Best Tent Camping near Tumbling Shoals, AR

This park is pretty much spotless. I tent camped in the fall and loved it. All the tent sites have a gravel pad, picnic table and fire ring. Lots of trees to set up your hammock. They have a swim beach and small boat rentals in the summer. There’s a nice paved walking trail too. I highly recommend.

Lake is nice. Didn’t catch many fish though. Swim area is very well kept. Adorable pedal boats. Tent camping sites are right at the entrance on the road. You have to park in the parking lot and carry all your stuff to the camp ground. Definitely don’t recommend using a tent site at all. The entire park is very well kept and very clean. Park staff were very nice and helpful. Mountain biking trail is in good condition. North loop was even good for my 8 year old while I did trail running. Cute little state park.

Small very tidy and spacious campground. Stayed in tent. Clean showers and restroom. $45 for tent site with electrical connection and water.

Jacksonport has grown since we tent camped here years ago. Great new Visitors Center, still love the museum (it is closed right now because of COVID), the beach is pretty, but we miss the old Paddlewheel. Nice level sites and shaded.

Have stayed here twice so far and love it. Price is cheap and they work off the trust system. They have electric and water camper hookups and tent camping. They also have a little bath house there too. Not 5 star lodging but the view over white river is breathtaking.

This a a great park with direct access to the Buffalo River and hiking trails including one with a cave to explore. The Rangers are very helpful and a great resource for new visitors.

The park has RV sites, walk-in tent sites and group sites.

The tent site that we had was great. (Site 37) It was right by the water with tons of room and a nice, level ground. Some hammock trees were nearby as well.There was a shared water spigot near the site.

You park in a small lot behind the tent sites and carry your things a short distance.

The bathrooms were clean, but they were quite a distance from the tents. This was my one and only complaint about this SP.

In the warmer months, starting in May, they rent out kayaks, paddle boats, and canoes. There is also a small concession stand you can order from.

My husband caught one fish while we were there from our camp site. It’s very handy being that close to the water.

There is a great hiking trail around the lake. About 3.5 miles if you combine the cabin trail with the Huckleberry trail. It was an enjoyable hike. There were people of all ages enjoying it.

We would definitely camp in this spot again!

Beautiful river among bluffs and forests. This campsite does allow reservations so it’s the safest bet for your trip through the park in the summer. There are some walk-in tent sites too but you won’t be very far from your car. Nice and simple campground, clean, actual hot showers.

This was our second trip to Woolly Hollow. The first time was in April, and the trails and waterfalls were better maintained and more beautiful in April. We still enjoyed our trip though. They have great trails for hiking and mountain biking. There is a nice swimming area with a shop to order drinks/snacks. The park rangers and staff were super friendly and helpful. The bathroom facilities were clean. Although we stayed in the RV camp area, the tent camping area had some great sites, some right on the water.

Coordinates: 35.50873, -92.81549. Group dispersed site located less than a 1/4-mile south of the Zing Trailhead on Charleston Road. Charleston Road is a wide, well maintained gravel road located in a popular national forest OHV area. This dispersed site is a level with a dirt and grass surface. The site can accomodate multiple vehicles; tent camping is possible. There is a large rock fire ring at the rear of the site. The site is open with little shade, making recharging with solar panels possible. Other than accommodating a group of OHV and offroad enthusiasts, and stargazing at night, there is nothing remarkable about this campsite.

We have loved BP for 25 years. We have always tent camped but now we have a camper. This site isn't great for a camper/RV, but at least we were at Buffalo Point! I say it's not great for a camper for the following reasons: Your camper door opens into a BUNCH of brush/bamboo. The picnic table is on the wrong side (not the door side). Other than that, the good things about it are: like I said, you're at Buffalo Point and the river is right below you . You are RIGHT next to the boat launch/swimming area. All that to say, if this was the last site available, we would take it again, it's just not our first choice.

We tent camped at the Buffalo Point Campground in loop B for a few days. These sites are the closest to the river and the swimming area. The sites are pretty close together, but there were a few that had more room (next time). You can not access the river from these sites. There is a view of the river through some brush.

We rented from Wild Bills and floated to Rush. It was gorgeous! We saw tons of wildlife and were the only ones on the river on a Thursday morning.

The sites being close together and the lack of a super flat area for our tent is the reason for the 4 star. Plus the bathrooms were a little dirty, but they had great pressure and hot water.

Don’t miss out on the Indian Rockhouse trail and the concession restaurant. Get the broasted chicken breast and jojo potatoes. Trust me. Plus a piece of peanut butter pie!

