Best Campgrounds near Hector, AR

100% of Wildlife Management Areas in the state of Arkansas require a Hunting license or WMA camping permit purchased though Arkansas Game and Fish.

WMA Regulations are very easy to find on the AGFC website. Know the seasons and be courteous. There is pretty much at least one open hunting season from September each year through the following May.

There is only a handful of sites spread throughout the WMA and you can only camp in those designated by the game and fish. This isn’t the national forest, you can’t just pull off and camp anywhere you please.

Dirt roads no electric nice little quiet excluded spot but it's be tough for an RV to get around there

Coordinates: 34.87057,-92.89844. Camped here on April 20, 2025. Located along Brown Creek Road (Forest Road 805), appoximately 1/2 mile west of the Brown Creek Cascade dispersed site and trail head (see separate listing). Large, level site with a dirt surface. Should easily accomadate 2 or 3 rigs and tents. Recommend campervan and smaller rigs. Due to the trees on the site, a truck camper will have a difficult time pulling all the way into the site (although it can park on the access driveway). Easy access from the forest road. The site is clearly visable from the forest road; no privacy, and dust may be an issue during the dry season. Only 6 vehicles passed by during my stay (which was on a Monday evening). There is a large, nicely constructed rock fire ring on the site; other than this, there are no amenities at the site. A small creek is down the hill behind the site; the creek is dry during the dry season. A beautiful wall of trees is across the creek. The site is shaded; solar charging and Starlink connectivity may be difficult. Hammock camping is possible. No T-Mobile cell service. No access to hiking trails at the site; trailheads for Brown Creek Cascade and the Ouachita National Recreation Trail are a short drive away. Loved this site. Peaceful at night. The only sounds came from the birds, the breeze and the creek. Note that due to recent severe Spring storms, portions of Brown Creek Road have some erosion. The rocky surface is moderately rough in places, although a 2WD passenger car can make it if driven carefully through the rough spots. No issues for high clearance 4x4 vehicles.

A downed tree blocks part of the view, but still has a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. The disbursed sight is large, but only part of it is level enough to camp on in my opinion. Spy Rock overlook is down the road and the view is spectacular. There are also nearby waterfalls to hike to.. The road was well maintained upon our arrival, but the frequent off-road vehicle traffic of the four wheelers and side-by-side that go by constantly have combined with the recent rains to degrade it over the past couple of days. Even with the traffic, we did find some time to listen to the birds and sit in silence under the dark skies. T-Mobile has anywhere from one bar LTE to three bars of 5G extended to 2 bars 5G here. I was able to stream video on my phone before bedtime each night and use my phone to plan for the following day. There are too many trees to use Starlink so this was very helpful.

Easy access- Quiet. Would do again

Had a wonderful time here. Went in early April so still too cold to swim, but the campgrounds were great. There’s a swing for kids

Stayed the night in Gene Rush Wildlife Management Area. Spoke with Arkansas Game and Fishing Commission Ranger. No desersal camping but you can camp in the 2 designated campsites. Well designated, my pis is on the further east site from Carver. Must purchase camping license from Game and Fishing Commission. Can be done online at www.agfc.com (Arkansas Game and Fishing Commission) , for $5. The farther east site is high on a bluff top, the west site is more in a valley. Looks like they might be busy during hunting season. Not bad for secluded camping,but not likely remote during hunting seasons.

Stopped there for a night. Not an unpopular area with locals, I spoke to several over the 24hrs I stayed here. Good pull off area with room for 3-5 "sites. A few established "dispersal" spots to use. Was able to comfortably pull my 4runner in and car camp comfortably for a night right next to the Buffalo river and between 2 fresh water streams feeding into it. Well worth the stop. Beautiful area!

Great little campground. Please read description before coming or don't whine when you get here. No electricity, hot showers and water available close. Quiet and close to the river.

Nice, clean, quiet. On the map it is to the West of Russelville on the same side of the lake. Check google where the state park is.

