Best Dog-Friendly Camping near West Memphis, AR

Although this is called the Memphis KOA - it is a bit of a hike.  Especially when the bridge (I-40) is out.  

This campground is very typical for a KOA Journey.  Right off the interstate, nice pull-throughs, minimal amenities.  

We stayed here for a couple of weeks while working in Memphis - good/bad comments below:

Good

1. Staff.  Super nice, very helpful.

2. Ease of access to I-55.  

Bad

1. Remote (not in a good way). Kind of far from West Memphis, within 10 minutes to Marion, but nothing is convenient. 

2. Not in Memphis.  Per the name, this is really important to note.  Assume it is 30 minutes to where you are going in Memphis.  45 if the bridge is out.  

3. It floods when it storms.  Like 5 inches standing water.  Should probably be fixed.

I was really looking forward to checking out this spot right on the Mississippi when I found out it was nestled right on the banks of the river. I had looked up and down the Arkansas side for a spot with the view and it seemed to fit the bill perfectly. There area several RV areas but this was the only I found that also welcomed tents.

I had seen the camp map offering camping right on the banks, but when I arrived they were not allowing camping in that grassy section and instead were placing campers in the area closer to the RVs, in a tree covered area so it was pleasant but I was really looking forward to seeing the mighty river in the morning first thing. But being closer to the bath house did also have its advantages I guess.

Pricing was only $14 so can't really beat that. The staff was super friendly as well but I am thinking I was there on a busy weekend because it was pretty packed and seemed to have a little bit of a closer quarters feel on the RV loops that I personally would have enjoyed had I been on one of them.

For the most part the location was pretty quiet during the nighttime, you could hear a little of the river traffic but nothing much from my placement. I think I probably would have enjoyed the location a bit more during the week, sometimes I just like to really enjoy the natural beauty of things more without as many neighbors.

Just as much as the river itself is a positive, I also was made aware that it can be a negative as the banks of the river have often swelled into camp and caused partial or full closure of the park. After talking to one of the employees and them showing me a few of the flooding photos they advised to always check in advance during the flood season which is from December to June. For this reason however, the park is always working to improve structures and making better so they can stay on top of this.

TIPS:

• Check out the pedestrian bridge which travels from West Memphis, not far from this camp all the way across the Mississippi into Memphis, TN. It is the longest pedestrian bridge in the country.
• Check the website for the camp before traveling for links to weather related closures or possibilities.

Tom Sawyer's RV Park offers a unique camping experience on the Mississippi River with a mix of pros and cons suika game. Visitors praise the beautiful river views, spacious sites, and pet-friendly policies, as well as convenient amenities like free laundry facilities. However, recurring issues include basic or outdated bathroom facilities, limited tent camping options, and inconsistent site maintenance. Overall, it's a great choice for short stays, particularly for those with RVs, looking to enjoy scenic riverfront views and the charm of tugboat traffic.

This place was ok, very small, however more than half the trails and park were closed due to flooding. Lots of construction in progress. There was no sewage hook ups (water electricity only), nearby dump station. Bathroom facilities were very clean. The two trails opened were nice. My kids brought there bikes and enjoyed the one bike trail. I was a little annoyed by the park staff. They came by at least 15 times each day, checking tags, checking fire pits, checking pets, etc. I get it, but it kind of ruins the whole experience when you are relaxing in your camper and see park personnel snooping around constantly. We saw them everywhere. We couldn’t even hike without seeing them. It just felt invasive.

