Best Campgrounds near Mountain Pine, AR

Mountain Pine, Arkansas sits at the edge of Lake Ouachita, where camping options range from developed state parks to smaller Corps of Engineers sites. Lake Ouachita State Park offers 93 RV and tent sites plus cabins on a peninsula extending into the lake's clear waters. Stephens Park Campground, located directly in Mountain Pine, provides nine full-hookup sites along the Ouachita River. Several campgrounds in the area feature waterfront access, including Brady Mountain and Crystal Springs, which accommodate both tent and RV campers with varied amenities.

Most campgrounds in the Mountain Pine region remain open year-round, though services may be limited during winter months. Lake Ouachita State Park maintains three camping areas with full hookups for RVs, while walk-in tent sites occupy a scenic peninsula. Reservations are recommended, particularly for summer weekends when waterfront sites fill quickly. The region experiences hot, humid summers and mild winters, making spring and fall ideal camping seasons. Cell service varies throughout the area, with most campgrounds reporting at least minimal coverage. "The lake was gorgeous! I wish we had more time to walk trails, but we were just stopping for the night. My only complaint is that the campground was crowded and the spots were all very close together."

Waterfront camping dominates the Mountain Pine area, with sites directly on Lake Ouachita receiving consistently high ratings from visitors. The crystal-clear waters of Lake Ouachita provide excellent swimming, fishing and boating opportunities, with boat rentals available at marinas within the state park. Stephens Park Campground, though smaller, offers a quieter alternative with sites along the Ouachita River. A camper noted, "This is a small campground with 9 sites and they are huge. I believe it is site 3 that is right on the water. Water is ice cold and clear. Clearest I have seen." Hiking trails connect many campgrounds to scenic overlooks, including paths near Blakely Dam. Proximity to Hot Springs National Park (approximately 20 minutes away) allows campers to combine outdoor recreation with visits to the historic spa city.

Best Camping Sites Near Mountain Pine, Arkansas (209)

    1. Gulpha Gorge Campground — Hot Springs National Park

    75 Reviews
    Hot Springs National Park, AR
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 620-6715

    $34 / night

    "There are many positives to this campground well beyond the proximity itself. With electricity at all sites and a flat rate it seems to have a lot of positives to check off."

    "With close proximity to the town of Hot Springs, AR, this campground is well maintained and convenient but lacks in privacy. I stayed here as an overnight while driving north through the Midwest."

    2. Lake Ouachita State Park Campground

    47 Reviews
    Mountain Pine, AR
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 287-2757

    "This state park sits on one of the prettiest and clearest lakes in the state of Arkansas. The area that I will be focusing on is the primitive tent sites."

    "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."

    3. Lake Catherine State Park Campground

    83 Reviews
    Jones Mill, AR
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 844-4176

    $15 - $25 / night

    "We stayed in site 54 (w/e/s) that was right on the lake. We could walk to the dock right behind the site to fish, although did not have very good luck."

    "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. "

    4. COE Lake Ouachita Crystal Springs Campground

    45 Reviews
    Royal, AR
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 991-3390

    $14 - $80 / night

    "Arkansas has variable weather in January. Cold clear day today but higher temps predicted for later in the week. Many sites available. Beautiful views."

    "This site also backs to the lake which is nice except that people would park their boats on the shore and walk through the site at which I was camped. This was a first for me."

    5. Hot Springs National Park KOA

    22 Reviews
    Hot Springs, AR
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 624-5912

    "Laundry was a bit small especially in a world of social distancing but clean. You have to drive through the entire campground to get to the lower sites."

    "The sites are close to each other, but they are stair stepped, so you feel like you have more privacy which was really nice."

    6. Catherine's Landing

    25 Reviews
    Hot Springs, AR
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 262-2550

    "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 lake was beautiful and very natural. However if you like roughing it and being close to the water, you better have an RV of some sort or you'll miss the good spots."

    7. Treasure Isle R.V. Park

    16 Reviews
    Royal, AR
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 767-6852

    $45 - $95 / night

    "All sites are pull through and some are located on Lake Hamilton."

    "Nice and quite, right on the Ouachita River / lake Hamilton. Very friendly and helpful staff"

    8. Brady Mountain

    12 Reviews
    Royal, AR
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 760-1146

    $16 - $50 / night

    "Although the first campsites certainly looked quite close to each other, as you get further back into the campground the sites seemed to have more room."

    "I was in #66 so it was a little busy with traffic (right on the main entrance and exit)."

    9. Stephens Park Campground

    10 Reviews
    Mountain Pine, AR
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (501) 767-2101

    $30 - $50 / night

    "Be sure you follow the email confirmation directions or put in Stephens Park Recreation Area, Blakely Dam Rd, Mountain Pine, AR 71956 as there is also Lake Ouachita State Park in the area."

    "This is a decent small campground of eight sites, right next to the lake, and there are bathroom facilities that are fairly clean and showers."

    10. Brady Mountain - Lake Ouachita

    10 Reviews
    Royal, AR
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 767-2101

    $50 / night

    "BUT the views of the lake from almost all of the 74 sites are amazing!!! There are more 1st come 1st serve sites than reservable. It seems the reservable sites go really fast in peak season."

