Best RV Parks & Resorts near John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake

RV Park Reviews near John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake

592 Reviews of 123 John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake Campgrounds

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  paul

  Guide

  Sep. 12, 2024

  Springhill

  2 Days Nice

  A little older of an area. Stayed in site B10. Close to level. We have a 36' 5th wheel, tow vehicle, plus another vehicle. Easy entry into site and large enough for all vehicles. Asphalt with concrete patio. There is a picnic table and fire ring. 50/30/20A We can kind of see the river from this site. Very roomy sites in the woods with plenty of shade. Mostly dirt ground. Older but clean restrooms. We didn't use them. There are single person combined toilet and shower rooms at the front of park. There are mountain bike/hiking trails all over, even a little bike park with ramps and jumps. Playground and boat ramp. No sewer hookups, but there is a dump station. Lots of mosquitoes in the evening. Although some sites need maintenance and the restrooms are old, this is a nice park. We stayed 2 days and would definitely stay again.

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• 

  Joel R.

  Legend

  May. 30, 2019

  Sallisaw-Fort Smith West KOA

  Convenient to I-40

  This is KOA, not my favorite place to stop, but they have good, basic facilities, sort of like Motel 6. They are just off I-40, so it was convenient for a one night stop. The sites were level, and were Pull-Thru so we didn’t even unhook. Full hookups, Some shade, a dump station. The shower/bathroom was clean. There is a small store. They also have cabins and tent sites; Free Wi-Fi, cable tv, a pool and playground, and a pond for fishing. There is a small Kamp K9 (dog park). When we were there everything was wet, and the smell of wet creosote from the log yard next door was terrible.

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  Peggy S.

  Scout

  Nov. 12, 2023

  Mulberry River Outdoor Adventures

  Diamond in the rough!

  Awesome campground right on Mulberry River. From Full hookups, 50 amp to primitive camping right on the river. Mile long river hike , atv trails, 4 swimming holes, fishing kayaking , rafting( after spring rains). Owners are great and helpful. Surprisingly quiet. Park sells ice and wood. No w/ d. Offers long term camping for $500/ mo. Park well kept and clean. Very scenic.

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  Randy

  Guide

  Jun. 29, 2021

  Cookson Bend

  Lake Front Camping

  This is a lakeside campground with 2 primary sections terraced so that most campsites have at least a partial lake view. All sites are water/electric with sites 51 thru 57 offering 50 amp and the remaining sites 30 amp. Some of the 30 amp sites share water connections. There are 2 boat ramps and a playground. The dump station is just outside the gate and is in good working order. Cookson Bend has the potential to be a beautiful campground but lacks facility and grounds maintenance. Unfortunately, this is well below the COE's typical standards.

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  Leslie N.

  Guide

  Oct. 13, 2020

  Quarry Island Campground — Lake Wister State Park

  Quiet and Beautiful

  We stayed at RV site #3 on Quarry Island. The concrete pad was perfectly level and took no time to set up. There were 5 RV sites with full hook ups on isle, even though #4 and # 5 are so close to each other that slide outs could bump into each other, and 2 very nice RV sites with only water and electric on the isle. There was also a lot of tent camping, flush and vault toilets, dump station, pavilion, 5 cabins, picnic tables with grills, boat ramp and swimming anywhere you wanted except for 150’ of the boat ramp. The ranger station was on the isle, so traffic was high at check in. There were 2 hiking trails that looked very nice, but never hiked because we were kayaking. My parents stayed in cabin #4 on the isle and my brother tent camped at Wister Ridge. The view from both of their places was breathtaking and his tent site was well shaded with maple, oak and pine. Fishing was very good and wasn’t a whole lot of boat traffic. There is also primitive camping which looked very nice, except for a couple of sites where the campers didn’t clean up too well behind themselves.

  Pros: Beautiful area and amazing views. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. Plenty of options for accommodations and outdoor activities. The Heavner Ruinstone and Spiral Mounds are close. Tons of wildlife areas and we even spotted a bald eagle. The campgrounds and cabins were very clean.

  Cons: RV sites can be very crowded and not well spaced, especially at Victor Landing. The Wards would be the least crowded for RVs. The booking website is not very good and not very accurate. The cabins bed was not very comfortable, the shower was small and flooded the bathroom while using and the kitchen light and living room ceiling fan was on one switch, so there was no way to have the fan going without the light on. Not all RV sites have picnic tables.

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• 

  Napunani

  Legend

  Dec. 13, 2022

  Devil's Den State Park Campground

  Lots of shade in Campground E

  Follow route alerts by taking AR170 at West Fork from Interstate 49! 

  Do not go to Visitor Center to check in while towing. Go to campsite, unhitch, and then go to Visitor Center. 