PROS 

Senior discount 

No fee assessed to make on-line reservations 

Quiet 

light view of lake from #57 

Site 57 has no site next to it or behind it 

Good distance between campsites 

Dark sky friendly except for sites near toilet/shower facilities where there is an actual street light 

Climate controlled toilet/shower facility in campground B 

Both campground B toilet/shower facilities very clean with ample supply of TP, soap and paper towels 

Wood picnic table (on concrete pad), pedestal BBQ grill, metal fire ring with cooking grate and metal lantern hook 

Wide roadway in campground B 

Small playground 

Access to lake swimming area from campground B 

Trash receptacles at toilet/shower facility 

Lots of deer


Smaller Walmart in Wynne AR 

Pops Grill in Wynne real good

CONS 

County burn ban in place upon arrival but no signage anywhere alerting of ban. We saw the Arkansas burn ban website and inquired upon checkin if it was enforced and park clerk affirmed ban but we saw many campers had a wood fire burning all the time. So without any signage we understand the confusion and noncompliance. Park should at least place burn ban signage at campground entrance. 

Site 57 unlevel side-to-side 

No cell service. 

No public phone in park. 

Parks signage states WiFi at park visitor center could be used to make phone calls. We found this not true with our T-MOBILE service as we purposely went to the visitor center to make a WIFI call. There is WIFI at visitors center but only one bar and too weak to transmit a call. So if there is an emergency after visitor center is closed and you need to make a call, good luck, as there is no public phone nor any camp hosts. We drove approximately 8 miles towards Wynne to get sufficient cell signal to make calls and connect with internet. 

Only free WiFi is at park visitor center. We purchased WiFi from park vendor Viasat $20 unlimited for 3 days for one device. Viasat delivered a good signal within 200 ft of toilet/shower facility so it was useless in our campsite#57. Don’t waste your money! Sewer connection at rear of site pad so bring the looooong stinky slinky! 

Pets not kept on leash 

No security gate closure overnight

Some nice shady spots and quiet. Was there in October and it was nice and quiet. Dogs are allowed. I did not have wifi or cell service (TMobile). But visitors with another service had wifi. There is wifi at the camp store/check in building.

Roadway coming in was a bit littered and unkept. Once we got to the sites it was much cleaner and well maintained. Booking was a breeze. We booked online the night before. Check in was very easy, especially because we got there after 10pm. Dogs loved their late night and early morning walks.

We showed up after hours and the security guard was able to help us get situated. We walked right over for a tour of Graceland and the Elvis museums. Also, if your hungry, call Marlows BBQ and they’ll send over their pink limo for easy pickup and drop off. They also have a small playground and area to walk your dog. Overall, we enjoyed our stay. Very friendly staff!

Pretty bare bones, dirt sites were easy to maneuver in and out of, but I had to disconnect for my overnight here and I did not feel very safe. The only neighbor I met was selling 5 week old pit bulls, which was very concerning if you are a dog lover or advocate. The next morning, I had a 10” rod deep in the side of my wheel - coincidence? I was ready to get out of there!

This shot up to a 4 because the had great BBQ pork sandwiches.

Typical KOA, nice pool, laundry facility. The Cafe has breakfast and for dinner pulled pork sandwiches or Pizza not bad.

Workers are very nice and do a great job of keeping everything neat and clean.

Nice kids play area and pool. Dog walk area.

Nice big shade trees. Not all sites have shade but most do.

Give it a 4, we will stay here again. Next time I would like to stay lo get to take the shuttle to Graceland.

Sites are fairly level and gravel.

Best thing about campground is how close it is to Graceland. 24/7 security. Staff onsite in office from 9 am to 4 pm. Checkin and checkout time is 11 am. Sites are gravel. Campground can accommodate all sizes of rvs. Dogs welcome. Bathrooms are clean and functional, just need a bit of cosmetic updating (peeling paint, missing tiles). Laundry on site. Area on north side of campground for tents and small rvs with electric and water only. All other sites have full hookups which include sewer. No dump station on site. Must call to make reservations, no online option. Good Sam affiliate.

Oh yeah, it’s the lake. Apparently it was drained to repair the dam. Looks like and apocalyptic wasteland where the lake was. Walked out to the middle of it and some Perv was flying a drone over my head. Stayed at the tent campsite which was ok because no one else was there, but you can see the rv site and some dumb buildings and a big streetlight. With the amount of dogs barking it sounds like you are in a neighborhood. It was ok. I guess any state park is better than no state park.