Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Salem? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Salem campsites are perfect for tent campers.
The Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail is a series of interconnecting loops offering the mountain bike enthusiast 50 miles of trail, much of it single-track. The trail name dates back to an 1800s resident of the area. Eventually the name was anglicized to its current form - Sylamore (SIL-a-more). You'll notice all the tributes to Syllamo in the area - Sylamore Ranger District, Sylamore Creek, North Sylamore Hiking Trail. The various loops can be accessed from four different trailheads as well as Blanchard Springs Recreation Area and Campground. Three trailheads are on Green Mountain Road; the fourth is on AR Highway 5 North. Several parts of the trails have a variety of difficulty - stretches that are pleasant for a beginner, then stretches where a beginner would be wise to walk a bike. Trails are marked with various color blazes on brown fiberglass posts. Remember to wear your safety gear and enjoy the ride. Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail Map The Blanchard Campground may be accessed from the Syllamo Bike Trail at the Jack's Branch Loop. You can camp at Blanchard and ride up to the trails on a spur between the campground and the main trail.
Rush Campground is a first come, first serve campground in the lower district of the park. Rush has 12 tent only sites with no electrical amenities and no flush restrooms. Drinking water is available when fees are collected March 15 - November 14. It is free to camp at Rush in the winter. All sites are limited to 6 people per site and each site is $16 per night. This is a pack in/pack out facility, trash collection is not available.
McCormack Lake Recreation Area is located near Greer Spring and offers good fishing and boating. It is located on paved Forest Road 3155 off of Highway 19. This site has semi-developed picnic and camping facilities. There is hiking at McCormack Lake Recreation Area also. This is a trailhead for the 3.7-mile McCormack-Greer Trail, which ends at Greer Crossing Picnic Area and also connects to Ozark Trail. The 15-acre lake is stocked annually with panfish and bass being the catch of the day. The lake is a non-motorized area; boat motors are not allowed. An electric trolling motor is permitted. There is ample parking for picnickers and fishermen. The campground is primitive with limited picnic tables, firerings and lantern posts. A vault toilet is provided. No water is available.
Noblett Lake Picnic Pavilion provides a sheltered place among forests, streams and wildlife, for groups to picnic near Noblett Lake. It is a great location for birding, canoeing and boating.
Noblett Lake is a popular location for boating, canoeing and fishing. Only electric trolling motors or non-motorized boats are allowed on the lake. Visitors enjoy the day-use picnic area and the Ridge Runner Trail, a 22-mile remote path that loops hikers through the scenic Ozark Mountains.
The pavilion offers seating for up to 75 people. If over 75 people, a special use permit is required; please contact Tray Hall at 417-967-4194. It is equipped with electricity, tables and grills. There is a vault toilet. Trash collection services are provided. There is no water available; visitors must bring their own. There is no overnight camping allowed in the day use area. Dispersed camping (no amenities provided) is allowed in area across from Noblett Trailhead (old Oak Hill camping area) and below dam (old Sycamore Loop camping area). A parking area for the pavilion and the adjacent trail is available.
The pavilion is set in a forest of oak and pine trees, on the Salem Plateau. It is near Noblett Lake and south of the town of Willow Springs.
West Plains, Willow Springs, Cabool and Mountain Grove are the closest towns.
