fire ring at the rear of the site. The site is open with little shade, making recharging with solar panels possible. Other than accommodating a group of OHV and offroad enthusiasts, and stargazing at night, there is nothing remarkable about this campsite.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 4, 2024

    Charleston Road Dispersed, Ozark NF, AR

    Convenient to National Forest OHV Area

    Pin location may not be correct, so here are the coordinates: 35.52534, -92.83158. Located on Charleston Road in a popular national forest OHV area - 1/2 mile southeast of the Mountain Man Trailhead. Charleston Road is a well maintained gravel road. The site is at the beginning of an old unnamed, closed, dirt track - close to Charleston Road. The site has a dirt surface; not quite level, but more level toward the rear. It is a pull-in site which can accommodate one campervan and smaller. Tent camping is possible. The site is mostly shaded. There is poison ivy around the perimeter of the site. The site includes a large rock fire ring. Except for a little bit of trash in the fire ring, the site was pretty much clean. The old track is gated just past the site,; the track is hikeable, leading up to the northern-most Stoebuck Mountain (there are two "Stoebuck Mountains" in this area). Except for being convenient to OHV trails, there is nothing remarkable about this dispersed site. It is good for an overnight stay.

Guide to Havana

Dispersed camping near Havana, Arkansas offers primitive sites throughout the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests at elevations ranging from 500 to 2,000 feet. The region experiences hot, humid summers with temperatures frequently exceeding 90°F and mild winters with occasional freezing temperatures and light snowfall. Most dispersed camping areas remain accessible year-round, though forest roads can become impassable during heavy rain events or after winter storms.

What to do

Wildlife watching opportunities: Several dispersed sites serve as excellent observation points for native species. At Ouachita National Forest Fourche Mountain, one camper noted, "This section of the National Forest offers two hours gravel road through the forest... On the path offers hidden creek waterfalls, lots of one way bridge and a serenity drive."

Fishing access: Multiple creeks and lakes provide fishing opportunities throughout the region. At Jack Creek Dispersed, campers can enjoy "a short path down to Jack Creek. Depending on the water level, fishing and wading are possible at the creek," according to a recent visitor.

Hiking trails: The forests contain numerous unmarked and maintained trails. The Sugar Creek hiking trail is accessible from Jack Creek area sites, while at Buzzards Rock Dispersed, "Buzzards Rock overlook is almost 1 mile away from the campsite - an easy hike down an OHV trail. Other OHV trails in the area are hikeable."

What campers like

Secluded locations: Many campers appreciate the privacy at certain sites. At CR133/FR146 Hogan Creek Dispersed, visitors enjoy "a small dispersed camp site tucked away a short way from County Road 133/ Forest Rd 146... This is a secluded spot which can not be easily seen from CR133/FR146."

Natural sounds: The ambient noise from creeks and wildlife enhances the camping experience. One camper at Hogan Creek noted, "sounds of the creek can be head at this site," while another at Cane Creek Recreation Area mentioned "Nice sounds at night if you like the wildlife sleep track."

Scenic views: Many sites offer visual rewards. Spring Lake sites provide views of the water, while at Cane Creek Recreation Area, a visitor recommended to "Be sure to catch the sunset here. This has a beautiful setting even though it has been basically abandoned by the COE."

What you should know

Vehicle requirements: Access roads vary significantly in quality. At Wards Crossing Dispersed, "Access to the site is on River Road which is gravel and a little pot-holed... Note that accessing it on Duck Pond Rd from the south, you have to cross the narrow Wards Crossing Bridge which has a 3 ton weight limit."

Site conditions: Prepare for basic, unimproved camping areas. At Creekside Dispersed near Hogan Creek, the "camping area is small with a small rock fire ring. The surface is rocky in places... Leveling may be required if camping in a vehicle."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Havana, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Havana, AR is Eickleberry Rd Dispersed, Ozarks NF, AR with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Havana, AR?

TheDyrt.com has all 55 dispersed camping locations near Havana, AR, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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