Best Tent Camping near Parks, AR

Recent Tent Reviews near Parks, Arkansas

641 Reviews of 38 Parks Campgrounds

• 

  Richard

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 12, 2021

  Lake Ouachita State Park Campground

  One of the best in Arkansas

  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. There’s a nice hiking trail to explore. Also, the bathrooms were the cleanest I’ve ever seen at a state park. All the tent sites have a gravel pad, grill, picnic table and fire ring. There are also walk in tent sites on the peninsula which are nice and quiet. If you get one at the end I’d say it’s probably 200 meters to the parking lot and bathrooms. I peeked into one of the cabins and they look really nice. They also have camper cabins that have heat/air but no bathroom. In all there are 93 RV/tent sites, 8 cabins and 4 camper cabins. The park is also near Hot Springs so there is lots to do.

• A

  Alison C.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 3, 2018

  Washita Primitive Camping Area

  Beautiful campground!

  This is our second favorite State Park in Arkansas. We had a spot overlooking the lake, which was beautiful. It's a super quiet and peaceful lake. Lots of kayaks and canoes. We also enjoyed the hiking trails. The walk-in tent site area is amazing! There was a nice beach area for swimming as well. We rode our bikes over to the loop D tent camping area, which also looked nice and quiet for camping. We will definitely be going back here again!

• 

  Deborah C.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 15, 2018

  Stephens Park Campground

  Beautiful tent friendly park

  We tent camped here in August, 2018 and in spite of the rain we had a beautiful experience. The tent sites are a small walk from the parking lot, and the parks provide a baggage cart on wheels to bring your stuff down. The site was on a small peninsula on the lake with trails to walk down to the lake, or even set up chairs. The staff was friendly, bathrooms clean and nice. 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.

• C

  Chris

  Scout

  

  Oct. 11, 2020

  Queen Wilhelmina State Park — Queen Wihelmina State Park

  Well managed park in an idyllic mountain top setting

  We took our first trip there Oct 4 & 5 2020 and really enjoyed it. The drive to the park is wonderful with great spots to take in the views as you drive to the top. We even spotted a bald eagle at one stop.  

  The Lodge is very modern and the welcoming staff were very polite and helpful. We asked if a 15amp site for tent camping was available but they had to move us after determining that they didn't give us a site with a pad. There aren't many tent sites at all, especially with electric/water and only 5 primitive and 1 walk-in. 

  Due to COVID many activities weren't available but we did enjoy one trail. The restaurant wasn't that great but it served the purpose for one of our meals. I would still go back and recommend to friends or family.

• 

  Erik F.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 28, 2016

  Charlton Campground

  Labor Day Getaway

  My fiance and I went to Charlton Rec. Area to get away for labor day weekend. Overall the camp was nice. A creek ran through the camp with plenty of tree cover. Near the camp entrance the creek was dammed to create a swimming hole. Many visitors came during the day for the swimming.

  Most of the sites were for trailers and RVs, with only a few tent campsites. The camp was clean and had bathrooms with running water. They were in good condition, but pretty far from the tent camping. Surprisingly there weren't any mosquitos, but plenty of Daddy Long Legs. Each site has a pad for parking, BBQ pit, picnic bench (bring a tablecloth), and fire ring with grittle/grill. Camp was lacking trailheads with just one starting in camp. The trail itself was much longer than anticipated; distance wasn't marked and it needed some maintaining. It took you up along the mountain ridge with wonderful views in the areas with less brush.

  I'd go back and explore some more. If you're in the area check out Lake Ouachita, Crooked Creek Falls (45 min), or the Vista off Hickory Nut Mountain Rd (20 min).

• 

  Bailey W.

  Traveler

  

  May. 14, 2022

  COE Lake Ouachita Joplin Campground

  Not that great.

  So I was super excited about this campground when I read about it online. It seemed perfect! The drive into the campground is very curvy and has lots of blind spots. When we arrived, there was no one on duty, so we just filled out a card and proceeded into the campground, following the map posted on the official website. That's where we ran into our first issue. The map was all wrong. We spent nearly an hour trying to find our spot. Finally, we asked the volunteer on duty. He showed us an updated map and we found out that our campsite wasn't even where we had picked it based off the old map. The tent sites are walk in only. They have electric but the closest water spigot is at the parking lot. The scenery is nice but the boats are loud, as to be expected of a lakeside campground. The bathrooms aren't very well maintained, the showers are gross, and the park goers tend to be obnoxious, revving their engines and hooping and hollering. We actually ended our trip the next day. Overall not a bad site IF you're here in a camper. Not suggested for tent camping.

• 

  ngilly587

  Scout

  

  Nov. 27, 2023

  Aux Arc

  Great water view.

  We had a great night's stay here, the sites are spaced out nicely. The spots are level and easy to back in to and easy to locate. Would definitely recommend staying here whether camping in a tent, RV or camper. All amenities were clean and easily accessible.