I arrived about 11 pm. Totally dark. Set up camp, started a fire and relaxed a little. We to bed and woke to a beautiful view overlooking the valley. Site is large enough for 3,maybe 4 Overlanding Rigs. Couple established fire rings. Highly recommend. Camp sits about 30, 40 yards off the road on the left . Late Feb. overnight temp 40. Verizon cell works great.

Hands down my favorite site. Will forever love the peace & tranquility here. Just a reminder to please leave the site now you’d hope it would be left for you. The most beautiful spot on the Arkansas river

I went there in mid January when it was super cold and the leaves were all fallen. I was the only one there. The river is beautiful and is accessible from all six campsites, which are all in a row on the left side of the road. There is no running water, but you can get your water from the river - there are a couple of places you can access the shallow parts of the river from. Just make sure to filter or boil it. A couple of vault toilets, one with toilet paper and neither of their doors lock. I didn't see any wildlife. Oh and you can drive to your campsite of course. The ground was either muddy or gravel-y. Not much privacy between sites in winter.

Coordinates: 34.82029,-92.82184. Large creekside dispersed campsite located on a rocky, bumpy track, about 150 yards east of Forest Road 179 (aka Wildcat Mountain Rd). If going southbound on FR179, the track is on the left immediately after crossing a bridge. The track may look sketchy to some drivers, but I drove down it okay in my Subara. Good spot for car camping. The site itself is very rocky, so it may be uncomfortable for tent camping. There are trees for hammock camping. There are 3 large rock fire rings. This site is prone to flooding. The site appears to be popular and well used. There are no hiking trails, but the access track passes the site and continues along the creek - good for an easy stroll. Tried fishing here, but no luck. I do know from previous experience that there is fish in the creek. The creek is nice for a summertime dip when its running high. The site is mostly shaded; may be difficult to get a Starlink connection. I received no cell service. This is a pretty nice site, offering some privacy from the forest road and a wonderful sound of the creek.

Coordinates: 35.58695,-93.20723. Camped here Dec 29, 2024. Set well off of Meadows Knob Rd. Expect pinstriping along the access track to this secluded dispersed campsite. FR1802A toward the site has some erosion; low clearance vehicles may high center in one or two spots. The main forest road into this part of the Ozark National Forest is okay. The campsite is in open area, located in an old clear cut area. There is a partial view of the distant mountains. The site is a level, dirt surface. Not a large site; okay for one rig. Tent camping possible. No nearby mature trees for hammock camping. The site is overgrown with grass and weeds; a weed whacker is needed to clear the rock fire ring. There is a spot on the ground where a previous campfire was made. Good AT&T and T-Mobile 5G service. No shade; access to Starlink is possible. No hiking trails, although there is a 2-track for hiking that leads down into Graves Creek Canyon and some unnamed waterfalls. The hike along this trck is nice. This is not a pretty dispersed site, but it is well off of the main forest road; very private. Access to the site may be difficult for some vehicles. High clearance 4x4 vehicles should have no problems.

The campground in nestled in the Buffalo National River Wilderness offering many options on the river or hiking the mountains and bluffs.  There are several river access spots throughout the campground. 

There are floating outfitters in the area that will drive you up river to float back down toward the campground.

The bathrooms are on the smaller side, but the showers were clean.

Coordinates: 34.84016,-92.82538. Located along unpaved Forest Road 179 (Wildcat Mountain Road), about 3/4 miles south of junction with Forest Road 132. The forest road was in good condition during my visit. A 2-wheel drive passenger car should be able to reach this site. It is a large campsite, close to forest road; no privacy from the road. The site is a dirt surface with a very large rock fire ring. Mostly level. Tent and hammock camping possible. No T-Mobile service. Has AT&T 5G service. Shaded; connection to Starlink will be a challenge. Beautiful forest with a very small pond behind the site in the woods. May be able to back a truck camper into the site; I don't recommend anything larger. Pretty area; nice area for a stroll in the woods. There is a hiking trailhead near FR132 with a dirt parking space. This is a really nice, clean site if one doesn't mind the lack of privacy from the forest road.

