Campgrounds near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests in Arkansas range from developed RV sites with full hookups to free dispersed camping, covering riverside, lakeside, and mountain terrain. Petit Jean State Park serves as a centerpiece destination with cabins, yurts, and both tent and RV camping areas. The park features multiple camping loops, hiking trails, and access to Cedar Falls, one of the region's prominent waterfalls. Cherokee Park along the Arkansas River offers water-oriented camping with electrical hookups, while Harris Brake Lake provides free dispersed camping opportunities. Several campgrounds in the area support tent camping, RV sites with hookups, and specialty accommodations including cabins.
Weather conditions and access considerations vary seasonally throughout the region. Many campgrounds remain open year-round, including Petit Jean State Park and Maumelle Park, though reservations are strongly recommended, especially during peak summer months. Cherokee Park charges $24-26 per night from March through October, with electric and water hookups available at most sites. Facilities range from primitive sites with no amenities to developed campgrounds with full restrooms, showers, and dump stations. The terrain includes riverside locations, lake settings, and mountain elevations that affect both temperature and accessibility. A visitor noted, "Petit Jean is a beautiful park overlooking the Arkansas River Valley. Several different campgrounds offer diverse camping experiences."
Waterfront camping receives consistently positive reviews across multiple locations in the region. Campers frequently mention the views from lakeside and riverside sites, particularly at Cherokee Park where visitors appreciate the peaceful setting on the Arkansas River. Sites at Petit Jean State Park draw visitors for both the camping experience and the hiking opportunities, with Cedar Falls Trail being a popular but sometimes crowded destination. The campground layout at many parks provides good spacing between sites and ample shade from pine trees. Multiple reviews highlight the family-friendly nature of developed campgrounds, with amenities such as swimming pools at Petit Jean adding to the appeal. Several campsites offer level, pull-through access, particularly beneficial for RV campers navigating the varied terrain of the Ozarks region.
$25 - $40 / night
"_ There are several viewpoints/vistas that you can access from roads (just two close together that involve some driving on gravel)."
"Super cool paths, views and community. Tons of historical value and it's obvious that Arkansas cares about it's forests, natural resources and outdoor communities."
$24 - $75 / night
"This park and campground is less than an hour outside of Little Rock, and it is a quiet, peaceful overnight stay on our way to Oklahoma. It was a bit tricky to find after exciting US 60!"
"On the bank of the Arkansas River, great access to water. Good boat ramp, picnic tables and RV sites. Very clean, bring your mosquito repellent."
"We stayed here with our dog on our drive west! It’s a great little spot, fairly quiet and secluded. Some car traffic on a nearby road but not bad."
"I was greeted with a sign at the entrance saying that a hunting/ fishing license or land pass was required to camp."
$24 - $75 / night
"We were heading to the Arkansas Goat Festival and were having a problem finding a place to camp. This park was a pleasant find! It is located on the Arkansas River right next to a dam."
"A beautiful spot with both lakeside campsites and shaded sites. All spaced for plenty of privacy. Each site has power and water."
$28 - $75 / night
"Stayed 6 nights at Maumelle COE campground next to Arkansas River. Nice and quiet especially after the weekend crowd left. Nice walking trails and still close to major conveniences."
"Beautiful panorama view of the Arkansas river. Amenities are great. Friendly staff and clean park. Close to restaurants, shopping and services. Full year round so make a reservation!"
$200 / night
"Reservable sites are nearly on top of each other. Might be good if you have kids with you. There is a playground adjacent and a pool/bathhouse close by."
"A great Arkansas destination for outdoorsy people.The steep road climbing to the top of Mount Nebo keeps the big RVs away. Stop your car at the lookout point before you reach the top."
"Lake Sylvia recreation area offers a lot of fun and relaxation within an easy drive from Little Rock."
"Be careful how close you are to the wash house in B; the halogen light outside humms all night. Camp host WILL make sure you follow the rules, including paying."