    "Proximity to Hot Springs is great, Lake Ouachita is beautiful. About 3 miles west is a fantastic smokehouse (Burl's) with excellent eats. We will return someday for sure."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 209 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Recent Reviews near Mountain Pine, AR

1160 Reviews of 209 Mountain Pine Campgrounds


  • B
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Maumelle Park

    Love the campground !

    Traveling through Arkansas and landed at this beautiful park! Spacious sites and beautiful area! Tried to get a water site but they were full. But after arriving we realized that there really aren’t any bad sites. We stayed in B14 and had lots of room and the area was great. Great place for dog walking and even a trail to take her on. Our Labrador loved it here too. Many picnic areas as well as a concrete picnic table at each site. Lots of trees and shade. Very relaxing and peaceful. Would love to come back!

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2025

    Cherokee Park (Arkansas River) — Arkansas River Rockefeller Lake

    Best Corps of Engineers campground

    A beautiful spot with both lakeside campsites and shaded sites. All spaced for plenty of privacy. Each site has  power and water. Bathrooms are clean and have showers. $26 per night or $13 if you have a federal pass. I used my senior lifetime pass. Strong cell: 3 bars of 5G Verizon.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2025

    FR94 Dispersed Campsite

    Peaceful site in the Quachitas

    Coordinates: 34.86190,-92.90667. Camped here Sept 9, 2025. Large dirt and grass site; very clean. May accommodate a truck camper or 2 smaller vehicles. Mostly level. Tent and hammock camping possible. No privacy from the road. The site has a rock fire ring. The site is surrounded by forest with the Flatside Wilderness Area just across the forest road. There are no hiking trails near the campsite, but there are opportunities to stroll and explore in the forest. The site is mostly shaded; Starlink connectivity may be a challenge. AT&T LTE service. Sporadic T-Mobile service. Quiet location. No one drove by during our stay. Note that there are a couple of dead trees in the middle of this site; choose the position of your vehicle and/or tent carefully. The Flatside Pinnacle hiking trailhead and parking for the Ouachita National Recreation Trail are located 3/4 of a mile north of the site along FR94. The forest roads approaching the site from the south are in good condition. In my opinion, I don't recommend anything larger that a truck camper. The approach from the north, however, is not as good. FR94 and FR805 are eroded at the higher elevations; lots of exposed embedded rocks. I believe a 2wd passenger car can very carefully get through this area with air-downed tires.

  • Benjamin S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Toad Suck

    ACOE Toad Suck

    Great little campground. Decently maintained. Most of the sites have concrete pads big enough for a couple tents. Solid concrete picnic table with a roof over it was nice. Parking was not very level but our 38ft schoolie fit fine with enough room for our car.

  • Amanda F.
    Oct. 3, 2025

    Mount Nebo State Park Campground

    Great place

    One of the best places I have camped in a while. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Nice trails and panoramic views.

  • mThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2025

    COE Lake Ouachita Crystal Springs Campground

    Must visit !

    Beautiful campground! Sites are spacious. Area is clean and lots of things to do. Near Hot Springs so we did a lot of exploring there.

  • Kenneth F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 21, 2025

    Hot Springs Arkansas Finish Line RV Park Walk to Oaklawn and Bathhouse Row

    Nice little park

    This is a nice little gated park. Close to the national park in Hot Springs Arkansas. And right next door to the flat track/casino. It’s pretty new, but not really any extra amenities. 20/30/50 amp full hookups. Concrete pads, and paved streets. Laundry and bath house. Inexpensive. We’d definitely stay here again!

  • Ray & Terri F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2025

    DeGray Lake Resort State Park — De Gray State Park

    Very quiet and secluded CG

    We have a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow and stayed in site 12 for 1 night in mid September. The CG is clean and well maintained but showing its age. The CG roads are paved, but narrow, winding, and fairly bumpy in spots. Few if any of the sites in this section of the CG were anywhere close to level and our site, one of the few pull-throughs, was one of the worst, I mean seriously sloped even after ratcheting up the front levelers as far as they’d go. The CG is very quiet and peaceful. There was only one other camper in this section of the CG while we were there. 

    AT&T coverage was basically nonexistent with 1 bar of LTE service but very little if any throughput. The CG is heavily wooded, so Starlink was unusable.

  • alicianlv The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 16, 2025

    Crater of Diamonds State Park Campground

    Diamond Mining Fun

    What a lovely state park campground. Sites are just close enough not to be crowded. Facilities on site were clean and well maintained. Nice to have a hot shower after mining for diamonds. Will make note that best time to come is October-November. Visitor center was somewhat dated, would have thought they would have basic food stuff and more camper supplies. Other than that it was a nice place and we will come again!

    PS if you have a dog who likes to dig this is a nice place for them to help you dig.


Guide to Mountain Pine

Camping sites near Mountain Pine, Arkansas center around Lake Ouachita, the largest lake entirely within state borders at 40,000 acres of clear water. Temperatures average 91°F in summer months with humidity levels exceeding 80%, while spring and fall offer more moderate conditions with daytime temperatures between 65-75°F. Winter camping remains available but facilities operate with reduced services when temperatures occasionally drop below freezing.

