Best Camping near Hot Springs National Park, AR

Recent Reviews in Hot Springs National Park

1078 Reviews of 189 Hot Springs National Park Campgrounds

• 

  Ted E.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 25, 2025

  Edendell Campground and Vacation Rentals

  The views are amazing.

  The campground is very clean and the views are amazing.  The owners are attentive and very kind.

• 

  Fred S.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 9, 2025

  Forest Rd 179 Creekside Dispersed

  Large creekside dispersed site

  Coordinates: 34.82029,-92.82184. Large creekside dispersed campsite located on a rocky, bumpy track, about 150 yards east of Forest Road 179 (aka Wildcat Mountain Rd). If going southbound on FR179, the track is on the left immediately after crossing a bridge. The track may look sketchy to some drivers, but I drove down it okay in my Subara. Good spot for car camping. The site itself is very rocky, so it may be uncomfortable for tent camping. There are trees for hammock camping. There are 3 large rock fire rings. This site is prone to flooding. The site appears to be popular and well used. There are no hiking trails, but the access track passes the site and continues along the creek - good for an easy stroll. Tried fishing here, but no luck. I do know from previous experience that there is fish in the creek. The creek is nice for a summertime dip when its running high. The site is mostly shaded; may be difficult to get a Starlink connection. I received no cell service. This is a pretty nice site, offering some privacy from the forest road and a wonderful sound of the creek.

• 

  Fred S.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 5, 2025

  Forest Rd 179 Dispersed

  Large Dispersed Site by Beautiful Forest

  Coordinates: 34.84016,-92.82538. Located along unpaved Forest Road 179 (Wildcat Mountain Road), about 3/4 miles south of junction with Forest Road 132. The forest road was in good condition during my visit. A 2-wheel drive passenger car should be able to reach this site. It is a large campsite, close to forest road; no privacy from the road. The site is a dirt surface with a very large rock fire ring. Mostly level. Tent and hammock camping possible. No T-Mobile service. Has AT&T 5G service. Shaded; connection to Starlink will be a challenge. Beautiful forest with a very small pond behind the site in the woods. May be able to back a truck camper into the site; I don't recommend anything larger. Pretty area; nice area for a stroll in the woods. There is a hiking trailhead near FR132 with a dirt parking space. This is a really nice, clean site if one doesn't mind the lack of privacy from the forest road.

• 

  Fred S.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 16, 2024

  Base of North Fork Pinnacle Dispersed, Forest Road 132

  Easy Access from Winona Scenic Drive & Ouachita National Recreation Trail

  Coordinates: 34.85844,-92.85765. Camped here in mid-December 2024. Large dispersed campsite in a wooded area positioned between the Winona Scenic Drive (Forest Road 132) and the Ouachita National Recreation Trail in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas. The site has easy access from both the forest road and the backpacking trail. Convenient to hikers and softroaders. The North Fork Pinnacle viewpoint is a half-mile hike from the campsite. The campsite is set back from the forest road; no issues with dust from the road. The site, as well as the driveway into the site, are dirt surfaces. There are 2 clean fire rings. I camped by the 2nd fire ring which is further away from the forest road. Maneuvering my van into position took some effort due to the trees at this spot; a little bit of leveling was required. The first fire ring, closer to the forest road, is easier to set up next to and more level. This dispersed campsite can accomodate 3 or 4 small to midsize rigs. Tent and hammock camping is possible. The site is shaded. About 100 yards west on the other side of the forest road, there is a clear-cut area which has a lot of downed limbs for firewood. There was spotty T-Mobile service, but good AT&T service, at this site. The ride on Forest Road 132 from the east (Hwy 9) is bumpy/rocky in several places. Erosion seems to be getting worse over time on this unpaved road. I aired-down the tires for ride comfort. Low clearance vehicles should be okay on this road. There are several other dispersed campsites, which are easy to find, along the road. Enjoyed camping here. Beautiful site in the woods. Quiet. Next to the Quachita National Recreation Trail which is a wonderful hiking trail.

• 

  Forest K.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 29, 2024

  Big Fir Primitive Camping

  Wrong coordinates

  The directions/ coordinates are wrong. Go to contact info or look it up on Google Maps.

• 

  James B.

  Ranger

  

  Nov. 19, 2024

  Twin Creek Campground

  Nice stay for one night

  We decided to stay here for an overnight after being in Hot Springs area.
  There was only one other camper. The fee is $14 a night, not the $12 listed on sign. There is a pay kiosk that takes cards The campground was very clean and had many many trash cans.
  Bathrooms clean and had running water and flush toilets. Cell signal was poor with Verizon. Found an opening and Starlink worked great.

