Best Cabin Camping near Hot Springs, AR

This is an absolutely beautiful state park 30 minutes Northwest of Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is massive with a Marina, multiple swimming beaches, RV and tent camping plus cabin rentals.

We stayed in campground Area A, on a concrete pad with tons of space around the camper. Many RV sites overlook Lake Ouachita, though ours didn’t.

If you are there over a weekend, I highly recommend taking the sunset tour by the park service at the marina. It is two hours, $10 per adult and stunning. With the recent heat wave it was also much cooler then the afternoon cruises.

Great place for hiking and taking in nice variety of views at Arkansas's first state park. Cabins can be rented, RV & tent camping sites available. Modern bath houses with showers and toilets were clean. Cedar Creek flows through this park and Cedar Falls is impressive. We were there in late March and the creek was flowing good after recent rains. But it can be only a trickle during dry periods. Enjoyed the trail along the creek. Another nice view was from a point looking down over the Arkansas River and valley below.

We absolutely love it here. Wonderful trails,fishing,cabins and camp sites and tons of photo opportunities. The waterfall was flowing a little on the low side. That's not unusual since it is the end of summer. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend taking the family.

A short drive from Hot Springs you will find this park with amazing views. The best tent sites that are not close to the water are 82, 83 or 84; however, we recommend the ones closest to the water. The park has a marina where you can rent boats, kayaks and paddleboats.
Our site had a fire ring, a few trees for our hammock and the bathrooms were very clean.
We travel with our dog Lulu and she enjoyed the trails and the water too!

This weekend we camped at DeGray Lake Resort State Park in Bismarck, Arkansas. We had a blast! DeGray Lake has a lot to offer for groups large and small wanting to get away. It has several camping spaces with water and electric hook ups (about $22/night), yurts (about $55/night), a lodge (about $100/night), a marina to rent boats or buy bait, several daily activities for children or adults of all ages (some free and some about $5-15/person), horse riding stables (no experience required, about $30/ride 1 hour trail), a full golf course, playgrounds, pavilions, overall clean facilities, and a restaurant. Although our bank fishing experience wasn’t so great, I’m sure with a boat it would have been better. And for those that want to make the camping trip into the ultimate family vacation, this park is about a 30 minute drive from Hot Springs, AR where there is tons to do like restaurants, mini golf, shopping, and we even decided to get ice cream at Scoops (24 homemade flavors and delicious)! We will definitely be back for a visit!!

Let me just start this out by saying, selecting a spot in Arkansas you are overwhelmed with options. State parks flourish and individual campgrounds seem to be countless. When traveling to the Hot Springs area It was a toss up as to which location would bear suit my journey, not only as a campground but as a part of the adventure. I elected to try Lake Catherine State Park, located just 10 miles outside of Hot Springs.

What sold me on this site were the numerous hiking trails, but what surprised me when I arrived were the lakeside water rentals located on premise as well as the actual beach recreation area.

I arrived later in the day and quickly made my camp in the primitive tent area. These sites have no water or electric hook ups however a very nice restroom facilities within 100 yards. They also boast a playground for the kids, not the only of the site. I was greeted by other campers and the sense of community was high at this facility.

My campsite included a table and grill and was nearby a fire ring. The area was much flatter than many camp areas and made for a quick site selection. In the distance deer grazed as the sun was setting.

The next morning I ventured toward the marina and was excited to find they have numerous boats for any level of experience available. Larger units available for full or half day use and smaller units for full or half day along with by the hour.

Hiking trails were my next stop after learning of the various skill levels including ADA accessible, moderate and difficult.

In addition to primitive camping the park offers RV and non-primitive tent camping. Also available are Yurt and Cabin rentals.

Office contains limited food and beverage options as well as supplies for lake visitors and a full picnic area overlooking the beach. Bathrooms and washrooms are scattered throughout the park and are kept impeccably clean with high water pressure.

Cell signal was good even on the remote trails during my stay.