• 

  Leslie N.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 13, 2020

  Quarry Island Campground — Lake Wister State Park

  Quiet and Beautiful

  We stayed at RV site #3 on Quarry Island. The concrete pad was perfectly level and took no time to set up. There were 5 RV sites with full hook ups on isle, even though #4 and # 5 are so close to each other that slide outs could bump into each other, and 2 very nice RV sites with only water and electric on the isle. There was also a lot of tent camping, flush and vault toilets, dump station, pavilion, 5 cabins, picnic tables with grills, boat ramp and swimming anywhere you wanted except for 150’ of the boat ramp. The ranger station was on the isle, so traffic was high at check in. There were 2 hiking trails that looked very nice, but never hiked because we were kayaking. My parents stayed in cabin #4 on the isle and my brother tent camped at Wister Ridge. The view from both of their places was breathtaking and his tent site was well shaded with maple, oak and pine. Fishing was very good and wasn’t a whole lot of boat traffic. There is also primitive camping which looked very nice, except for a couple of sites where the campers didn’t clean up too well behind themselves.

  Pros: Beautiful area and amazing views. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. Plenty of options for accommodations and outdoor activities. The Heavner Ruinstone and Spiral Mounds are close. Tons of wildlife areas and we even spotted a bald eagle. The campgrounds and cabins were very clean.

  Cons: RV sites can be very crowded and not well spaced, especially at Victor Landing. The Wards would be the least crowded for RVs. The booking website is not very good and not very accurate. The cabins bed was not very comfortable, the shower was small and flooded the bathroom while using and the kitchen light and living room ceiling fan was on one switch, so there was no way to have the fan going without the light on. Not all RV sites have picnic tables.

• 

  Mike V.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 30, 2016

  Mount Magazine State Park Campground

  Mount Magazine State Park, Arkansas

  Great state park. Checked out Arkansas high point of course. Hike some trails, enjoyed the views and rock formations. Tent camping area was very clean, with nice flat tent pad surface to set up tent on. Also ate a very nice meal on Easter Sunday at the lodge. Saw several deer while we were there. Definitely recommend this state park to others. Hope to go there again some day.

• 

  Dan M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 2, 2019

  Charlton Campground

  Plenty of sites and friendly folks

  A lot of RV and tent site camping sites. Nice scenery and the park host was very helpful. We stayed in area C (A, B, C are the different areas) on a super busy weekend and weren't to cramped. Spacious tent sites just off a creek with fire rings, picnic tables, and good proximity to clean toilet/shower facilities. Would visit again.

• 

  Izzy T.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 3, 2022

  Aux Arc

  Great overnight stop!

  Easy to reserve Recreation.gov. We stayed in a tent site for $10 because we didn’t need hookups and the rest of the park seemed crowded. I would wear water shoes in the shower. Boat launch and lovely views of the Arkansas river. Close to restaurants and shopping .

• 

  Melissa W.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 18, 2024

  Lake Ouachita State Park Campground

  Great spot outside of Hot Springs

  The Hot Springs NP campground was closed for the season so we stayed at Lake Ouachita SP Campground for 3 nights. We are tent camper and this was the best it gets! The tent sites are well separated from the RVs and generators. The sit right on the lake so they can get windy but are peaceful and beautiful. Each tent site has a level pad for tents, picnics tables, and fire-ring. A small down-side, you have to park and walk your gear to your site but it's not terribly far or a big deal. The lake is beautiful and all tent sites have access to the water. It's a bit of a walk to the bathrooms but they are wonderfully clean (and heated). The camp store had decent wood for sale. The only thing to beware of is the crows. They are relentless and even took a bag of sealed, in it's original container, tortilla chips and tried carrying them away and pecking the bag open. So don't leave anything unsupervised (even in closed container or bags).

• L

  Luke C.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 8, 2020

  Quarry Cove

  Close to water

  No tent sites close to water and good fishing

• 

  Momo C.

  Traveler

  

  May. 11, 2021

  Lake Ouachita State Park Campground

  awesome and very nice

  The tent camping is so beautiful right on the lake! Very calm and peaceful. Beautiful scenery and the lake is super nice

• 

  Peggy G.

  Scout

  

  May. 21, 2020

  Crystal Ridge RV Park at Ron Coleman Mine

  Nice place to camp with a rv or camper

  It's it's a nice place to Camp RV but not for tent camping it would be better if they have places to put up a tent instead of on concrete.

• 

  Arkansas F.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2020

  Mount Magazine State Park Campground

  Mountain Paradise

  We have tent camped there many times. Definitely a favorite place for gorgeous views, good Ranger-led Activities and great hiking. The lodge is amazing.

• 

  Penny A.

