Best Glamping near Van Buren, AR

Awesome Small Campground! What a gem! Not a glamping campground, but beautiful peaceful change. Only 16 sites, with only 2, 50 amp sites. We were lucky enough to get one. Site is huge and private. Has fire pit with grill, separate bbq, siting area and great hook ups. Bear proof refuge container on site as well. Half off if disabled! Site 3 wasn't completely level, but quick fix. Sights and hiking were breathtaking. No laundry, cable or wifi, but restrooms and showers were clean. Cell service was spotty. Gorgeous lodge with great overlooks and restaurant close by. A diamond in the rough.

This is a nice modern park on the shore of the man made Lake Fort Smith. To me, the most interesting parts of the park were destroyed in order to make the lake (and thus, the park); the Works Progress Administration (WPA) had several cabins and shelters on the property from building the dam and surrounding areas. However, they were flooded under when the lake filled. The ranger in the visitor’s center said the buildings were not able to be moved. There was a nice exhibit about the building of the park and the role of the WPA in the surrounding area. The campsites are all really RV only with water and electric, although most sites also have a tent pad. There were no other tent campers while I was there. The campground is really clean and well maintained; it seemed that the trash cans were emptied almost hourly by the nice fellow buzzing around in his golf cart. The bath house was super clean, too. There are some nice hiking trails, although none very long. However, this park marks the western end of the Ozark Highlands Trail that stretches across northern-ish Arkansas for 150+ miles. This might be a good starting or ending spot. The boat ramp seemed quiet, but that might have been the weather. If you are into group glamping, there are several lodges that are available that could house a small family to a small army.

The campground is a hidden gem. The RV and primitive camping are clean and well-maintained. The bathroom/shower requires a passcode to enter and is always clean to use. It's a great escape for off-roading and overloading. Be sure to stop by the Oark Cafe in Oark, Arkansas, which is a 25-minute drive from the campground. They serve one of the best burgers in Arkansas (Wednesday-Sunday).

Near the Mulberry River and White Rock recreation area, the facility is an off road enthusiasts playground! Trails directly into the outback from the facility. Plants of space to stretch out and enjoy the deep Forrest areas of Arkansas

The views, as other reviewers have said, are impressive and the Rim Trail is worth doing any time of day and any season.

One warning on the cabins though - in summer be prepared for some bugs.  Stayed in Cabin B in August one summer with my wife, who is tougher than anything but spiders.  I would have been wise to get there a couple hours earlier and let her relax while I cleaned the place thoroughly.  They were pretty thick throughout.

It's not that they're dirty, it's just that they're old buildings which aren't used every day surrounded by forest.  Naturally, you get spiders, rodents, etc.   It didn't bother me at all, but it did her.  Water pressure and hot water were not what one would hope if you want a shower as well.  

We both enjoyed the setting, loved the cabin otherwise, and loved the hikes.  We've done day hikes there with the kids' since, and in a prior visit I saw a bear go lumbering in front of my truck on the road to White Rock.  Only time in 40+ years I've seen a bear in the wild in Arkansas, and I grew up in the country! 

Still recommend White Rock, but if you're considering the cabins it's worth bringing cleaning supplies.  Even with that, they're a great bargain.

The one thing you notice as you pull into this park is the updated facilities.  The state of Arkansas has put in a real effort to make the outdoor experience a nice as possible in their state parks. All sites were level for both campers and tents  Each site had a good table, fire pit and lantern pole.  The only drawback is the limited hiking options but the lake offers opportunities to fish and boat.  This park was a surprise as we were scouting the area.  We will be back

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.

I grew up in Arkansas but had never been here until this past winter. It's an absolutely beautiful place.

I can't wait to return here for summer activities. Awesome lodge with great food, the best view I have seen in ages. The park staff was also great and very helpful. One day we were there the visibility was nil, turns out we were in low clouds, not fog. Pretty cool.

This is a very nice state park that mostly offers hiking and beautiful views. We stayed in our camper, but there is a beautiful lodge and a good restaurant here as well. The hike up to the highest point in Arkansas is easy and family friendly for kids. Campground and bathhouse were well maintained and nice. Camping spots are spaced out pretty well. We enjoyed our visit here!