• J

  Josh F.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 18, 2024

  J and J RV Park

  Great small campground along a stream

  Great value for the price, $48 cash/$53 card. No online reservations. Owner is really nice and helpful. Clean facilities. Quiet.  Sites along the stream have a great view and a great place to sit and enjoy nature. About 10 minute drive to the National Park/Downtown Hot Springs. Recommend using a water pressure regulator, one of my pipes started leaking from the pressure.

• 

  Logan R.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 17, 2024

  Forest Service RD 153 Ouachita National Forest

  Overland site

  First off the coordinates are 34.80858, -93.07552 This campsite has amazing 360 sunsets and sunrises. A bit rocky for tent campers but should have no trouble finding a spot for a 4 man tent. There is also limited level ground but not bad. This site has room for 2-3 rigs. If ya needed to squeeze 4 you definitely could. There is a good breeze as it is on the top of the ridge which would be great in summer but can get a bit nippy in the colder seasons so keep that in mind. Nice sound of the breeze in the trees to put you right to sleep and extremely rare traffic so minimal reminders of society!!! I’ve rambled a bit but this site genuinely ticked all the boxes for me. Made for a beautiful evening.

• 

  Forest K.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 10, 2024

  Cox Creek Lake Campground

  Quite little campground

  Nice little campgrounds, quiet, and peaceful. You'll enjoy the lake on your kayak while you fish and watch the sunset or sunrise. Not all campsites are level, only about 4 of them, but the other won't take much to level out your camper. There are 4 pavilions, and most sites have picnic tables. Clean bath and showers area, also handicap accessible.

• 

  Forest K.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 10, 2024

  Buckville - Lake Ouachita

  Nice boon-docking area

  Our family has camp here the last 4 years, sometimes twice a year. We like it for the family and grandkids because of the swimming area and pit toilets, which allows us to stay for about 3-4 days at time, you need to bring your own toilet paper and water. There used to be a store a couple of miles up the road from here, but the last time we camp, it was closed due to the spouse passing away. If you like boon docking, Kayaking, and fishing in a quite area, this is the place for you. Bring your Kayak and go Island hoping!

• 

  little B.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 4, 2024

  Lake Catherine State Park Campground

  I love the tranquility

  I really love this place because it’s so peaceful. This is why I like places with forests and lakes. I work in cities, block blast always so noisy there…

• C

  Chris A.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 3, 2024

  Lake Ouachita State Park Campground

  Great State Park

  Lots of Space, Shade, and access to mountain bike trails and downtown hot springs

• 

  Steven A.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 28, 2024

  Leisure Landing RV Park

  Don't Bother

  Gravel parking lot with painted stripes, a patch of grass growing under the picnic table, and full hookups. Be sure to back in centered, others are complaining about hitting their slide outs. Watch your step. One of the long-term residents isn't picking up their dog waste. The nicest spot in the whole place is the little fenced-in dog spot overlooking the canal that makes its way out to the lake you can't see from here.

• 

  Jeff P.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 27, 2024

  Petit Jean State Park — Petit Jean State Park

  Our new favorite camping grounds

  This state park is one of the hardest to book a camping site for a last-minute camping trip. After we finally secure our spot, it’s easy to see why it’s so hard to secure at a moment's notice.

  Please be sure to visit the Petite Jean Coffeehouse which is located before the entrance to the park.

• 

  Twyana S.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 27, 2024

  Bear Creek

  Primitive beauty

  This park is a wooded area beside a lake. Campsites have a picnic table & grill. No electricity or water. No concrete parking pads. However almost all sites have a view of the lake. Beautiful views. Two pit toilets were clean & smelled ok.

• 

  april W.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 25, 2024

  Little Rock North KOA

  It works for a pinch

  Arrived in town looking for somewhere to tent camp, found here. It works for a night Pros: Clean bathrooms Friendly evening staff and wife is friendly Has a small store with basics Wifi Laundry area Cons: Quite noisy with city noise Camp store is expensive ( 2 Gatorade, a pack of. Hot dogs, buns and ketchup came up to 13 dollars...and. Mustard was almost 6 dollars.... Tent area is more of a storage area We had it to ourselves, which was nice, but, felt as if we were the unwanted guest in the park. At $38 dollars a night, we felt it's not really worth what they ask.

• 

  Alice S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 21, 2024

  COE Lake Greeson Self Creek Jim Wylie Recreation Area and Campground

  Wooded With View of Lake

  This site was difficult to find. It is listed on the highway with a sign but on GPS it wasn't listed. The proper address is 4101 US-70, Kirby, AR 71950.