Coordinates: 34.85844,-92.85765. Camped here in mid-December 2024. Large dispersed campsite in a wooded area positioned between the Winona Scenic Drive (Forest Road 132) and the Ouachita National Recreation Trail in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas. The site has easy access from both the forest road and the backpacking trail. Convenient to hikers and softroaders. The North Fork Pinnacle viewpoint is a half-mile hike from the campsite. The campsite is set back from the forest road; no issues with dust from the road. The site, as well as the driveway into the site, are dirt surfaces. There are 2 clean fire rings. I camped by the 2nd fire ring which is further away from the forest road. Maneuvering my van into position took some effort due to the trees at this spot; a little bit of leveling was required. The first fire ring, closer to the forest road, is easier to set up next to and more level. This dispersed campsite can accomodate 3 or 4 small to midsize rigs. Tent and hammock camping is possible. The site is shaded. About 100 yards west on the other side of the forest road, there is a clear-cut area which has a lot of downed limbs for firewood. There was spotty T-Mobile service, but good AT&T service, at this site. The ride on Forest Road 132 from the east (Hwy 9) is bumpy/rocky in several places. Erosion seems to be getting worse over time on this unpaved road. I aired-down the tires for ride comfort. Low clearance vehicles should be okay on this road. There are several other dispersed campsites, which are easy to find, along the road. Enjoyed camping here. Beautiful site in the woods. Quiet. Next to the Quachita National Recreation Trail which is a wonderful hiking trail.

Approach from Cavern Mountain Rd 5, not Madison/404. The final half mile of Madison/404 was too steep and rough to proceed. Cavern Mountain Rd 5 was good. Additionally, Google routed us a bunch of dirt roads to get here. I’d recommend driving around on the highways.

The experience begins with the climb: the road winds up and around the bends and crooks of the mountain. The entrance and welcome center is grand and very accepting of anything from small vehicles to large diesel pushers. The camping spaces are large and accommodating, most are level and can fit almost anything you travel in. The amenities were clean and - while dated - all in good working conditions. The various trails are well marked and offer several levels of technical expertise. At the top you can camp or stay at The Lodge - which offers a myriad of services from food to catered events.

But the views ARE the reason to experience this park! They are simply delicious!

Coordinates: 35.69300,-93.76803. Large dispersed site with a view, especially in the winter, of the mountains to the west. Located along Morgan Mountain Road, Forest Road 1504, a little over a mile north of AR Hwy 215. The trailhead to Spy Rock is about a mile north of this site. Altough eroded in spots due to recent heavy rains, Morgan Mountain Road was in good condition - no obstacles. A 2wd passenger car can carefully make it over the eroded areas. Except for one small spot, the site is not level - slopes downhill a little toward the ridge. Camping rigs may need leveling depending on the parking spot. Access into the site from the forest road is easy. There is a clean rock fire ring. Tenting camping is possible. Hammock camping may be possible using nearby trees. The site is mostly shaded. The forest surrounding this campsite is beautiful. I received no T-Mobile service during my visit. I decided not to camp here during my visit due to a brisk, cold north-northwest wind blowing through the campsite.

Camped in site #6 on Nov 20, 2024. The Mulberry River had some serious flooding a few weeks ago which caused this campground to close. The campground is now open, and work is being done to restore the campground and its campsites back to its previous clean state. During my stay, grading was being done on the campground loop road. Some of the campsites were flooded leaving behind some debris and eroded site driveways. The sites away from the river were in good condition. The tent pads look level. Water was available; toilets and showers were functional. The restoom/shower house can use some cleaning, but not too bad. Trash service was available. Despite the flood damage, this is a good campground in a pretty area. I look forward to returning.