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.

We made a return trip in the late fall to Mt Mag and ended up in the unofficial campground on the back side of the park.  The sites had a table and a fire pit along with a pit toilet.  Mt Mag has some amazing trails and view to explore.  The park also has a lodge if that is your thing that over looks the Arkansas valley below. The staff at the visitor center was friendly and helpful in directing us on which hikes to take in the area.  I would defiantly recommend making reservations if you want to stay in establish camp.

Located at the base drive up to Mount Magazine this is a good back up to the state park campground. It is a typical Arkansas campground but it does have decent bathrooms where you're not afraid to step into and has a camp host. It is based on a "lake" so beware of mosquitoes in the summer. We use it as a base to hike up to Mount Magazine as the trail crosses the road and heads up to the top of Mount Magazine state park. The trail is out of the ordinary for the region and takes you have some washouts and up the mountain. If it has been raining, beware and check your weather.

Mount Magazine has it all! The official campground has full service hookups with appropriately spaced sites and newer restrooms. There is an unofficial overflow campground with a well kept pit toilet that offers the best view from the campgrounds over the Arkansas valley. If you prefer cabins or a suite, they have that too with amazing views that overlook hang gliding cliffs and a pleasant valley below. For hiking, you can choose a short loop up to the top of the mountain, medium day hikes or a longer 2 day out and back to the bottom of the mountain. This place is a must see if you live anywhere close to the park.

Located beyond a perfectly canopied gravel road and surrounded by miles of mostly uninhabited forests White Rock Mountain has been the most delightful treasure of 2016. When we arrived at 10:00 PM, the full moonlight guided us as we set up camp, later able able to watch the stars through our open tent (which was much needed during this hot Arkansas summer). When we awoke, shortly after dawn, we hiked the cliffs' edge where we saw miles of inviting green landscape. As our hike around the mountain progressed we saw much vegetation and wildlife! Once the hours grew hotter we decided to leave for a swim in the Mulberry, learning that a trail leads all the way down the mountain meeting the winding road in several locations. Despite having slight reservations with a toddler, I'm looking forward to our next experience at White Rock.

We stayed at an RV site at Cameron Campground, #2. Nice shady spot with a picnic table, grill and fire pit. Was also a space for a tent. The picnic table had a few steps up to it.

This site is at the entrance, we might have preferred something at the back. Everyone coming in or out drove by our spot. But the neighbors were all very quiet.

The bathhouse had two showers, several toilets.

Several signs up say beware of bears, but we didn't see any.

We saw LOTS of deer.

Be prepared for a long winding road up the mountain. It's not overly steep, but it takes a while to get ANYWHERE in this part of Arkansas.

Went to Cove Lake (11 miles away, about a 20 minute drive) to fish, but didn't stay long, and didn't catch anything. Cove lake has camping but no hookups.

White Rock Mountain Recreation Area, in the western Arkansas Ozarks, has a campground with 9 tent sites. One of these is a large group site. 8 sites are arranged along a gravel loop road. In addition to tents, these tent sites will accommodate a camper van; the best sites for vans are #1 thru 4. These are level. Sites 5 thru 8, on the west side of the loop, have great views, but are probably not level enough for van, truck and car camping. Each site has a level gravel tent pad, grill, table & fire pit. The sites are not large enough for RVs. The forest roads leading to the recreation area are rough in places, but passenger cars can make it. Amber, our host, is fantastic. She delivers firewood to your site after purchase. The vault toilet is clean. Pump water is available. No hookups. The campground appears well maintained. The OHT runs though the recreation area. There is a really good hiking trail that loops around the rim of the mountain, offering fantastic views of the Ozarks. T-mobile cell service is available with sporadic LTE data service.

Lake Ft. Smith State Park is a beautiful park in the Boston Mountains. We drove over from Memphis to meet my brother’s family (who lives in Tulsa). We stayed in campsite 9 which was a pull through site and had stunning views of the lake. My brother stayed in site 8. Sites 1-20 have full hook-ups with sewer. The bathhouse was clean and fully functioning.