$50 / night
The Irish Wilderness is a dense forest of oaks and hickory. Wilderness is set aside by Congress as a natural area affected primarily by the forces of nature with little evidence of man’s works - “where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Many outdoor enthusiasts seek out its peace and special closeness to experiencing the wonders of nature. No two individuals share the same meaning and values of the wilderness experience, but it is primitive and challenging, and recreationists must be self-reliant. In the mid 1800’s a Catholic priest dreamed of a place where Irish immigrants could escape the oppression of urban live in St. Louis. In this wild area of the Ozarks, Father Hogan established a settlement that would forever bear their name, Irish Wilderness. The Irish Wilderness, caught in the middle of the Civil War, became a “no man’s land” and was raided by both Union and Confederate troops as well as bushwhackers. It is not certain what happened to Father Hogan’s Irish immigrants, but after the war they were gone. A printable brochure (5.7m pdf format) of the Wilderness is available for download. Trails: The major way of travel within the Irish Wilderness is the 18.6 mile Whites Creek Trail. From the trailhead at Camp Five Pond to the Eleven Point River, visitors are exposed to a wide variety of natural terrain and geographical relief. From relatively flat land at the beginning, hikers traverse through many ecological zones including dried creek beds, grasslands, glades, bluff country, and breathtaking views overlooking the Eleven Point River. Whites Creek trail is not designed for horse use, but horse use is permitted. Motorized or mechanized use is not permitted. Rating: Moderate. Length: 18.6 miles Best Seasons: Fall, winter, and spring. Leave No Trace: Pack out what you pack in. Restrictions: Foot and Horse only. Please limit your party size to 10 persons. Safety: No drinking water is available at parking areas or along the trail; bring what you will need, or be prepared to sterilize water you find. The Irish Wilderness is a relatively large tract of land, so be sure to bring a compass and always carry a map of the area. Trail signs are minimal. If you become lost, don’t panic. Stay calm and try to remember how you got to your present location. Always let someone, family member or friend, know when you plan to enter the wilderness and when you plan to return. During temperate months, be prepared for biting insects, poison ivy and high temperatures. Be advised of hunting seasons. Avoid using the trail during excessively wet periods. Surface Type: Unsurfaced, native material.
Guide
This park is in the city of Pocahontas, Arkansas. It has 7 full service concrete parking pads. A very nice boat launch & plenty of parking for trucks with boat trailers. Park has a bath house, but it's very old and not too clean. Bath house needs to be replaced. Park also has a nice basketball court & playground. It has a very peaceful vibe.
Scout
While it was pretty last year (the reason it was my first pick this year) the owner uses Marissa, Jamie and Serena as his own personal shield to avoid taking responsibility for his business, and all of them are rude as all get out. Marissa promised multiple times that the owner would call me, and kept changing when exactly that would be. Two days later, I have NEVER heard from him, despite him being fully aware he needed to contact me. I ended up having the credit card company cancel the charge.
And omg, the shower house. Bring a space heater. It's an open air shed with exposed pvc and no drain. I can't imagine how it operates in the winter.
If you come in October, expect loud screaming, gun shots and chainsaws for THREE HOURS at night from one of their events your probably won't be told about til you arrive. Greg deserves to have this place fail.
Guide
Great trip. Beautiful campground. Beautiful scenery
Guide
Great trip. Beautiful campground. Beautiful scenery
Scout
This campground had the potential to be amazing- it's beautiful, is right next to the river with amazing views of the stars, and has several hikes close by. But the camp hosts and rangers don't enforce any sort of quiet time or people capacity rules. So unfortunately my partner and I had a group of probably 20 people camping next to us. They brought in a DJ car(open the trunk and it had huge speakers and running lights) to bump techno music during the day, and at night they set up a movie projector and large screen and watched horror movies late into the night. It's not serene when there are 8 tents, a crowd of people, and horror movie screaming right beside you all day and night. I even went and talked to the camp hosts but nothing was done. So, I don't recommend this place. Usually I camp to unwind and chill, but I left the weekend more frazzled and exhausted than I came.
ScoutYou will love this campground. It's a beautiful rv resort next to the water. Step out of your rv and you will see some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in the United States. Michael is the director of the campground and he is so very helpful and congenial. We travel to many states but this campground is our very favorite and if you like or love to fish, this is your place! Go see for yourselves and we will probably see you there!!
Wanda and Pete Shurow
LegendWe loved our stay at Blue Heron. We had a riverfront spot and really just came to chill not fish but it’s a fishing location. White river is trout paradise so if you’re an angler this is where it’s at. Campground was SUPER clean. Best level pads and hookups we’ve ever seen. Firewood and ice for sale. Everything was absolutely perfect except the road noise….which in all fairness we knew about. LOTS of noise. It died down after 8pm and before 8am and we couldn’t hear it in our camper so it’s was ok.