GuideThis was our second time at this campground. The sites are very large and spacious. Trees for shade. It has a nice playground and also a boat ramp. The bathrooms are ok, but what I really like about them, is you get the complete room. Shower, sink, toilet. Not a little hot stall. Water on both sides of the campground for fishing. And the water hyacinths are beautiful!!
ScoutThis is a long review but please read it. It is a public service announcement. Camp Conway greenbrier. Landlord Burt Zinser. Where to begin.. Let start with Ameneties. The website states Each site has full hook ups including 20/30/50 amp electric, clean city water, city sewer and fiber-optic high-speed WiFi. Guests at Camp Conway have the option of porches, sheds and gazebos with management approval. We also offer a bath house and a laundry. 1. Clean city water- it taste like plastic and chlorine. Must have a water filter if you actually want to drink it or give it to your pets. 2. Fiber optic high speed wifi. That's a joke. Shoddy at best. TCW repeatedly has to come out to fix it and it's still garbage. If you are okay with internet dropping in and out every 5 to 10 min, then it's great. Save yourself the headache and get your own, but don't expect Burt Zinser to reduce your rent for services he offers but you can't use. Here at camp conway you can expect to pay for services unrendered.(Not the only one that has this problem in the park) 3. Porches, sheds or gazebos. 100%, as long as you are one of his favorites, like the people in the pictures he uses on his website. The beautiful two story rv with full front porch, likes to watch what everyone else is doing and then go complain to Burt if she doesn't like how your lot looks or what your doing. Burt will be sure to tell you it's too much, or beauty is sometimes only in the eye of the beholder. 4. We also offer a bath house and a laundry. The"Bath House" is one shower, without a bathroom vent, a toilet and sink, in the laundry room and is always disgusting. Hair on the floors, wall, drain, soap scum, ect. The toilet has pubic hair and feces on and around it. No one cleans it, nor cleans up after themselves. Not sure who replaces the toilet paper but half the time it's empty. The laundry is two household washers and dryers. Costing 2.50, which isn't bad. Just don't run the washers at the same time or they flood the room(you will be blamed for over loading it) and expect to dry your clothes for an hour or so, or they will be damp. The state of the laundry room is horrible. Trash overflowing, dog hair, and random debris all over the floors. Again no one cleans them.( you think well I'll just get compact washer, expect to be charged extra for water and don't you dare hang clothes outside to dry, that includes beachwear and towels). It's not visually appealing. 5. Spacious lots. The outer lots are 600 and the other lots 565(it was 550 back in Feb, this is important to note). Price subject to change without a notice. Do Not expect Burt Zinsers crappy memory to remember not to over charge you(text wont help you either). Honestly, don't bother to ask Burt about it, or he will get annoyed and either kick you out or threaten to. I'll get to that later. The lots flood when it rains, grass is almost non existent, scorching heat from lack of trees and of course you have to love the red clay that gets over everything. Lots are suppose to mowed by him, but he hasn't mowed in the 5 months we've been here. He sends his child out, who does a half ass job weed whacking around the pedestals and mows part of the big field. If it wasn't for one of the permanent resident here mowing for people that ask him, it would be horrible. 6. Someone pointed out they have a huge open field with plans to extend the park, but currently it's a great dog area to let your dogs off leash to play. WRONG. DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE OFF LEASH. Expect to be harassed about picking up your dog poop. Even when you do, other people do not, while letting their dog roam free and you will be blamed. He has plans to extend the park, true, but until then expect for Burt to constantly remind you that until the park fills up, it all comes out of his pocket, so he's loosing money. You can rent one of his tiny homes if you want to pay near 1,000 for a studio apartment, open floor plan, with a 500 dollar, per pet, fee. You will be secure too as one of his security cameras point directly in the front windows of the current one and only tiny home he has on the premises. 