Best Campgrounds near Natural Dam, AR

Natural Dam, Arkansas features several distinct camping areas with varying amenities and access options. Natural Dam itself offers primitive tent camping beside a picturesque waterfall on Mountain Fork Creek, with no hookups or developed facilities. Nearby Devil's Den State Park provides more established options with full-hookup RV sites, tent camping areas, and cabin rentals approximately 15 miles east. Lake Fort Smith State Park in Mountainburg also offers developed camping with boat access, RV hookups, tent sites, and cabin accommodations. The Ozark National Forest surrounds much of the region, providing dispersed camping opportunities on public land.

Road conditions and access vary significantly between developed campgrounds and primitive sites in the Natural Dam vicinity. While state parks maintain paved access roads suitable for most vehicles, dispersed camping areas often require navigating unpaved forest roads. Most developed campgrounds in the area remain open year-round, though some amenities like swimming pools operate seasonally. Cell phone coverage is generally limited throughout the region, especially in valley areas and at Natural Dam itself. Visitors should bring adequate supplies as services are limited in this rural area. One visitor noted, "The scenery here is really beautiful, but it is so deserted that it is a bit scary at night."

Natural Dam's waterfall creates a distinctive camping experience, with the sound of falling water providing natural white noise that masks nearby road sounds. Campers frequently mention the gravel parking area beside the waterfall as a convenient but basic camping spot. "Pulled in about 7 pm. Several cars there but no other campers. Quiet evening without disturbance. It was chilly in the morning, so the fog off the waterfall was eerily gorgeous," reported one camper. The area lacks amenities like drinking water, trash service, or permanent toilet facilities, though basic vault toilets may be available seasonally. Devil's Den State Park, by contrast, receives high ratings for its well-maintained facilities, spacious campsites, and extensive trail system, making it a popular alternative for those seeking more developed camping options within a short drive of Natural Dam.

Best Camping Sites Near Natural Dam, Arkansas (161)

    1. Devil's Den State Park Campground

    86 Reviews
    Winslow, AR
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (479) 761-3325

    $20 / night

    "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 trails are great and our campsite had a path right down to the river. The water hookup was a bit tricky, it leaks all over the place until you turn it all the way."

    2. Lake Fort Smith State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Chester, AR
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (479) 369-2469

    $23 - $163 / night

    "Lake Ft. Smith State Park is a beautiful park in the Boston Mountains. We drove over from Memphis to meet my brother’s family (who lives in Tulsa)."

    "This is a nice modern park on the shore of the man made Lake Fort Smith."

    3. Natural Dam

    5 Reviews
    Natural Dam, AR
    0 miles
    Website

    "The view, sounds and feels of the natural dam are stunning, relaxing and cool. A bit muddy for our dog, but great view for coffee in morning."

    "We found this quiet spot with a small waterfall on Mountain Fork Creek that has a fairly large (semi-level) gravel parking lot right next to the natural waterfall which gives good noise cover for the road"

    4. Mulberry River Outdoor Adventures

    23 Reviews
    Mulberry, AR
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (479) 462-4961

    $15 - $35 / night

    "Simply put, this is a great little rustic place to get away from the hustle and bustle. The sites offer 20/30/50A hookups with water and septic."

    "Very close to off-road trails and river float activities .. the owners are super nice and we liked hanging out with them. We’ll be back!"

    5. Fort Smith-Alma RV Park

    8 Reviews
    Alma, AR
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (479) 632-2704

    "It’s just far enough away from the highway so you have a quiet nights rest without hearing the traffic. The pond on the property has soothing sounds of peepers to fall asleep too."

    "Was headed to Lake Fort Smith but area was booked so we stopped here and was pleased with our stay. Spaces are quite small but it has become the norm everywhere."

    6. Springhill

    21 Reviews
    Barling, AR
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (479) 452-4598

    $16 - $75 / night

    "Really nice campground you have two options in the A section you are right one a small river and one the B side it’s more of the wooded option but most sites have the Arkansas rive close by with mountain"

    "It’s in between the Arkansas river and Massard creek. You can launch a boat or you can go kayaking in Massard creek. There’s Cat fish, Perch and, Bass."

    7. White Rock Mountain Recreation Area

    26 Reviews
    Combs, AR
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (479) 369-4128

    $15 - $215 / night

    "Located beyond a perfectly canopied gravel road and surrounded by miles of mostly uninhabited forests White Rock Mountain has been the most delightful treasure of 2016."

    "The views, as other reviewers have said, are impressive and the Rim Trail is worth doing any time of day and any season."

    8. Barker Gap

    1 Review
    Natural Dam, AR
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (479) 689-0172

    $35 - $130 / night

    9. whiskey springs campground

    1 Review
    Natural Dam, AR
    8 miles

    "You can drive right up to your campsite, this is on private property. There are several tent spots and also 3 cabins, small medium and large."

    10. Dispersed Near Devils Den

    2 Reviews
    Chester, AR
    10 miles

    "Would’ve been a nearly perfect campsite. Had it not been for all the trash left by others. Nice walk trails along the water. Local stop in for swimming and fishing."