Legend
Decent campground with excellent trout fishing! The campground layout was kinda weird and the dump station was in an odd spot. However, we had a nice river front site that we really enjoyed. Lots of nice people in the campground and on the river. Be sure to visit the hatchery across the street. . Limited AT&T service. Individual Private suite style bathrooms. Playground. No store, no firewood for sale. Level sites. Several sites have covers over the picnic tables. .
Traveler
Spent 3 nights here and the area is beautiful! The mill and springs are soothing and crystal clear. The river is shallow enough to wade across and cool off in. Great spot if you are in the area. A few people on the river fishing and kayaking but no other campers that we saw while there.
ScoutThis is our 5-6 year to stay here. Over the years, we have seen so many b improvements to this area.. it’s always a great time. Michael, the host, is just an all around great guy. We are looking forward to our next stay
Legend
Very small park. Restaurant and store are Nextdoor. Spots are large. We were the only campers in the park.
Scout
Was extremely dissatisfied with the whole experience. Bad service with staff and dirty accommodations. Noisey at night. Never going back. Also overpriced.
TravelerThis is our go to get away! If you like canoeing and kayaking… it’s here. Like hiking… plenty of trails. Want to just site by one of the cleanest rivers around and enjoy the Ozarks… this is it. We’ve tent camped and trailered here for more than 15 years.
The camp grounds are well maintained by the NPS. The showers and restrooms are a bit, um, rustic. Sites can be hit and miss depending on the time of the year. Be sure and view the campsite online and consider the direction of the site. Some get full sun in the morning but most are shaded in the evening due to the mountain. Also, sites on the river side are frequented by raccoons at night and mosquitos depending on the weather.
I would still pick Buffalo Point as a definite place to stay.
ScoutWe stay at Blue Heron 3-4 times a year and love it! Excellent concrete pads with easy back-in markings for RVs. Great cement patio so there is no mud in case of rain. Each site has its own fire pit and 2 chairs. All the sites are great, but the river sites provide a nice cool breeze off the water!
Scout
Even though their website says they have tent camping they DO NOT
Scout
We stay here every year during May! Will be back. Clean, family owned campground that is very loved and cared for.
The bathhouse is clean and new. Homey little campsite.
LegendLoved being able to camp so close to the creek! The campsites weren’t anything special, but it is perfect for a weekend getaway. The lower campground does not have a bathroom, have to walk to the hill. The bathrooms were clean, but the shower house is basically like taking an outdoor shower. They do sell wood, ice and have a small selection of items inside the office. The location is great and the river is gorgeous making this a place would would definitely return to.
TravelerWe have stayed here 2 times, once in a RV a couple years ago and had a nice experience. The second just this week. Since we stayed here last the prices have increased per night and it has come under new ownership. We stayed in the “wren” cabin. Which is over looking campsites below and sylamore creek. Not horrible, but honestly if I’m paying for water views I want to see the water not campers. Overall fairly clean, other than the debris pictured in the shower. No problem, sometimes mistakes happen. Could have even fell from the ceiling when the door closed or something after it was cleaned. My biggest issue, we were here for 3 nights. Typically I like to shower a couple times a day as does my wife when it is hot out. We had a total of 2 bath towels and 2 wash cloths upon arrival. Rather than new ones being brought daily, you are required to take the used ones to the camp store and exchange them yourself. I’m on vacation, I don’t personally feel it should be my responsibility to secure my own towels on MY time. I mean, I’m here for 3 days, give me 6 towels and wash cloths and count them when I leave if your that worried about towel theft. I’ve travelled half way around the world and never had this issue before. But if I’m paying $140 a night for a room worth about $90 (at best) I’d at least like enough towels to get me through my stay or maybe send someone by with new ones. One more thing, note the front door pic needs painted at a minimum, I mean, it’s not just one thing, it’s attention to detail and upkeep. The bathroom door also rubbed the floor and the floor was uneven overall. I get around pretty good, but I can see this being a trip hazard for someone elderly. Point being, I did not get a good value for the stay I purchased. I did confront the towel issue and the response was “we’ve always done it that way”. Doesn’t sound like it will change soon, which means I won’t be back and wouldn’t encourage anyone else to stay here either. On a positive, it’s not a bad location. I will also mention the bed, it wasn’t bad, but could have lived without the sandpaper sheets.