This is by far one of the nicest parks I have camped not only on this journey but on any. Staff was knowledgeable about the park and others of the state and very helpful.

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Easy 5 of 5 Bunnies. I will return!

Definitely my favorite park in Arkansas so far. It’s a really big park at the lake with lots to do. I was there in the fall so I didn’t do any lake stuff but still had a great time tent camping. There’s a nice hiking trail to explore. Also, the bathrooms were the cleanest I’ve ever seen at a state park. All the tent sites have a gravel pad, grill, picnic table and fire ring. There are also walk in tent sites on the peninsula which are nice and quiet. If you get one at the end I’d say it’s probably 200 meters to the parking lot and bathrooms. I peeked into one of the cabins and they look really nice. They also have camper cabins that have heat/air but no bathroom. In all there are 93 RV/tent sites, 8 cabins and 4 camper cabins. The park is also near Hot Springs so there is lots to do.

I really like this campground. Really pretty location. Great hiking trails, waterfall, a marina where you can rent a paddle board, kayak, canoe or pedal boat. It also has cabins, a camp store and seasonal riding stable so you can take a trail ride. It’s also convenient location to visit Hot Springs.

This park is beautiful, wooded, many amenities.  There are lakefront, lake view, and other sites. There are full hookup, electric and water only, and tent areas. There are cabins, a lodge, and an amphitheater. The lake is beautiful. There is plenty of wildlife, including deer, squirrels, and others.  It is located near Hot Springs to the north,  I 30 to the south. Garman Gardens is near. There seems to be a nice breeze most of the time. Our only problem was the water source was on the opposite side from the electric hookup.

Arkansas’ first and most popular state park. Lake with rental boats, trailer and tent site loops, lodge/hotel/cabins. Outstanding natural features, some of which are easily accessible. Very popular in the fall. Big waterfall with rugged trail to the bottom. Can’t see it all in a weekend!

This park is on a little peninsula that juts out into Lake Ouachita, the largest lake system in AR. It’s near the edge of the giant National Forest and close to Hot Springs National Park. The lake is beautiful with very ragged edges and islands so there is a lot to explore by boat, plus two or three hiking trails that take you to a lovely overlook. There are a few different areas to camp, some are very close to the water and some are a little further.

Yay: ranger programs, educational displays, swimming beach, cabins and traditional tent/RV camping. You can rent boats onsite and you will want to! Clean and renovated facilities, nice and simple.

Nay: campsites are not very private, make sure you have a boat!

Surprise: Exceptionally lovely views, good wildlife, amazing sunsets.

We used this State Park as our base camp for visits to Hot Springs National Park and Garvan Woodland Gardens

We stayed in the walk-in section of the park. It was not a far walk from the parking lot and easy to transport gear. There was also a bathroom with-in close walking distance.

The campsites themselves had a tent pad, a table, and fire ring. There were two communal water spouts along the path that were shared by the 12 sites.

The sites aren't too close to each other, which allows you to have some privacy.

Each site can have a maximum of 8 people on each one.

The walk-in sites are on a peninsula, which makes for great views, but the wind can be an issue.

The Park itself also has a play ground, a marina, a beach, a spring, cabins, and geocaching.

We visited for Easter and even with the chill it was a good trip. We were on the hill top, the view was limited but the night sky awesome. It was busy with many families but we had more then enough space to set up and plenty of privacy. The facilities were older but in good shape and well maintained. Plenty of activities to do around the park and on the water. Excellent family get away. Hot Springs is within easy driving distance.

Great getaway! Hours of hiking with the whole family. Beautiful scenes. Splurged on a cabin and worth it! Lodge restaurant was good with nice lodge pool. The views off the lodge are stunning. Worth our drive from TX. We will tent next time!

One of the best lakes/ parks I’ve visited. I went to Arkansas to visit the Hot Springs National Park, and left wishing I had stayed longer in Ouachita rather than visit Hot Springs. Great camping site, enough space for two tents. Beautiful trails to hike and bike. The fishing was equally as good.