What to do

**Fishing opportunities: Water clarity at COE Lake Ouachita Crystal Springs Campground makes it ideal for various fishing techniques. "The creeks are crystal clear and fun to wade around in. Most the campsites are at the waters edge. We fished at night for catfish and caught what we needed," shares Melanie W.

**Crystal digging excursions: Several mining operations within 30 minutes of Mountain Pine allow visitors to search for quartz crystals. "Went crystal digging at Coleman which was also unbelievable. Will definitely go back when half the US is underwater!" reports Ber M. from Crystal Springs Campground.

**Zip-line adventures: Located at Catherine's Landing, this activity provides an aerial view of the landscape. "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," explains Taylor D.

**Disc golf: Catherine's Landing maintains a course that accommodates various skill levels. "Loads of amenities such as a pool, store, boat rentals, zip line and disc golf," notes Kimberly L., highlighting the variety of recreational options available.

What campers like

**Lakefront privacy: Brady Mountain - Lake Ouachita offers multiple waterfront sites with varying levels of seclusion. "Our site was spacious & level, I just wish I selected one on the upper loop- the views are nicer as well as the breeze," writes Bob M., providing insight on site selection.

**Wildlife viewing: Bird watching opportunities abound throughout the region. Thomas W. from Crystal Springs Campground notes, "We saw eagles every day and fishing was great," highlighting the natural encounters possible during a stay.

**Water quality: The exceptional clarity of Lake Ouachita stands out to visitors. Sandy H. from Stephens Park Campground observes, "Water is ice cold and clear. Clearest I have seen. You can fish or swim right here or go to other side of the damn and water is warmer."

**Hiking trails: Multiple trail systems connect many campgrounds to scenic overlooks. "Very nice trails, ranger programs, educational displays, swimming beach, cabins and traditional tent/RV camping," comments Lynn G. about recreational options in the region.

What you should know

**Cell service variations: Signal strength differs significantly between camping areas. MickandKarla W. reports from Stephens Park, "We got 2 bars on Verizon, which was manageable for internet and phone calls," while others note complete dead zones in lower-elevation sites.

**Site spacing concerns: Many campgrounds feature closely positioned sites, particularly during peak seasons. According to Hannah L., "My only complaint is that the campground was crowded and the spots were all very close together."

**Water access: Not all campgrounds provide water hookups at individual sites. Bob P. notes about Brady Mountain Campground, "Very nice a clean little park. Nice views and love the river stream flowing along the camp sites... only downside is no water at RV spots."

**Noise considerations: Infrastructure systems can affect campsite quietness. Donna H. warns, "We got one of the campsites right next to the water treatment system for the park. The cyclical noise was obnoxious... stay far away from sites 50-56."

Tips for camping with families

**Playground proximity: Select sites near play areas for convenience with young children. Kimberly notes, "Our campsite was very large, on a peninsula shared with one other site. It was very close to the playground and restrooms."

**Swimming options: Lake Catherine State Park Campground offers waterfall access for a unique swimming experience. Tina B. shares, "The waterfall was flowing a little on the low side. That's not unusual since it is the end of summer."

**Educational programs: Take advantage of ranger-led activities available at state parks. Josh H. notes, "The rangers were great and offered a variety of informational classes and hikes. We will be back!"

**Kayak rentals: Affordable boat options allow family exploration of Lake Ouachita's islands. "We rented a kayak for a couple of hours and it was very peaceful (cheap too!). We hiked the 4 mile hike and misjudged our time, so hiked some in darkness, but it was a nice easy hike," advises Deborah C.

Tips from RVers

**Hookup variations: Hot Springs National Park KOA provides specialized connections for different RV waste systems. "If you're going out with your rv and you've got multiple waste port, this place has multiple lines in the sites for front and back tanks," explains Chris H.

**Site leveling requirements: Many campgrounds in the area require minimal leveling equipment. Angie N. reports, "Good spot, close to bath rooms/shower house/cafe. Pretty level - just 1 leveling block was all we needed for our pop-up."

**Late arrival challenges: Some campgrounds have winding access roads that can be difficult to navigate after dark. Susan B. warns, "Plan on arriving during daylight hours or you might think you have lost the way. After recent rains the lake level was high and several low water crossings on the road into park looked intimidating at night."

**Parking configurations: Larger RVs may require specific site selection. "Site 1 is a good site and will take over a 40' rig, but you would need to park your tow vehicle or toad in the parking slots next to the site," advises MickandKarla W. about Stephens Park Campground.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Mountain Pine, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, Mountain Pine, AR offers a wide range of camping options, with 209 campgrounds and RV parks near Mountain Pine, AR and 40 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Mountain Pine, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mountain Pine, AR is Gulpha Gorge Campground — Hot Springs National Park with a 4.1-star rating from 75 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mountain Pine, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 40 free dispersed camping spots near Mountain Pine, AR.

What parks are near Mountain Pine, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 32 parks near Mountain Pine, AR that allow camping, notably Ouachita Lake and DeGray Lake.