Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Lake Dardanelle, AR is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Lake Dardanelle is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Lake Dardanelle, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"Owner is great and mostly around checking on things. Clean, well maintained, safe, easy in and out, quiet, small park. 8 full hook up pull through sites in front. We will be back."
"Quiet. If you are looking for a peaceful, quiet place, away from the city, this is a great place. I love it. Have stayed several times in several different sites. Will stay again. "
$35 - $450 / night
"It is very close to the lake and we were able to make up our own little hike. Night time noises included some trains although they didn't whistle. There is also some highway noise."
$37 / night
"Nice level pull-through lots. Hot showers, laundry, small play area. Very quiet except for the birds that wake you in the morning. Close to town but feels like the country."
"Game/exercise room. 5 minutes to anything you need, but still feels secluded."
$50 / night
"The view of Black Mountain at sunset is amazing! We love the well-kept grounds and spacious back in RV sites. They also have tent camping that you can book online."
"We love the view of the mountain and the fact that we can ride our ATV to the Turner Bend Store to get gasoline and sandwiches. Mill Creek trailhead just 2 miles north from our campsite."
$15 - $425 / night
"Peaceful and quite. Not only is it right on the lake with multiple fishing docks plus a boat ramp, but there is a private fishing pond in the middle of the park as well"
"It was somewhat tight getting a big rig in and out. And the parking spots are pretty close to each other. Everything was well kept up and maintained."
"It’s a former KOA campground with all those amenities but older. Nice pond along the tent camping area. RV pull through are a little tight but you pull in alternating so you backside to backside."
"Great little out of the way campground that allows access to all of Mount Magazine"
"I was running late due to the distance. They called to check on us and left instructions in a box at the office with site number, WiFi, bath codes. Again very nice owners."
LegendCamped here on May 1, 2025. This is one of my favorite state parks in the USA. Lots to do here. Fantastic hiking trails - rated from easy to difficult. Since I live only 45 minutes from this park, I normally come here for the day for hiking. This time, I got around to trying out the park's campground. This popular campround is divided into 4 areas - A through D. There are a total of 125 campsites, including 26 pull-through sites. Thirty-five of the sites are Class AAA sites which have 50 amp electrical, water, and sewer hookups. There are 90 Class B sites offering 30 amp electrical and water hookups. All sites are reservable. Tent and hammock camping is possible depending on the sites. I camped at site 103 in Area D. The staff at the office helped me pick this site for my campervan. The site had water and 30amp service. The restroom/shower house was clean and well maintained. The campsite itself was dated but clean. The site was large and had trees around it offering a little bit of privacy. The pull-thru drieway was close to the campground road. The site included a picnic table, tent pad, lantern pole, metal fire ring, and grill. Solar charging and Starlink connectivity may not be possible at this site; Area C has an open sky above it. There was some road noise from vehicles driving on Petit Jean Mountain Road which is behind the site. Received good AT&T 5G cell service, but little to no T-Mobile 2G service. Areas C and D are in the woods. Most of the sites in these areas are on the small size but should easily accomodate a truck camper and smaller. Not all sites are level. Areas A and B can accomodate large rigs and towables.
ScoutAwesome 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.
LegendPROS
No reservation transaction fee
Senior discount
Quiet
Moveable metal picnic table on a concrete pad, pedestal BBQ grill, fire ring with cooking grate, and one hook lantern pole
Site 14 partially shady
Good condition asphalt parking pad with gravel and grass surrounding
Good view of lake from Site 14
Sites well spaced
Campground A toilet/shower building clean and sufficiently stocked. Heated but not air conditioned.
Site 14 more than long enough for trailer and tow vehicle
Dark sky friendly as there are no street lights in Campground A
Very nice 6ft wide asphalt bike trail from Campground B to Mather Lodge
(approximately 1.75 miles) CCC Hike and Bike Trail
New Visitor Center built 2021
Beautiful CCC built Mather Lodge
(restaurant added in 2012)
Grass throughout campground mowed
Firewood sold in the yards of residences along State Road 154
CONS
Site 14 extremely unlevel side to side
No privacy from other campsites
No entrance security gate to the park or any campgrounds as State Road 154 cuts thru the park
No park ranger drive thrus
Mather Lodge Restaurant OK. Don't expect much from the menu or service but it has a full bar
3 of our 4 day stay there was a religious group prophetlytizing at the Park Visitor Center WIFI only at Lodge and Visitors Center
NO TMOBILE service
RangerBeautiful park with lots of space between spots and large green belt areas to enjoy. The hiking trails were fun and challenging with not many people and we hiked with our dogs. We stayed in a pull through site in Loop A, Spot 29 with full hookups. It had plenty of room for trailer and truck parking and was pretty level. There was no wifi or cell service for T-Mobile. We rode our bikes to the Visitor Center to access wifi and were able to get cell service at the Mather Lodge overlook. There is a really nice walking / bike trail from the campgrounds to the Mather Lodge. The park is well maintained with clean bathrooms and showers. Trash bins were located throughout the camping area. We will visit here again.
LegendIf 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.
LegendThe 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.
LegendCamped here on Wednesday May 15, 2024. In the Piney Creek WMA, part of the Ozark National Forest north of Hector, Arkansas. Large camping area at a high clearance ATV trailhead, FR1322A, just off Adams Mountain Road (gravel road). The site has at least 2 established fire rings. Site is suitable for group dispersed camping. It looks like it can accomodate up to 3 truck camper size rigs. No problem with finding a level spot for our camper van. The ATV trail is a nice hiking trail into the forest. The trail has a handful of 4x4 obstacles along the way. A 1 1/4 mile hike takes you to a small unnamed waterfall, which may not be running during the dry season. The site is close to Adams Mountain Rd. We camped here during mid-week & only five vehicles passed by during the evening, with headlights briefly shining into the site. The area & fire rings were clean. Campsite surface is dirt, with lots of poison ivy in the surrounding foliage. Overall, this is a good spot; nothing special, but nice. T-Mobile 5G service (2 bars). Intermittent AT&T LTE service.
LegendCan'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.
TravelerNice level pull-through lots. Hot showers, laundry, small play area. Very quiet except for the birds that wake you in the morning. Close to town but feels like the country.
Discover the charm of RV camping near Lake Dardanelle in Arkansas, where beautiful landscapes and well-equipped parks await outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular RV campsite near Lake Dardanelle?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Lake Dardanelle is Grape Country RV Park with a 4.8-star rating from 5 reviews.
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