Best Cabin Camping near Arkabutla Lake

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

My family and I live about 25 min from the campground at Meeman-Shelby State Park. We have been several times and have camped with tents, pop-ups, and now with our Geo-Pro. We love this campground.

Pros: -49 available sites -all sites with water, 30A, fire ring, grill and picnic table -a variety of hiking/biking trails -update playground -lake with rental kayaks, canoes, boats (in season) -fully functioning bathhouse that is dated but clean

Cons: -no sewer at any sites -some sites on the back sides of the camp ground are subject to erosion and can be unlevel and not ideal for kids -large park so many of the activities outside the campground require driving -1 bathhouse which can be an issue on certain weekends -MOSQUITOS. If you go after the weather warms up, be forewarned that the mosquitos will eat you alive. We mostly camp at Meeman-Shelby in the fall/winter. We do not camp Spring/Summer.

There is a disc golf course that is very popular. There is a nature center that is under renovation that has snakes, spiders and owls to see. There are cabins to rent but we have never stayed in one. They look nice from the outside.

I’ve included several pictures of camp sites and the grounds. All in all, Meeman-Shelby is a great park and is perfect for families. Make sure to schedule a friday night dinner at the General Store. Steak and live music that sets the tone for a great camping weekend!

This was one of the first state parks in Tennessee I visited on my trip through the state. Despite being an older feeling camp it offered many unique features and options for keeping myself entertained. (Check Out Their Website)

When it came to camping not only were there tent sites but also cabins which had a very rustic feel. I opted for a tent site which ran $25 and had full electrical hookups (site 40), a big perk for charging my devices at the end of a busy day. My site had a bbq grill and fire ring in addition to a picnic table and was well shaded. I felt like the sites along this side of the road were a little more spacious than the other side of the road which were a little more close together.

I was about half way down the loop and a short distance from the restroom and showers which were in decent shape but nothing super special. The water pressure here was good for showering.

My favorite thing about this camp was the outdoor activities which seemed to be everywhere. I hiked both the Woodland and Pioneer Springs trails (MAP), each about 4 miles and along the way enjoyed just taking in the outdoors. I will say that if you do any trails in late summer here you will need mosquito spray because they come in droves.

You can travel to the boat ramp and marina and rent boats there or bring your own to take advantage of the lake which winds through various types of vegetation and allows you to see the lake in a way you cannot from the shore line. I most enjoyed taking out a kayak and exploring the swampy feeling area, though I will say being so close to the Mississippi River I was afraid of what I might find lurking in the water.

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TIPS:

• Bring citronella candles for your table when camping and try to put a dryer sheet in your pocket to ward off mosquitoes. In addition to spray these will make your trip here a bit more comfortable.
• Bring your own firewood if you want to have a campground. There were signs around camp saying not to move wood.

It was a pleasure camping in our RV at Village Creek. We were initially given a spot in loop A, but moved to loop B to be closer to the playground and lake. Loop A was about 2.5 miles away - park is huge! The bathrooms in A looked brand new and really nice. In B, they were more average, but I still enjoyed a nice hot shower. If you have kids, definitely stay in B. Park staff was very accommodating about switching our site, and it no doubt helped that the park wasn’t very busy midweek.

We ended up in a spacious, level pull through site with a little patio with a picnic table, grill, fire ring and lantern hook. There’s a little beach swimming hole there and a lot of space to run around.

There is a lot of wildlife living in the park and the insects are no joke. Make sure to do tick checks when enjoying the hot showers!

Village Creek has nearly 7,000 acres of forest hills, 33 miles of multi-use trails, playground for children, 2 lakes, Andy Dye designed 27 hole golf course, & visitor center & gift shop. The park has cabins as well as rv sites.

There are three main campgrounds: Loop A (no sewer hookups & mostly dirt pads), Loop B (full hookups & concrete pads), and an equestrian campground with stable facilities. Multiple bathhouses located throughout the park; however, in Loop A the bathhouse as you enter the loop has hot showers, where the lower Loop A bathhouse only has cold. As for the bathhouses they were clean and up to date.

The sites in Loop A were not level and some were very steep. Loop B sites seemed to be mostly level. All the sites contained a picnic table and fire pit.

We stayed in Loop A site 23 at the very end of the loop. This site was probably the steepest site at the park and we had difficulty getting our camper completely level. There is also a sign at the end of the loop that states this area can have storm damage and to watch for falling trees. While we were there a tree limb fell not even 20 feet from our camper and broke in two. If your willing to take a risk though this site is secluded and more private and right at the entrance to the Lake Dunn trail.

This campground also has no cell service or internet. You can pay to have internet and they have different options available but to get cell service you either need to leave the park or find the right spot and stay still.

Pros: •Beautiful campground •Multiple trails to hike •Two lakes to fish in and designated swim areas •Clean bathhouses and showers •Ampitheater with multiple education programs •Rent kayaks/canoes, fishing boats

Cons: •No sewer in Loop A area •Watch for falling tree limbs •Ticks and other insects-do tick checks and bring insect repellent •No cell/WiFi service

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.

General: This large state park has three camping loops, including one equestrian loop, for a total of 96 sites. All sites are reservable up to a year in advance (we usually try to camp during the off or shoulder season, but it was still necessary to make reservations as the loop filled up by the end of the day). Absolutely no cell service in Area A (weak signal in Area B) but you could purchase mediocre WiFi for$8/day (no thanks).

Sites/Facilities: The sites are spaced a good distance apart even if there is no physical separation between them. We stayed in Camp Area A but after checking out Camp Area B the next day, I think that loop would be more desirable as it is on Lake Dunn with some of the sites having filtered water views. Sites have a long, paved driveway, picnic table, and fire grate, along with a water spigot and electric hookup. There are also 10 fully outfitted cabins and a lodge.

Bathhouse: Both camp areas have two bath/shower houses. During Covid, they alternated closing one each day to clean and sanitize it. They were very clean during our stay.

Activities/Amenities: As for activities, there are two lakes for fishing and boating, tennis courts, golf course, and a large network of multi-use trails. I hiked the Lake Dunn trail, and it was well marked with blazes on the trees. There was a playground in Area B although it appeared to be closed; there was no playground in Area A.

Conclusion: There was an occasional train but the noise was not too loud. Village Creek is a nice park and campground, even if we didn’t partake in all of the available activities.