Pros: Many activities at the Visitor Center for children. Ozark Highland Trail is directly behind the campsites on the lake side. Recreational area with a playground that is updated. Sites have gravel which limits how much dirt/mud you have to deal with.

Cons: Many of the campsites are on a grade. They all have multiple levels with stairs and have no railings. We had 5 children <6 years of age and the sites were somewhat perilous. If you are a parent with small kids, sites 17-20 and sites 2-3 are better. The other sites are excellent, but not necessarily best for small kids. Last, the playground requires that you drive to it which is inconvenient.

Overall: Great family park with updated amenities. We’d like to give it a try in the spring/summer when the pool and splash pad are open! If you’ve got small kids, Petit Jean State Park would be my suggestion in this area of Arkansas.

If you are ever driving through Arkansas a trip to Mount Magazine State Park is a must. Mount Magazine is the state’s highest point topping out at 2,753 feet and delivers sweeping views of broad valleys, lakes, winding rivers, and distant mountains. The rugged rock outcroppings protrude from the densely wooded forests. What makes this park even more spectacularly beautiful is that it is surrounded by National Forest lands encompassing glorious acres of woods. 

In the late 1800’s, the railroad made travel easier and people were drawn to the area for its cooler weather and awe-inspiring scenic beauty. Resort lodges and restaurants sprang up and the resort “Town of Mount Magazine” began. Soon a post office, parks, streets and a dance pavilion dotted the town. The town took a turn when drought, erosion, and the Great Depression brought the town to collapse. The 1934 Resettlement Act purchased all the private land on the mountain and was shortly transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. In the late 1930’s and 40’s, the Works Progress Administration built campgrounds, trails, cabins, and a lodge were constructed. A fire destroyed the lodge in 1971. In 1998, Arkansas State Parks entered into a cooperative agreement with the USDA Forest Service to develop Mount Magazine State Park. The lodge reopened in 2006 and graces the same beautiful setting as the original structure. 

We found this park very relaxing which is kind of amazing because there is so much for outdoor enthusiasts to do making it hard to sit still. There are miles and miles of hiking trails, horseback riding, hang gliding launches, cycling, and some of the most dramatic locations for rock climbing and rappelling. The diverse mountain ecosystem offers amazing bird watching and wildlife viewing and provides habitat for over 90 species of butterflies. Many were brightening the woods when we were there. We were there at a time when wildflowers were blooming so the forest floor was lit up with color. The higher altitude and cooler weather on the mountain meant that trees had not leafed out yet but a look down in the valley was a stark contrast with trees fully leafed out. The park has a relatively small campground with a meek 18 sites with full hook-up (two of which are 50 amp). Campsites are well-spaced with gravel pads and patios with fire pits and picnic tables. We so enjoyed hanging around our campsite but for those that don’t camp you will be perfectly comfortable in the lodge or cabins. 

The Lodge at Mount Magazine has breath-taking views and some rooms have spa tubs on their balconies to enjoy the view. Thirteen cabins dot the ridge line offering the same awesome views and Jacuzzi tub options on your balcony. At the lodge is The Skycrest Restaurant which is a nice treat for those not wanting to cook. We decided to have drinks one evening on the veranda enjoying the setting sun lighting the valley. The next day we popped in for lunch where $6 got a plate of open-face prime rib sandwich, mashed potatoes, salad, and squash casserole. Pretty good deal if you ask us. 

This state park so worked for us. It was the combination of the reading in a quiet wooded campground, being able to go to the lodge for a drink, lunch and great view and spending hours walking in the woods. The park is a good 30 minutes drive from the nearest town so you may want to stock up so you can just relax on the mountain.

Magazine Mountain is the highest peak in Arkansas at 2,753 feet. Mount Magazine SP sits at the top of Magazine Mountain. It has 18 RV campsites of varying length, all with water and most have sewer. Two have 50 amp service with the rest having 30. All of the campsites have a large level tent pad, table, fire ring, and plenty of shade. The restrooms/showers are a 4.5 out of 5 for state park facilities. 

