Soda Pocket Campground — Sugarite Canyon State Park

Nice state park tucked into a valley. We were in the last part of Soda Pocket loop. Great views of area but it does catch the wind! Vault toilets were super clean and not smelly. Very dark at night so great for star viewing.

This State Park is beautiful, with hiking/fishing/historic walks galore. We arrived late on Friday, June 23 after a 10 hour drive from Arkansas. We were in Site #23 in the Soda Pocket Campground.  Every site had a covered picnic table and was relatively level.

Sites 20-23 have spectacular views of the canyon, but you trade that for some serious wind and neighbors as there is no natural shade.  Sites 1, 3, 14 and 16 have shade and a little more distance.  Bathrooms were in great shape, and there is a free shower near the park entrance which had good water pressure and was very clean.

The visitor center is small but with a lot of good exhibits, and adjacent to the hiking trails of the abandoned coal camp and mine.  The coal camp trails have lots of informative stands explaining what everything was, how the people lived, etc.  The two lakes (Lake Alice is more like a pond) have nice walking paths. There is another lake just across the Colorado border and you can drive to the parking area just a mile or so away.

There are numerous nature hikes, and I did the short (.5) miles Vista Grande Nature Trail which has a beautiful bench for a sunrise view.  Uphill some but not too strenuous and with lots of information.

A really beautiful hike is the Little Horse Mesa Trail which takes you to the top of the mesa you can see to the north of Soda Pocket Campground.  It meanders a bit but at some point the trail builder said "I've given you all the switchbacks I can, you'll just have to go straight up" and the last 50 yards are pretty much straight uphill.  When you get to the top though it's like another world.  It's a pasture like setting with trees, and beautiful views from a trail that follows the cliffs. You'll have to make your own way over to the Lake Maloya overlook but it's well worth it.  Highly recommend this.

The camp hosts and visitor center people were great, and the ranger came by one night and showed a group of kids a mountain lion pelt and a bear pelt. There was a report of bears on the road up to Soda Pocket Campground but we did not see any.  The road was a typical dirt road, and not in bad shape at all.

I'm not a fisherman, but could easily spend two full days here hiking alone, much less fishing or kayaking Lake Maloya.

Made advanced reservation for site 17 in Soda Pocket Campground. Driving up the unpaved road to this campground was no problem. Site 17 was in a corner by itself, distant from other sites. It's a pull-thru site. Level enough for our campervan. Nice patch of nature behind the site. Site has a shelter over the picnic table. Site also has a bear box & fire ring. Trash & recycling receptacles at campground. Two vault toilets; very clean with toilet paper. No potable water. Restroom/shower house across from state park visitor center is very good. Fantastic camp hosts at Soda Pocket. Park law enforcement ticketed a rowdy group of campers. Nice hiking trails in state park. Fishing opportunities in park.