RangerAverage space between sites. Level paved sites with gravel picnic area including picnic table, fire ring, lantern hanger. Some sites had covered picnic area. Limited shade, most sites don’t have trees. Good access to sites. Clean and private bathrooms. Each room had its own lockable bathroom with toilet, sink and shower. Garbage cans were outside of bathrooms, as well as dumpsters near the registration building. Friendly staff upon check in. Campground was patrolled regularly. No laundry or recycling. Nearby road with little road noise. Verizon cell signal was excellent. There is a dump station and potable fill station. No store or food for purchase on site. No hiking in campground, but multiple trails nearby. Boat ramp at campground and lots of wading fly fishing in river. Fish hatchery across from campground.
ScoutI got to fish
Scout
Ok place to camp, pretty secluded, old campground but most spots no longer seemed camp friendly, as new tree growth has taken over. Seems to be a guy living in a rv at the end of the road which is really close to the one camping friendly spot, kinda kills the dispersed camping vibe.
TravelerWe celebrated a birthday with family and friends at Blue Heron - we traveled from Texas. What a GREAT place. Beautiful views - so many amenities - they have everything you need to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Can’t wait to return and stay in one of the riverfront cabins. SO nice. Cheryl and Michael were so helpful and made sure our trip was one for the books.
TravelerNice safe overnight spot cheap propane refills friendly staff
ScoutWe stayed in a riverfront site. It was perfect access to bank fishing and the boat ramp. The entire property including our site was very clean, well kept and attractive.
Michael was great to work with and very attentive to any need we had.
I would gladly recommend this property to anyone wanting to camp by a great trout stream in a beautiful setting.
Traveler
It's such a beautiful place, right on the White River and the Buffalo River, just yards away. The best of both rivers. The resort is well maintained and the staff is friendly. There's a pool in the summer and a ping pong table. The bathrooms do not have air conditioning, but are clean.
ScoutWe had a terrible experience camping here over the weekend. We were expecting a nice quiet family outing with friends but that is not what we got. I have never been to a rv park where there is a haunted hayride and haunted house on site only feet away from campers but we also had to listen to screaming, banging, chainsaws and tractors running until 10pm each night. So the kids decided to check out the hayride and haunted house with the moms and did so but were to chicken to go through the house. So i challenged the older kids to go through the house with me. So we made our way over to the house and were met with an upset clown that said we had to go to the office to get our vouchers because the kids had been through the house too many times already. So we go and get the vouchers and go on the hayride without any problems when we pull back up to the house the clown then confronts me and tells me i need to tell the kids to stop throwing rocks during the hayride. I said who and then asked the kids if they did and they said no and he continues to accuse them of throwing rocks. I then confront this clown about accusing my kids of doing something and he then starts dropping f bombs left and right and starts threating to call the cops which i said please do but i guess decided not to. So after a few back and forth words i decide to leave the situation and take the kids back to the camper and he proceeds to follow me and continue to use the f word repeatedly. I can say i will never be back to this clown of a campground and would not want my worst enemy staying here. Their sign says no cussing or you will be escorted off the premises but i guess that only applies to the guests not the employees. The sign also says beware of clowns. So do yourself a favor and don't waste your time or money on this clown of a place.
Guide
Some people showed up for day use, but the sites were empty. Totally alone with a gorgeous lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Salem, AR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Salem, AR is Boze Mill Float Camp with a 4.7-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Salem, AR?
TheDyrt.com has all 23 tent camping locations near Salem, AR, with real photos and reviews from campers.