We visited the walk-in tent sites for 5 days in late June and had a wonderful time. These sites are out on a peninsula and although the weather brought us 104° for a few days in a row, with the breeze on the peninsula and the lake water, it was manageable and even pleasant. All of the sites are beautiful and there is a cart provided to transport your gear from vehicle to your reserved spot. All sites appeared to gave direct lake access, some with a little steeper hill, but all manageable. The lake is a rock bottom entry so I'd highly advise to bring water shoes. Entering the area, on the right, the sites are on the no wake zone but I felt comfortable with the kids swimming on either side safely. The marina has kayak rentals and also canoes, boat rides, pedal boats, etc. Restrooms/bathhouse is a short walk with the parking lot in between the campsites and building. Each were clean and individual with a toilet, shower, sink combo in each. The camp hosts were so nice and friendly and the rangers were super helpful. The water was clear and you could see small fish swimming below. Firewood, ice, snacks, and bait could all be purchased from the check-in or marina. Hot Spring is a short maybe 15 min drive. Definitely check out Bathhouse Row, the national hot spring park and if you are into Star Wars, get tickets for a VIP tour of Galaxy Connections. Back at Lake Ouachita is the Three Sisters Springs which is a super cool little quick visit and you can fill up your own water bottles or jugs straight from the cold springs. We loved every minute at Lake Ouachita and were so sad to leave.

Lake Catherine State Park, like all Arkansas state parks, is immaculately clean!  Most RV sites have close access to the water and there are small stationary docks to park your boat. 

 A short trail leads you to a waterfall or take the longer trail for a fun hike through the woods.  Swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking are all a part of the fun. 

The cabins are rustic but well-appointed.  All cabins have water views.  

No matter the time of year, Lake Catherine State Park is a wonderful place to visit.

Gorgeous setting on pristine Lake Catherine close to historic Hot Springs. I was in lakefront site 123 for one night but would have liked to stay longer. The water front sites near the boat dock were my favorite and easy to back into. All sites appear to be spacious with grass and fire pits. The canoe, kayak and boat rentals are in good condition, the paved sites and roads are very smooth and level, the office/lodge and facilities are definitely above average here and quite modern. While the setting is gorgeous on its own, this park has spared no expense on their facilities. The pool and adjacent waterfall are 5 star resort level. The climbing and ropes course is enormous and will make any kid’s jaw drop in disbelief. There’s an affiliated zip line just outside of the park. The hiking paths are lovely and wooded, and the tent campsites are on their own in a grassy meadow away from the RVs. The Yurts looked very nice from the outside. The shower rooms are large and stone tiled, however it looks like the ceiling needs some drywall attention or is amidst a construction project during my stay.

I am quite fond of the state parks in Arkansas and this was a clean, quiet, beautiful and safe location near Hot Springs. I was very happy that I could also bring my dog. When I reached my campsite my booking tag was already there and there was some firewood placed on the fire pit for me already. I was only a minute walk from restroom facilities. I also found it was very easy to book last minute after receiving a recommendation from a local barista.

Huge sites Beautiful waterfall Close to downtown Hot Springs

Well kept park on Lake Catherine right outside of Hot Springs. It has a quiet remote feel with easy access to sightseeing in Hot Springs. I spent a day walking around Hot Springs, 3 days hiking trails in Lake Catherine State Park and a day at Garvan Gardens, all a short drive away. The park is immaculate and the grounds crew is really amazing, cleaning every site thoroughly before the next camper arrives. Trash pickup at your site every morning. Bathrooms and showers are very clean and at $1.50 per load the laundromat was one of the least expensive I’ve seen (and the dryers were great!) Wifi was good during the week and we were able to stream movies, except on the busy weekend evening when it bogged down. We had 2 bars cell service with T-Mobile. Check in was easy as was backing into our lake front spot. Would definitely stay here again!