Best Glamping near Doniphan, MO

This 1200 acre property used to be the beautiful Cherokee Ridge Girl Scout camp until it was sold in 2019. We have went through extensive renovations and development to bring this property to the public so that it can be enjoyed by our guests. River access and our private gravel/sand bars are available exclusively to our guests and have provided some of the most peaceful weekends imaginable.

We have everything from glamping tents right on the river bluff (photos attached) to 12 fully equipped cabins with hot tubs overlooking the 22 acre lake with a beach and activities (photos attached)

We have 4 Conestoga Wagons that are heated and air conditioned (see photos attached). They are the definition of glamping.

50 RV sites with picnic tables fire/grill pits with a variety of 30 and 50 amp pull-through and back-in sites. We offer float trips, rental boats for the lake, and rental golf carts to adventure around the park.

The park is going through endless development to continue to provide everyone with the most enjoyable and peaceful vacation possible.

Please check out our website www.otahkilake.com

I must make a comment regarding two other reviews. A lake is generally deeper than a pond. You weigh the depth and surface to judge if a body of water is one or the other. In Arkansas you will find a pond on a ranch or a farm. Now in some areas of the United States there are lakes that cover masses of acres and I had to laugh at the fact that Lake Charles was being called a pond. In the south we consider Lake Charles a lake even if it is only 645 acres.  Please don't take offense, I meant none, we just look at things a bit different, we are also very proud of Arkansas and the fact that it is considered "The Natural State."

Folks if you travel to very many state parks or Corp of Engineer COE parks in Arkansas you will encounter another southern foible.  Narrow roads.  Most of Arkansas is rural and you will find that most roads are older, narrow and farm equipment or ranching equipment uses the roads.  That also leads toward the "charm" of Arkansas.  If you stay in the larger towns you will manage to get by fairly well but venture towards the campgrounds and we hope you enjoy the state.  Take your time.

Lake Charles State Park is 1/2 more or less hour from Jonesboro on a quiet country road.  It has a 645 acre lake with bass, crappie, bream and catfish.  This park operates year round.  From March to October to will be able to purchase bait and tackle at the Visitor Center.  There are Class AAA sites to tent sites with many on the lake.  There are yurts available.  From November to February a 3-D Archery range is open.  You will find 4 hiking trails and there are several programs offered by the rangers.  Check on the programs offered through the Arkansas State Parks, find the park you want, and plan your stay.  It will be a learning experience for young and old.  So map out everything you want to do and learn.

Fish, kayak, hike, ranger talks, camping, picnicking, what more can you ask for.  Lake Charles was established in 1963 and was dedicated on May 28, 1967.

Picnic tables, grills, lantern hooks and paved pads are at each campsite.  Restrooms and bathhouses are modern and "air conditioned" which come in handy when you are dealing with Arkansas heat and humidity.  There is a dump stationed and trash area shortly after coming into the park.  All sites may be reserved.  Beautiful shades trees, level sites with some a bit tight.  No waterskiing or tubing is allowed.

Four walking trails with the Cedar Trail being paved.  The Butterflies and Blooms Trail is a short gravel trail and the Native Plant Trail uses plants that will attract butterflies and local wildlife.

Swimming area is free of charge and is located in a day use area.  You will not find life guards so please watch over all.  Alcohol, glass bottles and pets are not allowed.  You will find a gently sloping sandy beach.  

A short distance away from the park is Davidsonville Historic State Park and Powhatan Courthouse State Park.  There is plenty to keep you busy and we hope you enjoy a laid back southern vacation.

Word of warning.  Even a native Arkansan quakes when it come summer time and the dreaded flies and mosquitoes come out to play.  Research, find all kinds of options for keeping them at bay, screens on your doors, campfire smoke, anything just don't let them stop you from enjoying.

Have Fun - Stay Safe   Leave No Trace Better Than You Found It

From Thayer Missouri travel on MO 142 east, turn onto MO V for several miles and look for the Fourche Lake sign on the right, immediate turn to the right.  No more than a couple of miles down a well maintained gravel road you will see a boat launch.  The road will bear to the left and maybe a tenth of a mile you will see the first campsite.  Total peace and tranquility will invade your senses and take over your being.