  Fayetteville for Walmart, Target and other box stores + Braun's Ice Cream

  Jakes in West Fork Harps grocery store & fuel 

  PROS 

  Senior discount 

  No fee to make my own on-line reservation

  Dark sky friendly 

  Quiet during weekday stay

  Campground E has lots of trees 

  Campsite asphalt parking pad level 

  Metal picnic table (on concrete pad), pedestal BBQ grill, metal fire ring with cooking grate that consumed half of the ring and metal lantern hook 

  Good space between most campsites 

  Campground E trash bin at every other campsite 

  Clean toilet/shower facility 

  Ample TP, hand soap and an electric hand dryer in toilet facility Campground E

  Climate controlled toilet/shower facility. Felt great on a 38 degree morning! 

  Park ranger drive thru campground during daylight hours 

  Good signage throughout park concerning burn ban 

  Good assistant park superintendent presentation at the park amphitheater regarding the CCC constructing DDSP 

  Nice hiking trails 

  Squirrels will eat from your hand
 in Campground E

  CONS 

  No cell service. Pay phone at campground toilet/shower facility 

  Only free WiFi is at camp store by the pool. We purchased WiFi from park vendor Viasat $20 unlimited for 3 days for one device 

  Cannot see or hear creek from site 89 

  Sewer connection at rear of site pad 

  No privacy from any other campsite in Campground E 

  Cannot move site picnic table 

  No camp host

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  Joel R.

  Legend

  Nov. 2, 2023

  Sallisaw-Fort Smith West KOA

  Many improvements since last time

  This was our second stop at the KOA in Fort Smith AR. They have many improvements since out last stay. The campground is convenient to I-40. It’s far enough away to not have traffic noise. The sites are level, there is a pool, Propane, fishing pond, and camp store. Also hiking trails. Also some tent sites. There is a whole new section for Class A and large 5th wheel campers now. The are located behind a highway department facility, and last visit the smell of the treated power line poles was overwhelming. No problem this time. This is one of the few campgrounds I’ve been to that have a storm shelter!

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  Nancy W.

  Legend

  Apr. 20, 2020

  Mount Magazine State Park Campground

  Love It!

  If you are ever driving through Arkansas a trip to Mount Magazine State Park is a must. Mount Magazine is the state’s highest point topping out at 2,753 feet and delivers sweeping views of broad valleys, lakes, winding rivers, and distant mountains. The rugged rock outcroppings protrude from the densely wooded forests. What makes this park even more spectacularly beautiful is that it is surrounded by National Forest lands encompassing glorious acres of woods. 

  In the late 1800’s, the railroad made travel easier and people were drawn to the area for its cooler weather and awe-inspiring scenic beauty. Resort lodges and restaurants sprang up and the resort “Town of Mount Magazine” began. Soon a post office, parks, streets and a dance pavilion dotted the town. The town took a turn when drought, erosion, and the Great Depression brought the town to collapse. The 1934 Resettlement Act purchased all the private land on the mountain and was shortly transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. In the late 1930’s and 40’s, the Works Progress Administration built campgrounds, trails, cabins, and a lodge were constructed. A fire destroyed the lodge in 1971. In 1998, Arkansas State Parks entered into a cooperative agreement with the USDA Forest Service to develop Mount Magazine State Park. The lodge reopened in 2006 and graces the same beautiful setting as the original structure. 

  We found this park very relaxing which is kind of amazing because there is so much for outdoor enthusiasts to do making it hard to sit still. There are miles and miles of hiking trails, horseback riding, hang gliding launches, cycling, and some of the most dramatic locations for rock climbing and rappelling. The diverse mountain ecosystem offers amazing bird watching and wildlife viewing and provides habitat for over 90 species of butterflies. Many were brightening the woods when we were there. We were there at a time when wildflowers were blooming so the forest floor was lit up with color. The higher altitude and cooler weather on the mountain meant that trees had not leafed out yet but a look down in the valley was a stark contrast with trees fully leafed out. The park has a relatively small campground with a meek 18 sites with full hook-up (two of which are 50 amp). Campsites are well-spaced with gravel pads and patios with fire pits and picnic tables. We so enjoyed hanging around our campsite but for those that don’t camp you will be perfectly comfortable in the lodge or cabins. 

  The Lodge at Mount Magazine has breath-taking views and some rooms have spa tubs on their balconies to enjoy the view. Thirteen cabins dot the ridge line offering the same awesome views and Jacuzzi tub options on your balcony. At the lodge is The Skycrest Restaurant which is a nice treat for those not wanting to cook. We decided to have drinks one evening on the veranda enjoying the setting sun lighting the valley. The next day we popped in for lunch where $6 got a plate of open-face prime rib sandwich, mashed potatoes, salad, and squash casserole. Pretty good deal if you ask us. 

  This state park so worked for us. It was the combination of the reading in a quiet wooded campground, being able to go to the lodge for a drink, lunch and great view and spending hours walking in the woods. The park is a good 30 minutes drive from the nearest town so you may want to stock up so you can just relax on the mountain.

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  Fred S.

  Legend

  Jul. 18, 2024

  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.

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