Southgate RV Park of Fayetteville

This is one of those RV parks that you have a love-hate relationship with. You love the location– super close to a town you want to be in and its attractions(in this case it was downtown Fayetteville) but, you drive in, take a look around and let out an“ugh!” There is nothing appealing about this park– gravel roads and sites, no picnic tables, no fire pits, old bathrooms/laundry, and not much else. 

The park has some 80 sites set in a horseshoe-shape with a mix of permanent people and transients. We were in a pull-thru that faced a big field separating the park from a neighborhood development and a Tyson chicken plant mysteriously labeled“Mexican Original.” There was a masa-type smell in the air and knowing it was a chicken processing facility we had the feeling that chickens were being converted into something called“Mexican” based on the Tyson sign along the road. The smell was a pretty big turn off. 

Roads and sites are gravel. Some sites had a paved pad but most are gravel. All sites have 50/30 amp, water, and sewer. There are back-ins and pull-thrus. At one time there was cable but it was not working when we were there and we were not able to get any antenna channels(although our friends picked up 20 or so). While there are no picnic tables at the sites, there are two areas in a big field that have picnic furniture and available for anyone to use. Sites are fairly close together with just a few trees scattered about for shade. The water and electric worked fine. This park is big rig-friendly and we had no problem maneuvering our RV with the car attached through the park. 

We called about making a reservation and the owner said to call him prior to our arrival and he would give us a site number. When we arrived he drove by and instructed us to put our money(cash or check only) in an envelope and drop it in an outside deposit box. Can’t say there are any amenities except the two picnic areas and an old, tired bathroom/shower house. We were only in there one time and that was during a tornado watch. It was old, needed painting and in need of cleaning. There is one washer and dryer that are housed in the bathroom. 

The park is a short drive from I-49 with an easy in and out on good roads. After exiting the interstate you will notice the correctional center, bail bonds, homeless shelter, pawn shop, and huge Tyson processing plant. However, you are just five miles or so from downtown Fayetteville where you have everything at your fingertips. Within just a short drive you are downtown where restaurants, shops, entertainment and more were very close. Fayetteville is home to the University of Arkansas and has that cool college town vibe with good restaurants, lots of microbrews, funky shops, and lots of energy.

PROS:

*CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN: you can’t camp in your RV any closer to downtown Fayetteville than at Southgate. There are no other campgrounds as close to the main square and all the action of restaurants, breweries etc (there is just one other campground in the town but it is a membership campground for people who frequent the football games)

*FRIENDLY OWNER: I believe his name is Jim. He’s a nice guy and cleans the bathrooms daily. It was cold while we were there and he kept a space heater on in the bathroom, even when there were just a few of us in the campground.

*CLOSE TO BIKE TRAIL: the Razorback trail and network of bike trails (which can take you all the way to Bentonville) are just a few blocks down the road from Southgate. This is a great way to get downtown without driving and trying to find parking.

*FLAT SITES: sites are pretty level with a small concrete pad for wheels.

CONS:

*NOISE: you are right next to a busy road, but you can’t really hear it when inside your camper. You’re also next to a Tyson Factory which burps and belches 24/7.

*BATHROOMS: the bathrooms and showers are old, but kept clean.

Overall, we had a nice stay at Southgate. It was a great campground for exploring the food, drink, and shops of Fayetteville. Though it wasn’t the most scenic campground, it was very convenient.

Fayetteville Recommendations: Fork and Crust Pie Shop, Fayetteville Farmers market on the square on Saturday mornings, crisis brewery, crystal bridges art museum in Bentonville, basecamp coffee, ozark foods coop for grocery, nightbird books.