  You book through recreation.gov but it is actually listed under Self Creek campgrounds. When booking just lok for sites listed on LOOP JW.

  This is a good site for tents, campervans, and smaller rvs. There are sites for larger rvs but not many. It may be difficult to find a level spot if you're in a larger vehicle. There is only one site directly on the water. The remainder are on the wooded hill but still have a beautiful view of the lake.

  The bathhouse has flush toilets and showers but is very old. They maintain it well and it is cleaned regularly. The toilets are perfectly fine but the showers are just old and a bit icky. I would suggest for showers going to the Daisy State Park. They have newer and nicer showers.

• 

  Twyana S.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 20, 2024

  COE Lake Greeson Self Creek Jim Wylie Recreation Area and Campground

  Unable to Locate

  The GPS coordinates are wrong for this one but I couldn't locate the correct site. Tookus down a gravel road that wasn't bad until it turned to mud.

• 

  Twyana S.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 20, 2024

  Self Creek

  Lots of Choices

  Large campground with lots of different areas to camp. They have sites in the woods, next to the water, and out in the open.

  The bathrooms were clean and well maintained.

• 

  Twyana S.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 20, 2024

  COE Lake Greeson Star of the West

  Arkansas Beauty

  Amazingly beautiful and cheap. Bathrooms are vault toilets. They smell bad but the room is clean.

• 

  Alice S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 19, 2024

  Daisy State Park Campground

  Very Nice but Busy

  They have a lot of campgrounds but most are very close. Not a bad thing for those social butterflies but a little tighter than I like. Their bathrooms and showers are really nice. Clean and spacious.

  It's definitely worth a visit but make sure to book well in advance. They sell out quick.

• 

  Alice S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 19, 2024

  COE Lake Greeson Star of the West

  Good Location But Better Options Available

  The price here is now $10 per day but if you have America the Beautiful Pass it's half price.

  Couple downsides are that the bathrooms are pit style bathrooms and kind of nasty and unless you snag one of the sites far back in the woods you are pretty close to the highway so some noise.

  It is my understanding that they are scheduled to update the bathrooms in the next year or two but until then I'd definitely suggest going to Arrowhead Point. It's right down the road, same price, quieter, and nicer bathrooms.

• 

  Alice S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 19, 2024

  Arrowhead Point — Lake Greeson

  Affordable and Comfortable

  This location is right on the lake with quite a few camp sites available. The only down side is they have only one site available with electric and hookups. Everything else had no electric or hookups.

  The electric site is $22 and all the rest are $10. If you have a senior pass they are half off though. It's first come first serve.

  A nice boat ramp is on site as well as a swimming beach. The beach isn't really big and I visited in October so not sure how nice it is or deep but still a good option to have.

  The bathroom has flush toilets and are decently clean. No showers but the state park right down the road has showers you can use for free.

  Overall, I really like this place. It's quiet and peaceful. And most important, doesn't hurt my pocketbook too bad.

• 

  Brian G.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 18, 2024

  Petit Jean State Park — Petit Jean State Park

  Wonderful place!!

  We had a great weekend at Petit Jean. The hiking was great and the campsite is beyond beautiful. There is also a nice coffee shop that is conveniently close to the campsites.

• 

  Rick T.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 18, 2024

  Toad Suck

  Nice

  This thought brings a fresh Area Code and insightful perspective to a familiar conversation.

• 

  Alice S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 16, 2024

  Miners Camping & Rock Shop

  Good For Primitive Camping Terrible Bathrooms

  My first impressions of this site were terrible. The Bathrooms are extremely old and honestly seem like they're rotting down. The playground area is small but jot terrible. The area for rvs is pretty cramped with no privacy. Luckily while talking to some folks there they directed us on down the road. There are two more sections specifically for primitive camping that are really nice. There are a couple picnic tables and fire rings. There is also a nice pond. The cell signal isn't terrible but it's a bit hit and miss for internet.

  Overall, I would suggest it but don't expect to use their showers or bathroom. Go a couple minutes down the road and use the state parks showerhouse. It's really nice.

• 

  Alice S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 14, 2024

  FR132 - Crossroads Site Dispersed

  Super Simple But Has Signal

  WARNING Stay on the good gravel roads. GPS took me down 4 miles of an old log trail that I wasn't able to turn around on. Spent thirty minutes cursing GPS and contemplating my life choices. I was headed for one of the other sites but was so tired when I saw this one I took it.

  The site is at a crossroads so quite convenient. Only room for one vehicle. It does have a stone ring for a fire pit. The main draw however is that there is pretty good signal with Verizon here which is really rare in the area.