At Fourche Lake you will find dispersed camping at it's best.  A well maintained pit toilet with toilet tissue and a fishing dock.  The fishing dock is handicap accessible along with a small day use area with a picnic table but no camping in that small area.  The pit toilet is handicap accessible.  There are suppose to be six camping sites but we could only work out three.  Picnic table, fire pit, no water, electric or trash service.  Our fire pit had burned items that do not burn.  Please people  PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT.  

On a calm day you will have wonderful photo ops of a mirror image on the lake.  The trees surrounding Fourche Lake provide a beautiful backdrop of perfection.  This is a very small campsite and for most of our stay we were the only ones there.  Fishermen would come and go and anyone who did camp was very quiet.  Boating in the lake is by paddle or electric motor only.

Bring all your camping supplies with you otherwise you will have at least a thirty minute or longer trip in front of you.  Remember this roads are narrow, curvy, and hilly.  Typical back roads in the Ozarks.  If you do need anything when you drive back to the highway turn right and just a matter of a few miles you will find a service station and they might have what you need.  They also have gas at a reasonable price considering you are in RURAL Missouri.  

If you plan to go fishing make sure you have your license because even if this is a dispersed site we saw a ranger at least once every day.  If fishing you will find catfish, bass and panfish.  Good luck.  BTW swimming is allowed.

The grass was freshly mowed and smelled wonderful.  No mosquitoes, flies, tick or chiggers, course we stayed out of the woods.  Do not know if that is the norm or we were just lucky.  If you hope to use solar and need to recharge the site next to the pit toilet at the round about will give you some sun  No trails to be found.

The closest actual town would be Doniphan, Missouri.  Check out Doniphan if you are able to pull yourself away from the lake.  It is an older Ozark town and the courthouse with its old jail on the ground floor is rather interesting.  You will also find a great tubing and or kayaking river.  There is a vendor that will rent kayaks or tubes and shuttle you up the river so you can have an amazing time.  Pack a lunch and hang out on one of the gravel bars along the river.

I listed that this could be a group site and pull through area because the first campsite has it's own road and is a large site.  Easy for more than one rig.

this is a nice park, with clean restrooms/bath houses. sites are a comfortable distance apart with good hookups, asphalt or concrete parking pads and patios for solid picnic tables as well as well drained gravel under the hookups, pole for lantern or trash, fire pit with grate, and barbecue. The lake is lovely, turning leaves and night sky astounding. the reasons this wasn’t a 5-star review are 1) WAY TOO MANY bees and house flies. Maybe that’s a time of year issue as some of the trees dropped rotting fruit.Flies were not the biting kind, just annoying and bees were, well, bees. i’m Happy to see a healthy army of bees but my dogs were not. 2) The wifi strength was awesome during the day and pitiful after dark. Wifi reception best near the bath houses.

Enjoyed our stay at this campground very much. The campground can be a bit crowded without much privacy but the highlight is the river. Beautiful clean, crisp refreashing water great for tubing and chillin'. Easy access to the sand bar from the campground. Our site had electricity but no water. Fill up on the way in. Did not use the bathhouse due to COVID19. Be sure and check out the stars at night! We did shop at the campground store which was well stocked. There is a nice bike trail that the kids really enjoyed. The walk to the shut-in area was nice and the actual shut-ins are beautiful. Will definitely return to this state park.

We absolutely loved this state park! It's easily our favorite Missouri state park to visit with our kiddos. There's just so much to do! The campsites are nicely spaced and clean. Expect plenty of sand at your site (my kids loved this, of course). There's a paved bike path that runs through the park. We took bike rides every day! We were pleasantly surprised that Big Creek was clear, cool and shallow (at least where we were). Swimming in the creek was one of our favorite activities each day... even having a 2 year old. The kids caught and released huge bull frogs and tons of minnows. We also enjoyed the evening presence of deer. Shower house and bathrooms were as clean as to be expected from a packed campground. This park also has a couple of on site stores in case you forget swim shoes or even swimsuits (like we did). You can even rent kayaks and canoes!