Mount Magazine SP also has a lodge with a restaurant and and 13 cabins if camping is not your thing.

The park has about 15 miles of hiking trails. The trails are mostly shaded and well defined. Remember you are on a mountain so there will be elevation changes as you walk. We hiked about half of them.  

Mount Magazine boasts as one of the top spots for fall foliage. Our visit was in late August so something we will have to come back for, but with the many species of trees I have no doubt it would be beautiful.  

Other amenities of the park are multiple picnic areas and a hang glider launch area. Picnic areas are nice. We did not partake of the hand glider launch. No I am not afraid to die, just see no need to rush into it.

Just outside the SP is the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest with 170 miles of OHV trails. Rubi (our Jeep) had fun. Ok we did too.

Mount Magazine SP is a very nice place to visit and one we look forward to coming back to.

I went to Mt Magazine in the fall and it is truly a spectacular park.   For anyone with kids, I would say at the outset that this isn't a very kid-friendly park. No playgrounds, very, very mountainous, and generally just not a park for kids.  With that said, if you're a hiker, photographer or someone who can't wait to chase down the spectacular view, this park is for you.   Also, Magazine is one of the few parks that offers climbers great opportunities to work their skills.  The park essentially sits on top of a bluff that is nearly surrounded on all sides by straight rock face.  There is ample opportunity for anyone into repelling or climbing to indulge themselves.  

Magazine is one of the smallest parks I've been to.  There aren't many camping sites at all. Each site is large and the camping area is spread out quite a bit.  It's a great place to achieve some seclusion.  To that end, there ins't much at the park.  It's definitely a place where you need to pack well and plan to cook.  It isn't easy to get anywhere at all.  That's particular true if you don't have a vehicle that handles elevation well.  Further, due to the elevation and drastic temperature change from the base of the mountain and the campground, it frankly isn't safe at all to drive on the mountain in the early morning or evening.  I've included a picture to give you an idea of the type of fog I had to drive through on my way to the campsite at about 11:30 in the morning.  One evening on our trip, we were stupid enough to attempt the trek at night and I seriously couldn't see 1 foot in front of my truck.  My advice, stay on the mountain.  The campground is like most Arkansas parks.  It's very well kept and clean and the bath house was very nice as far as state parks go.  You can't go wrong.  

Apart from the campsites, I would add another note for anyone with a spouse like mine who would prefer to stay in places that look like ski lodges instead of our PUP.  This place fits the bill and some.  The lodge on top of the mountain is spectacular and looks like something you would see in the mountains of Colorado.  During our trip, my brother and I ate dinner one night at the lodge and went with the surf and turf buffet - good choice, Donny; very good choice.  There's also a bar in the lodge, among other things.  The view off the back porch of the lodge is one of the best I've seen save for maybe Petit Jean.  Apparently Mt Nebo is better but I haven't been yet.  I am going this fall so I may have to update this post if it is.  Either way, the back porch of the Lodge is equipped with several large rocking chairs and it is definitely a place to catch up on some tranquility and peaceful gazing.  Most of the rooms in the lodge have private balconies that look out over the mountain as well.  If your significant other isn't a "camper," they will definitely be pleased with the accommodations at the lodge. 

Overall, if you want a place to escape for a weekend and get the feel of a high-end ski lodge for half the cost, this is your place.  It's essentially camping in the heavens with the spectacular views and sunsets from all angles.  The only thing I would add as a last note of advice is this: the temperature is literally about 10-15 degrees cooler on the mountain than below.  One night we were there it got down to mid teens.  So unless you're going in July, I would recommend you pack a pair of pants, long sleeves and maybe even a light jacket.  You will probably be cold otherwise.

An excellent park. With $12 million from Fort Smith and $10 from the state the renovation is all first class. There is a covered wagon in the new visitor center. The sites are lovely. No swimming in the lake but the pool is great.

Full hook ups. 30 & 50 amps. Level sites and very spacious. AT&T might get 1 bar might be none. None is better for me.

Perfect spot with no one on one side of you. Plenty of shade. Level site. Not far from hiking trail. Very quiet. Lots of deer.