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Recent Reviews near Natural Dam, AR

672 Reviews of 161 Natural Dam Campgrounds


  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 25, 2025

    Echota Village Store & RV Park

    Nice and Tucked in

    Nice quiet campground. Pretty rustic and hasn’t been updated in awhile. Right across from floating the River. Definitely over priced for quality of park. Can get pretty loud and crazy during peak season with drunk or high people coming back from floating the River. Is tucked between two hills that protect you from wind and weather. Off season is amazing as it’s quiet with very few people there. I stay here a lot for work and it works well.

  • Candace P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Horseshoe Bend Rec Area & Campground

    Great for kids

    I was in site 61, which was awful. Right in the middle of screaming kids in the lake on 1 side, screaming kids on the playground on the other side. The site was so tight my mini Van barely fit. No place to sit at the fire pit at all. The bath house toilet wouldn't flush and was full of shit. I left and parked at the local cracker barrel! So dissapointing!

  • Krystal T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 15, 2025

    Southgate RV Park of Fayetteville

    Perfect for a break

    We stopped here for a two day break from driving and are pleased with the experience. There’s a shower house that is clean but well used, really spacious campsites and full hook ups. We took the bike trail that is super close and saw some beautiful scenery. The owner, Jerry, was super gracious and helpful and a delight to visit with. It’s no frills, but that’s what we enjoy. Would definitely stay here again.

  • Robert N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 4, 2025

    Aux Arc

    Beautiful Arkansas

    Nice campground, although they are set up to cater to RVers. The RVs are quiet because they are using commercial power and not a generator. Me and my little tent are in the "Land of the Giants". Many fishermen out on Lake Dardanelle. Quiet after Labor Day camping.

  • P
    Aug. 25, 2025

    The River Bluff Cabins

    Beautiful property

    Amazing place! Cleaning bathrooms, beautiful views!

  • Lisa M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 21, 2025

    Hickory Creek - Beaver Lake

    Avoid spaces 33-43

    Spaces 33 through 43 I would recommend only if you have a small bumper pull that is maybe less than 21 feet long or a class A or class C that’s probably less than 25 feet long. Most of these spaces would be very difficult to get into. We stayed in space 33 without looking first and we had to back our 30 foot fifth wheel down about 100 foot hill around the corner to get into the space. Campsite did have electric and a picnic table. There was a shower building in the next campground over that was on a scale of one to five maybe a three. There were several vault toilets in the area. Nice hiking around to the marina. Was half price with our America, the beautiful senior pass. Also instructions on the Dyrt say to turn down Cow Face Road. I would stay on highway 264 to come into the campground as that road is quite a bit wider and not quite so curvy and hilly. That is the way Google maps was going to send us in the first place, but we followed the instructions on the Dyrt.

  • A
    Aug. 7, 2025

    Marval Camping Resort

    Horrible Manager

    Very disappointed in Marval Resort. The manager is very unprofessional. We have been going there since 2019 for a family reunion. This year was 59th reunion. I get a phone call on July 7, 2025 and was told we would not be welcomed back and when I asked why the manager could not tell me why. All that she said was several reasons. If it was such a big issue, she should have come to me or someone else and addressed the issue face to face instead of waiting until we left. My cousin had called multiply times to try and get this worked out and she would never speak or call back. When no response to phone calls she was emailed and finally responded to an email. The manager didn’t even have the decency for the closing signature on the email. It’s a shame that Marval Resort has someone like this running their resort. Very poor communication. Instead of coming to my camp spot talking to me about some cars parked on the grass and gravel in front of our camp spot out of the way of others she calls me in the middle of a big gathering and tells me they need to be moved because it rained that morning and the grass was wet. No, the grassy lawn area was dry in the heat of the afternoon day. There are so many staff members driving around on their golf carts and not a word was said. She was on her golf cart right by us and could not come face to face and talk about the issue. Now, that’s pretty unprofessional. We have 96 and 86 year old aunts and some others with walking issues. That’s why cars were there. Family was coming from their cabins or campers to the central area for family gathering. And as far as the pavilion parking that we paid money to rent. Again, for some elders and a few trucks hauling fish fry supplies. You booked a band that was playing on the stage right by the pavilion(that we paid for) and people could not communicate very well due to loud music. This also happened last year as well. So, you the manager don’t know who all the cars belong to. They could have been the bands or other guest not in our family. We have a large group that stayed there for 6 years in campers or cabins and spent lots of money there. There is a lot of issues the manager needs to take care of and get off her high horse. I thought this place is supposed to be family oriented. I will miss seeing Wayne(maintenance gentleman) there with his smiling face. He is such a friendly man. And one more thing, always talking about all the improvements they’re working on or going to do. It’s been the same for 6 years now.