  Guide

  

  May. 20, 2022

  COE Lake Ouachita Crystal Springs Campground

  Scenic Lovely Waterview

  Tent camped with a view of the lake. Facilities were well maintained. Hosts were very friendly. Easy to collect firewood. Definitely recommend even if you don’t have a boat.

• A

  Alison C.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 3, 2018

  Mount Magazine State Park Campground

  Beautiful park, great views and hiking.

  Mount Magazine is a beautiful State Park with great hiking trails. We hiked Signal Hill (highest point in Arkansas) and the North Rim Trail. Both were beautiful. This is a great place for families to camp. There is a welcome center with a small gift shop. Our campsite was spacious with water and electric although we were tent camping. Shower and bathroom facilities were nice and clean. They also had a place to hang glide. We checked out some of the cabins for future options, and they looked amazing with beautiful views.

• L

  Lindsey P.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 13, 2020

  Lake Ouachita State Park Campground

  A great experience

  I've reviewed this state park before but this time we stayed at the walk in tent sites and it was even better. The campsite was perfect. Steps from the water and shaded. The bath houses were nice and clean.

• J

  John L.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 16, 2022

  Lake Ouachita State Park Campground

  Glamping outside Hot Springs, Arkansas

  This is an absolutely beautiful state park 30 minutes Northwest of Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is massive with a Marina, multiple swimming beaches, RV and tent camping plus cabin rentals.

  We stayed in campground Area A, on a concrete pad with tons of space around the camper. Many RV sites overlook Lake Ouachita, though ours didn’t.

  If you are there over a weekend, I highly recommend taking the sunset tour by the park service at the marina. It is two hours, $10 per adult and stunning. With the recent heat wave it was also much cooler then the afternoon cruises.

• E

  Elizabeth R.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 15, 2021

  Below the Dam Campground — Lake Wister State Park

  Good if you want to mainly fish

  There are two section to this area. The northern one is labeled “below the dam tent sites”, the southern one is labeled “below dam”. The southern one is a just a cluster of pull in camping sites next to the fishing area. There’s a short walk to the bathrooms. You can get to the water by walking down the rocks. The northern side is a bit greener but 3-8 are very small sites jammed close together. There isn’t much room, if any, for a tent. Sites 1 & 2 are further back and much more spacious and pretty. There’s a water spigot here but no bathhouse. You would need to drive to the south lot.

• 

  Nicki M.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 20, 2018

  Mount Magazine State Park Campground

  Top of the mountain!

  This is a fantastic state park on the top of Mt. Magazine. Some really cool hiking trails. Fall is an amazing time of year to go while the leaves are changing colors. The overflowing camping area probably has the best tent spot to camp overlooking the valley. There are black bears in the area so use caution. Sites provided bear boxes to lock up food and scented items if tent camping. Go! It's a beautiful place to visit!

• 

  Amy M.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 26, 2021

  Heavener Runestone Park

  Hidden Gem

  We were the only ones tent camping. They have showers and a separate restroom near the campsite - the showers are locked for campers only but the restrooms are public. The site had a nearby pavilion and running water. Hiking trails are fun and well marked. Heavener is near a train refueling station, so you’ll hear a lot of trains.

• 

  Richard

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 12, 2021

  Heavener Runestone Park

  Heavener Runestone

  Came here for a day trip and had fun. There is an awesome hiking trail that takes you down into the valley and to the runestone itself. There are multiple tent sites and a good playground. Also a great view looking down to the bottom of the hill. We didn’t camp but the sites looked like most start park facilities.

• 

  Tom K.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 2, 2017

  Queen Wilhelmina State Park — Queen Wihelmina State Park

  Limited Camping Spots

  The views of this campground are amazing, however, the campground left much to be desired. The bath house and spots are fine for RV's but when we tent camp it gets crowded at this site and lacks privacy. The campground for the most part is one single road with many camp spots on each side. The Ozark Highland Trail does pass close by and the Lover's Leap trail is pleasant with some amazing views.

• R

  Riana C.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 1, 2022

  Tompkins Bend

  Beautiful lakeside camping

  We stayed here on the lake for four days. The site was spacious and well spread out from it's neighbours. There are both tent camping and rv sites with power hookups. Most of the sites circle the beautiful lake. The grounds have a small marina to drop your boat, then most people parked right on the lakeside beach in front of their camping site. Did a few trails in the area. The forest is beautiful and the lake is wonderfully inviting. Enjoyed both swimming and fishing in front of our camp site.

• 

  Jeyd A.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 4, 2018

  Highway 27 Fishing Village

  Feels like home

  This is a small, family run location. There are restrooms and shower facilities, as well as tent sites and RV hook ups. Plenty of room for boat parking. The cabins are adorable and feel like they are out of the 1970's but well worth the experience. Nice place to kayak. Gorgeous places to hike, watch the sunrise/sunset, and tons of room for kids to play. Pet friendly. The resident will visit you every day for belly scratches.