Not sure if the pin location is correct, so here are the exact coordinates: 35.53654, -92.80322.  Small dispersed campsite just off Wilderness Trail Road. Wilderness Trail Road is a wide gravel country road located in a popular national forest OHV area. More specifically, the site is located on multi-use/OHV trail Brock Creek #42, Forest Road 2321 - just a few hundred feet south of Wilderness Trail (not in the trailhead parking lot, where camping is not allowed). Its a small, level dirt site, mostly shaded in a small clearing in the trees, close to the track - not private. It has a small rock fire ring. Tent camping is possible. It's a pull-in site which can accommodate one vehicle - truck camper and smaller. Except for being convenient to OHV trails, there is nothing remarkable about this dispersed site.

This 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.

The best features of this State Park are: 1) it is close to Conway and an easy drive from Little Rock; 2) there is a separate loop for tent camping and it's closer to the water than the hookups loop; and 3) it has a nice swim beach open in season. I believe the State Park puts on some interesting programs, too, so watch their calendar. The hiking loops around the lake and grounds are just fine but cannot offer the majestic scenery of some of the more mountainous regions of the state. If you camp in the RV loop you will likely meet some nice folks and enjoy nature among other RVers. The park is well taken care of, but again, it's not winning awards for the most striking setting our state has to offer. Nonetheless, Woolly Hollow makes a good getaway for families that want to spend time outdoors, ride their bikes around or take a swim, look up at the stars, and not venture too far from home.

This campground is located just past a low water bridge. There is NO cell service in the park. The camping area has a great swimming hole, beach and shaded hiking. Some enjoy jumping off the rocks/cliff, but I would not recommend it. RV sites with water and electric and full bathrooms/showers. Their is another nearby camping area that has has RV sites, bathrooms, tent sites and group sites. The Rangers and very helpful and informative. There is also parking for backcountry camping/hiking nearby. 

The main trail connects to a network of trails over fifty miles long. There is also a pound with a dam and old mill structure not that far away. There are guided cave Tours with paved walkways and elevators, plus more rugged off-trail caving tours as well. The visitor center is very informative and has a small gift shop. We come here year round for swimming in the summer, hiking in the fall and spring, and caving in the winter.

Pin location may not be correct, so here are the coordinates: 35.52534, -92.83158. Located on Charleston Road in a popular national forest OHV area - 1/2 mile southeast of the Mountain Man Trailhead. Charleston Road is a well maintained gravel road. The site is at the beginning of an old unnamed, closed, dirt track - close to Charleston Road. The site has a dirt surface; not quite level, but more level toward the rear. It is a pull-in site which can accommodate one campervan and smaller. Tent camping is possible. The site is mostly shaded. There is poison ivy around the perimeter of the site. The site includes a large rock fire ring. Except for a little bit of trash in the fire ring, the site was pretty much clean. The old track is gated just past the site,; the track is hikeable, leading up to the northern-most Stoebuck Mountain (there are two "Stoebuck Mountains" in this area). Except for being convenient to OHV trails, there is nothing remarkable about this dispersed site. It is good for an overnight stay.

Blanchard Springs has great camp sites, great hiking, multiple access to swim/wade into water, plus great caving opportunities! There is NO cell service in the park. 

The back camping area has a great swimming hole, beach and shaded hiking. Some enjoy jumping off the rocks/cliff, but I would not recommend it. RV sites with water and electric and full bathrooms/showers. 

The upper camping area has RV sites, bathrooms, tent sites and group sites. The Rangers and very helpful and informative. There is also parking for backcountry camping/hiking. The main trail connects to a network of trails over fifty miles long. There is also a pound with a dam and old mill structure. 

There are guided cave Tours with paved walkways and elevators, plus more rugged off-trail caving tours as well. The visitor center is very informative and has a small gift shop.

We come here year round for swimming in the summer, hiking in the fall and spring, and caving in the winter.

Coordinates: 35.49123, -92.80548. Large open dispersed site set back from Charleston Road, just north of Bell Rd (Forest Road 1334). Located in a popular national forest OHV and multi-use trails area. Charleston Road is a wide, well-maintained gravel road. Access to the site from Charleston Road is on a 400 foot long narrow dirt track; pinstripping is possible. The dispersed site has a dirt surface with some embedded rocks. It's on a rise above the lake, offering a nice view. Solar recharging is possible in this open site. The site is on what appears to be a parking area along an old dirt track; this track appears as an older section of Charleston Rd on some maps. There is a dirt ramp into the lake. There is room for multiple rigs at the campsite. Some leveling may be required depending on the spot the vehicle is parked. There are two rock fire rings - one large and one small. Tent Camping is possible near the fire rings. The lake was drained at the time of my visit; otherwise, it's a really nice view.

On a two day float with kids, made a reservation for tent camping at Buffalo Point for the overnight.  I hadn't been there before, but it looked beautiful and on a nice beach at the river.   Plus with two pre-teen girls, I thought a chance for a bathroom and maybe some ice cream at the store would be a nice break.