7. Rules. It all depends which of his rules and who you are. If he tells you no AC units in the windows of RVs. There are currently 5 RVs that have units in the windows, so he doesn't really give a crap about that rule. I personally don't care but it was one of the things he stated when we called. No agressive dogs. His example, like pitbulls. Hey as long as you tell him it's another breed he doesn't know the difference and isn't bothered to check. I see nothing wrong with pitties, he's just the type that believes in bad dogs, not bad owners. Oh and on that note you will be sure to hear or be told, that you don't need another mouth to feed, or straight up told you can't keep another pet if you get one. 8. Privacy. Don't expect it. Burt Zinser likes to meddle in people's business. He gives unsolicited relationship advice, opinions on how you should decorate, how your vehicle looks, if your working or not(regardless if you pay rent on time, he doesn't like it if you are a stay at home person). Our experience here has been crap. We moved into the park on Feb 3rd. The lot was one giant mud pit. We asked if he would buy grass seed and we'd care for the lawn until it fully grown. We were told yes at first then the next day we received a text staying no because then he'd have to do that for everyone. We bought grass seed, tilled the land by hand and grew grass. We called about the internet 3 different times. The first time he handed us a wifi extender, that didnt work and TCW said it was pointless since it wasnt hooked into landline nor had bluetooth capabilities. He then had TCW come out two more times to"fix" it, before we said screw it and got starlink. When asked if he would remove the fee for the interent we can't use. He said no. When we asked why are we paying for something we can't use, he stated it was our problem, not his. For the month of Feb rent was 550. March 550. April we TEXT him after hours and asked him to gIve us a call so we could pay rent. HE CALLED US, did the transaction and got off the phone. We checked and noticed he overcharged us, 565. We TEXT him again and pointed out he over charged us. HE CALLED US BACK. He asked when we had moved in, we told him Feb, he apologized and refunded the 15 dollars. When asked when he was going to raise the rent if he would be notifying us. We asked if we would still be paying 550 until then. He called us nieve to think rent wouldn't change. When we explained that we didn't think it would stay 550 forever, but that we would be notified and not just him taking whatever amount he decides he wants. He got irritated said we were busting his balls and he hadn't eaten dinner yet but instead dealing with this crap, and that we were temporary visitors(i didnt know 5 months of renting was temporary). He belittled a person that has autism and learning disabilities when he was the one to CALL US BACK and interupt his own supper. We called during business hours and informed him of the condition of the shower being filthy and smelling of cat urine, because everyone closes the door behind them after a shower and there is no vent( burt decided it wasn't needed, told to us by someone else). We were told people are supposed to be cleaning up after themselves. We asked if he would get a deck brush, hose and cleaning supplies for us and we would clean it for free, once a week. He said sure. A week later we saw him on the property asked about it again. He got annoyed, we dropped it and bought an external on demand hot water heater to be able to shower and feel clean. Once again it was time for rent to be paid. I noticed he had been over charging us again for may and June, not even a week after he told me that August 1st was when the rent would be raised. I saw him on the property and walked over to bring it to his attention. He got irritated and told me that it was becoming a bit much. When asked what he was talking about he stated that no one else bothers him as much as we do, and it's overwhelming. I stated to him that we haven't been unreasonable in holding him accountable for his property. I had explained previously about my husband being autistic with learning disabilities that sometimes effect how he understands things. I brought up that he stated he thinks he's autistic and his wife has told him thay his facial expressions and attitude towards people can be offputting and misinterpreted. I would think he would be more understanding. I told him he obviously has an issue with my husband and that from now on he will be dealing with me since my husband irritates him so much. He tried telling me no that wasn't the issue. I cut him off and said that was exactly the problem or it was holding him accountable, or both. He asked if we be out by then end of the month and I said no, as we have done nothing wrong. Rent is never late. Always paid. Our site is clean, we follow the rules. The next day we received a text from him telling us to be out by the end of the month and he was sorry it didn't work out. Retaliation for a woman speaking to him. Burt Zinser is a horrible business man, landlord and human being. He has issues with speaking too and dealing with woman if they try to be an equal. I truly believe he's sexist and I'm not the only woman in this park that thinks that. If you and your husband are speaking to him, you ask him a question he will disrespect you by looking at your husband and answering. Ask around, talk to people in the park, and not his favorites. I'm hoping I can attach the photos I've taken around the park and facilities but if I can't, feel free to reach out. I have no problem sharing them, in hopes you won't support this man and his park. I will be posting this in every RV group I'm a member of, local community pages and restaurants. Let's hold this man accountable for his disrespect, horrible ethics, and business. Greenbrier is a better community then this man deserves and he shouldn't be allowed to continue this way.