  • Kurt G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 27, 2025

    Lee Creek Off Road Site

    Good pit stop

    Right off the main road (you can still hear the traffic, but it's not a lot of traffic)

    There's a fire pit, some paths to a hiking spot. I don't think a bus would fit but my 21ft. van was mostly a tight fit.

    A good public land spot with just enough space for two car campers


Guide to Natural Dam

Camping opportunities in the Natural Dam vicinity include both established campgrounds and primitive sites throughout the Ozark National Forest. The Natural Dam area sits at approximately 900 feet elevation with surrounding mountains rising to 2,500 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 65-95°F with winter lows occasionally dipping below freezing, creating distinct camping conditions across seasons.

What to do

Caving expeditions: Devil's Den State Park offers multiple cave systems suitable for different experience levels. "4 days of camping with the guys, exploring caves and trails, and overall having a blast!" notes Brian E. about his Devil's Den State Park Campground experience. The park's cave formations remain at steady temperatures year-round.

Waterfall photography: Morning fog creates optimal conditions for photography at Natural Dam. "It was chilly in the morning, so the fog off the waterfall was eerily gorgeous," mentions James F. from his stay at Natural Dam. Local photographers recommend visiting between 7-9am when light conditions create distinctive patterns through the mist.

Kayaking access: Lake Fort Smith provides boat rentals and water access points. "Lake Fort Smith State Park is a beautiful park in the Boston Mountains. We drove over from Memphis to meet my brother's family. There is a marina where you can rent boats," explains Ryan S. who camped at Lake Fort Smith State Park Campground.

What campers like

Year-round accessibility: While some facilities operate seasonally, many campgrounds maintain core services throughout winter. "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," shares Gonzo A. about his January visit to Devil's Den State Park Campground.

Fishing opportunities: Multiple water access points provide fishing along the Mulberry River and surrounding creeks. "Right on the Mulberry River, very friendly staff, you can Tube, float, kuyak, or just swim and relax," reports Rick N. from his stay at Mulberry River Outdoor Adventures.

Trail access: Direct trail connections from many campsites allow immediate hiking access. "I would absolutely stay again. The hiking trails were right out of our campsite," notes Jennifer O. from Lake Fort Smith State Park. Many trails feature interpretive markers explaining local geology and plant species.

What you should know

Road conditions: Routes to White Rock Mountain require appropriate vehicles and extra time. "The road to White Rock Mountain driving south on 79 is a minimally maintained one in a half lane dirt road full of rocks, erosion, bumps and a lot of up and down switch backs. My Subaru outback handled it fine, but it takes a full hour to drive less than 15 miles on this road," advises Matt S. about accessing White Rock Mountain Recreation Area.

Water availability: Not all sites provide reliable drinking water sources. "Natural Dam itself lacks amenities like drinking water, trash service, or permanent toilet facilities," explains a local ranger. Visitors should bring at least one gallon per person per day.

Limited connectivity: Cell service remains spotty throughout the region. "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," cautions Gonzo A. about Devil's Den.

Tips for camping with families

Pool options: Seasonal swimming facilities provide heat relief for children. "Aside from the extreme humidity this was a great family getaway. Pool, great trails, and the creek/river kept my kids entertained and worn out!" shares Melissa M. after her visit to Devil's Den State Park.

Site selection: Some campgrounds offer child-friendly configurations. "Many of the campsites are on a grade. They all have multiple levels with stairs and have no railings. We had 5 children <6 years of age and the sites were somewhat perilous. If you are a parent with small kids, sites 17-20 and sites 2-3 are better," advises Ryan S. from his experience at Lake Fort Smith State Park Campground.

Wildlife opportunities: Morning and evening animal sightings enhance educational experiences. "In a prior visit I saw a bear go lumbering in front of my truck on the road to White Rock. Only time in 40+ years I've seen a bear in the wild in Arkansas, and I grew up in the country!" notes Matt B.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling: Select campsites carefully to minimize setup challenges. "Many of the campsites are on a grade. If you need sewer service, I would recommend site #11 as the most level pull-through site, although there's not a bad site in the park," recommends Donna H. about her winter stay at Lake Fort Smith State Park.

Route planning: Avoid steep access roads with larger vehicles. "Nice, quiet place. Great hiking! Not really a place for a quick overnight, the road in is steep and crooked," warns kcki M. from Fort Smith-Alma RV Park, suggesting it as an alternative when mountain roads prove challenging.

Electrical service: Various amperage options exist across campgrounds. "Stayed 2 nights in A Loop. 30 Amp hook up with some of the best water I have ever had. Only 35 ppm on my zero water tester," notes Beverley D. about Springhill campground, which provides an alternative to mountain camping with reliable utilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Natural Dam, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, Natural Dam, AR offers a wide range of camping options, with 161 campgrounds and RV parks near Natural Dam, AR and 9 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Natural Dam, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Natural Dam, AR is Devil's Den State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 86 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Natural Dam, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 9 free dispersed camping spots near Natural Dam, AR.

What parks are near Natural Dam, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 33 parks near Natural Dam, AR that allow camping, notably John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake and Ozark Lake.