Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Mansfield, AR

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.

Springhill Park in Fort Smith is yet another great U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground and recreation area. We are huge fans of Corps parks for numerous reasons and this one did not disappoint. The campground is set among tall trees adjacent to the John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake and James W. Trimble Lock and Dam of the Arkansas River. The park is located in Barling, Arkansas which is just a short drive from downtown Fort Smith. The area offers plenty of sights to see (especially for history buffs) and interesting things to do. 

The campground is open year-round. Campsites can be booked on-line at recreation.gov except during the off-season (Nov- Feb) when all sites are walk-in. The park has 44 total sites divided into two loops– one with 30 amp electric (A loop) and the other with 50 amp (B loop). Water is available at some sites and at the centrally-located dump station. Finding out which sites have water on recreation.gov is a bit confusing. When looking at the “site list” page you will notice no sites have water listed as an“amenity” but it does list the electric. To find out if a site has water, click on the link for specific details of a particular site and it will indicate if there is water hook ups. 

All sites and roads are paved and easy to navigate in a big rig. Many sites are very long with only eleven sites being less than 45’ in length(and only seven under 40’). One major downside of this park is that only about half the sites(in Loop B) were not flat enough for us to get level without having the wheels off the ground. Smaller RVs or trailers that use blocks instead of automatic leveling jacks should be able to get level. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit. The sites in A Loop(pictured below) have a paved parking space adjacent to the paved RV pad. Campsites are closer together and have fewer trees creating a more open feel than in the B Loop but do back-up to a small pond that makes for a nice view. 

We stayed in site B1 and loved the privacy and tall trees surrounding the site and the large grassy field next to us. Sites B9 and B11 have great views of the water and offer plenty of room between you and your neighbor while others are tucked nicely into the trees. The patios in B Loop(pictured to the right) have a concrete patio on a cement pad. Most of the patios are located at the back of the campsite. We picked up roughly 15 television channels (including the three major networks) with our antenna. Trees may prevent you from getting satellite if your dish is fixed on the roof. 

Located in both loops are a bath/shower building(which were very clean), playground, and pavilion. There are hiking/mountain biking trails that leave from the campground. Mountain biking is a big deal here and there is a 10-mile"fast" trail where experienced bikers race frequently. Other amenities include basketball courts, boat launch and picnic pavilions. 

The park is a few miles from Fort Smith proper and about eight miles to downtown attractions including the National Historical Park. Within two miles are a few restaurants, gas station, and a super Walmart is less than four miles away. The area immediately surrounding the park is a nice part of town that felt safe to us. What we liked was that this park has well-spaced sites, a nice wooded setting and a site with the amenities of electric, water, and a pavement. The location was great to downtown Fort Smith so you didn’t feel isolated if you wanted to go sight-seeing, out to eat, or shopping. Being right on the lake meant we could easily go kayaking or fishing and there were plenty of places to walk throughout the property. Access to the park is easy and manageable for a big-rig towing a car. The price$20/night (or$10 for senior pass holders) is quite the deal. This park is great for dogs with lots of room to walk, trails, and places to swim. 

The only ding was that if this park would have had sewer at the site. But we loved it anyway and would definitely stay here again. The other ding this park gets is the fact that so many sites are unlevel.

I have been to devil's den MANY times. I've always loved it and have never had any issues. I send many, many friends to the park to go camping. We drive nearly 5 hours to go. Well, until my trip this weekend. I'm a covid front lines worker and haven't had a weekend off in far too long, so I brought a friend with me and my dogs to go camping. The campground claims to be dog friendly. Also, quiet time is at 10 pm, which is fine. Long, long after 10 pm there are people up partying, playing loud music, screaming and laughing and walking all around the campground. Each time they'd get near our site, or walk through our site, my dogs would bark....as dogs do. Also, there were at least 4 other sites with dogs that were barking as the parade would walk through as well. The next day, the super trooper park police come by and tell me that there were complaints of dogs barking. I explained the situation and that their barks followed after the late night frat party going on, accompanied along with other dogs. I ask if they're going to talk to the partiers who broke quiet time rules,"well, no. They're allowed to walk around"(completely disregarding the noise part of it). I asked if they're going to talk to other dog owners,"well, we didn't see any other dogs"(mind you, I could see dogs from my site while we were talking). They told me I had to keep my dogs quiet or we were gone. I motioned towards where I had hung up tarps around their kennel, and said this would fix most of it as long as the parade doesn't walk around loudly again. They said if I can't find a solution, we were gone. Two of these super troopers came up while my friend and I were napping, onto our site, one of them towered over me with an attitude and a complete disregard for my personal space, as if he were trying to intimidate me(no masks). The other one was appropriate and kind. This was absolutely ridiculous. They didn't address any of the other problems. They chose our site, 2 young females. Perhaps a course on conflict resolution for the 7 foot super trooper would be in order. I'm beyond disappointed in this experience, and doubt I will be back. NOT a dog friendly park.

Devil's Den is a gorgeous parked tucked in the mountains of Arkansas.  The primary campground for RVs is one of the better campgrounds I have seen.  The facilities and amenities have been great.  The sites are generally spacious.  If you want the best experience - grab one of the sites along the ridge (83, 85, 87) - these have a great view off the back and offer incredible space.  There are several hiking trails within the park and other activities during warmer months (i.e. pool).  If you have a large rig - make sure to take the West Fork exit off I-49 vs. the south exit (Winslow).  There's no cell service whatsoever but Wifi (paid) is offered by the park.  Make sure to stock up on supplies beforehand - there are not many options within that area as far as food and services.