RangerStaff at gate was very k8nd and helpful. Grounds well kept and manicured. Camp sites under trees for,shade with water, electricity, picnic tables and fire pits. Needed to use levelers to get trailer leveled. Campground on Arkansas river at the dam and locks. Bathhouse was clean, looked like painted for this season. Only issues was heater running in shower, it was 80+ degrees didn't need more heat. I'd stay here again.
TravelerMost sites are levelish side to side with down hill slope. There appears to be no supervision in this park. We have stopped here on our way out west then on our way back. No one has checked us in or made sure we were supposed to be there. Traffic moves from the boat ramp until late at night. Still a good stopover when traveling Verizon worked well.
LegendLuckily it was close to the hospital since we had to take a visit there. Beautiful park with lake access.
GuideNice spot, especially if you get one of the old campsites. However those were taken by long term folks who either just left their trailer there with no one in it, or they ran generators through the night. The remaining campsites were inaccessible by car, so we ended up staying in the bathroom parking area. Bathrooms boarded up, no trash cans, a fair bit of trash lying around.
TravelerVery nice rv park. Fully paved. Concrete sites. A little out of level so bring needed items to level your rig. Super friendly host. Swimming pool in progress. Stayed in early May so it's getting hot.
TravelerWell kept camsites. Clean and right on the beautiful Arkansas river. Would definitely come back.
RangerVery nice park and clean bathrooms. The cedar falls are wonderful when it has been raining a lot. RV sites are spacious and a lot of locals like to stay there for short vacations.
Camping opportunities near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests range from mountaintop sites with panoramic views to riverside locations along the Arkansas River. The region sits at elevations between 300-2,753 feet, with most campgrounds open year-round despite seasonal temperature variations that can reach over 90°F in summer months. Winter camping remains accessible at lower elevations, though mountain roads may become hazardous during ice or snow events.
Hiking to waterfalls: Cedar Falls Trail at Petit Jean State Park offers a moderately difficult but rewarding hike. "The Cedar Falls hike is beautiful and a quick fun adventure. I recommend going to the Petit Jean Grave. The view is vast!" notes Sondra M.
Fishing from riverside sites: Cherokee Park provides direct access to the Arkansas River with ample space for anglers. "It was wonderful and way over due on needing the getaway had a blast fishing and everyone was friendly and neighborly," reports TRU S.
Swimming at mountain pools: Mount Nebo State Park offers a refreshing swimming pool during summer months. "State park with swimming pool in summer. Playground and swings for young ones. Several hammock friendly sites. Hang gliders frequently use the bluffs to launch," explains Stan G.
Wildlife viewing: Harris Brake Lake attracts various wildlife for observation opportunities. "We had a really great night here. The place was mowed, there was a picnic table and firepit and the previous occupant left us some gathered firewood. Very pretty however, and lovely view of the lake!" shares Samuel S.
Mountaintop breezes: Mount Nebo State Park Campground sits at 1,800 feet elevation, providing natural cooling. "Being on an 1800 ft elevation summit, surrounded by valley...its quiet and enjoys a constant breeze. Enjoying blue skies, the shade trees are appreciated in the camping area," notes Dave V.
Spacious riverside sites: Maumelle Park offers well-separated campsites along the Arkansas River. "It's a beautiful park by the AR River with lovely grounds to walk or bike. Sites are very well spaced and you can take your chairs to the river or use the picnic benches scattered along the river full of waterfowl and occasional boaters and huge barges," explains Stevann H.