The beach is nice, and right before you get to it there's some cool rock formations to paddle your kayak in and around, BUT the campsites are a good hike uphill from the river.  Even if you're comfortable leaving your canoes out of your sight on the beach (I'm not), you've still got to haul all your gear up a pretty good hill and depending on your site, multiple hikes to move your gear unless you're going backpacking light. 

We still hiked up to the overlook which was a nice way to stretch our legs, but ultimately decided to stay at a gravel bar further downriver.  The sites in the campground were shady, the roads were all in good shape, and the river is always beautiful, so if I'm not floating I'll definitely go back.

I completed my undergrad and graduate degrees in Arkansas about 30ish miles north of Little Rock. While living in Arkansas, my brother and I traveled all over the state, including a visit to the Blanchard Springs Caverns and recreation area. Hiking through the caverns and around the recreation area is phenomenal. The caverns make you feel like you’re looking at something made my aliens. It’s really pretty amazing. It’s also enormous inside the cave. For us, it was a day trip excursion. However, we did explore all around the recreation and campground area. I’ve camped all over Arkansas and what I’d say is that this is probably a great place for primitive tent camping and/or backpack/hammock camping. I have three small boys and it wouldn’t be my first choice for a family camping trip, albeit very very cool. The campground is small, maybe 30 or so spots and heavily wooded. The terrain isn’t conducive to kids unless you’re ok constantly being concerned about injuries. There are lots of cool swimming holes, moving water and falls nearby with it’s close proximity to Mirror Lake and Sugar Loaf Mt. definitely worth a trip if you’re close by, but not something I’d make a multi-hour trip for. Also wouldn’t stay there more than maybe two nights. I’d say if you’re camping somewhere relatively close, work in a day trip to Blanchard Springs. If you are like me and have kids, and you’d have to travel anything beyond an hour or two to get there, it’s not worth it. There are too many beautiful places in AR and you’d probably drive by more than one of them to get to Blanchard Springs. I’m giving it 3 stars for that reason alone. If I were rating based solely on the sites, activities, etc. I’d give it 5.

Check in Check out 2 pm

Maximum stay– check to see from Memorial Day through Labor Day

$15 per day no hook ups 1 site with electric $20

Open all year 

No reservations     FCFS 

Tent camping or small RV/trailers

Dump station Picnic table toilets hot showers drinking water grills lantern poles

High water can lead to campground shut down. There are two group camp sites that are by reservations only for a minimum of 8 and maximum of 50. Call 877-444-6777 for reservations or info. 

You will find a trailhead connecting the campground to the North Sylamore Creek Hiking Trail. There is also access to the Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail. If the cavern is open, right now it is closed due to COVID, it is an excellent cavern to visit as it is a “live” cavern. It is still growing and evolving. A must visit is to see Mirror Lake which was created by a dam built by the CCC. Along the same path you will discover the remains of an old mill. Mills once dotted the Arkansas hills but few remain. A hike to the“Blanchard Springs”. The water that is coming out of the rocks is actually coming from inside the cavern. 

The road to Blanchard Springs is steep going in but the road is in very good shape. To get to the campground you will have to cross a “low water bridge” that is made of concrete and the creek flows over the concrete. Adds a bit of excitement for the kids if they have never been across one.

Carry in all the supplies you will need so you will not have to leave the area until you are ready. The creek is amazing, clear and cool.

LNT 

Better than when you found it

Stay safe Happy travels

Not sure if the location pin is correct, so here are the coordinates: 35.49995, -92.80930. A large, wooded dispersed site situated above Brock Creek off of Charleston Road in a popular national forest OHV and multi-use trail area. Charleston Road is a wide, well maintained gravel road. The dispersed site can accommodate 2 or 3 vehicles - campervan size and smaller. There are 2 access driveways into the site. Access for a truck camper is tight due to the location of trees on the site. Access for 2WD low clearance vehicles may be rough due to some erosion. The dispersed site is a dirt surface with some embedded rocks jutting out. Some leveling may be required depending where the rig is parked. Tent camping is possible. There is a vehicle turnaround at the rear of the site. The site is shaded, so solar charging is limited. Except for a little bit of glass and some bullet shell casings scattered about, the site was clean at the time of my visit. The site has a large rock fire ring. There is a wide track that leads off the site toward the south along and above the creek. This track does not appears on any of the current forest service maps (including MVUM) that I have, so I'm assuming that it is not a legal motorized vehicle track. The track is hikeable. The site is convenient to OHV and multi-use trails. It was a pretty site during my summertime visit, but I bet it's beautiful during the Fall season. It is set back from Charleston Road. It is a really nice spot.