Free camping options: Harris Brake Lake provides no-cost camping with basic amenities. "Just a picnic table no other amenities and the view is amazing great place to stay for free," says Sara W.
Diverse loop layouts: Petit Jean State Park features multiple camping areas with different characteristics. "B loop pros: plenty of shade in hot months with the pine grove, easy access to the paved CCC trail, 30/50 amp service, water, picnic table, fire ring and trash hook, clean and accommodating bath house, enough space between sites for plenty of privacy," shares Ryan S.
Road access limitations: Mount Nebo has strict vehicle size restrictions. "At the base of the climb, signs posted numerous times, 'Crooked and Steep, no trailers over 24 ft'. I have driven up a lot of steep and twisty mountain roads, and these warnings are to be heeded. Grades are up to 18%," cautions Dave V.
Campsite selection timing: Popular campgrounds fill quickly, especially premium sites. "A loop cons: very little shade would be rough in summer months without shade tents, awnings, etc. 'Stays booked 93% of the year' -Park Office. It's really hard to get a reservation if you don't book at least a year out in A loop," advises Ryan S.
Seasonal availability: Cherokee Park operates with specific seasonal dates and fees. "Campsite fee: $24-26, March 1 - Oct 31, 2024," reports Fred S.
Weather considerations: Dispersed camping areas require planning for varied conditions. "Got here during sunset and it was beautiful but the gravel roads are invisible at night so definitely have some daylight ahead of you," warns Ashley T. at Harris Brake Lake.
Playground access: Toad Suck Ferry Park offers multiple play areas throughout the campground. "Small clean campground. Some spots are very private Some not so much. Spots are large. Great views of lock. Multiple playgrounds and pavilions. Basketball, volleyball and store across the street," recommends John R.
Loop selection: Petit Jean State Park has family-friendly loop options. "We stayed at Petit Jean State Park for the first time over Easter weekend. Even though the park was booked to capacity, it is so well laid out that it was really nice to be there," shares Jill B.
Swimming options: Maumelle Park provides water recreation for families. "First time visiting little rock & this campground was perfect. Water & power hookup for each lot. Beautiful view as we were winding down for the night. Lots of geese wandering around & still chatty late at night- but kinda cute to hear," notes tiffany P.
Wildlife education: Harris Brake Lake offers nature observation opportunities. "absolutely beautiful place the fireflies here are amazing! Nobody else was camping here which made for some quiet nights :) the locals fish and swim in the lake so light traffic," shares Julian P.
Leveling requirements: Site selection matters for larger vehicles. "B loop cons: some sites are angled differently and there is no clear indication how you have to enter the loop to be able to access your site. It can create some frustration when trying to get set up. Many sites are unlevel and require significant leveling chocks to get it truly level," cautions Ryan S. about Petit Jean State Park.
Site sizing: Maumelle Park accommodates larger RVs with appropriately sized sites. "We got lucky with our spot, only 1 direct neighbor. Beautiful view of the Arkansas River. Busy park. Nearest toilet house was far away though," reports Ursula.
Electric service options: Campgrounds offer varied hookup capabilities. "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," notes Fred S. about Petit Jean State Park.
Road navigation: Consider approach angles at some campgrounds. "Got here during sunset and it was beautiful but the gravel roads are invisible at night so definitely have some daylight ahead of you. We have a 25' travel trailer and didn't need to do any backing up to get in or out," advises Ashley T. about Harris Brake Lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests?
According to TheDyrt.com, Ozark-St. Francis National Forests offers a wide range of camping options, with 211 campgrounds and RV parks near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests and 46 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests is Petit Jean State Park — Petit Jean State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 108 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 46 free dispersed camping spots near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests.
What parks are near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 30 parks near Ozark-St. Francis National Forests that allow camping, notably Nimrod Lake and Lake Dardanelle.
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