Took my dog here for a long weekend excursion. I try not to go for lake based campsites because I don't fish, and I don't have a boat. I was pleasantly surprised at the breadth and quality of the activities in the park. The MTB and hiking trails are first rate, there's a paved walking path around the whole park, and there's a strong geocaching community based near there.

The walk from the parking lot to the campsite was not too long, but long enough to make the site feel more secluded. While I was there, I saw lots of deer - with some of them even wandering into my campsite.

I will say, that due to the size of the lake, the winds whipping off of it can be quite intense. Bring a windbreaker if you're going to hike there.

Easily one of the most exciting and wonderful sites I've stayed at. Although I had to cut my visit short (combination of uncooperative dog and being underprepared for the weather), I genuinely enjoyed my time at this site and would strongly recommend it to anyone seeking to immerse themselves in such a striking and beautiful environment.

The distance from the parking area to the campsites - even 65, which I believe is the farthest away - is a short walk on level terrain. It was no problem for me to make a few quick trips to the car to grab my supplies.

Each site has a lovely little shelter area with a picnic table, a fire pit, and a grill. My shelter had a number of screws and nails left by previous campers and served as an excellent place to hang a trash bag, a lantern, and my clothesline. Perhaps the only complaint I had about 65 was trying to figure out which section of flattened ground was designated for my use and which belonged to site 64.

As for the area, it's a short walk to the composting toilets (a pair, designated male/female). Each toilet has a boot scraper out front, hand sanitizer and toilet paper inside, and enough standing room to comfortably bring a dog or young child into the bathroom should you need to keep an eye on them.

At least in 65, there's a decent amount of space between the nearby 63 and 64 campsites, although they are within line of sight if that bothers you. Only one other group was camping at this area at the time I was there, and while I could occasionally hear their chatter, it was unobtrusive and actually kind of reassuring to hear other people in the vicinity.

All sorts of wildlife roam free across the entire park, and this area is no exception. It is surreal and awe inspiring to watch the Bison wander through the sites in this area as they migrate through the park, and I also observed deer and a coyote during my stay.

All in all, this was a great park and an excellent campsite, and I hope to come back when I'm better prepared and I teach my dog to stop challenging Bison.

Stayed in the South Primative Camping Area, site 1. It was my first time doing a walk in campsite. While it is a relatively quick walk to the site from the parking lot, you should bring a folding wagon if you aren't traveling with backpacker gear. The site is large, with a lantern post (which I used as a hitch to secure my dog and as a bike rack), area for 2-3 tents, a fire pit with a bark-free log seat, and a picnic table. I found that the 2 trees in the center of the site are almost perfectly spaced for a hammock.

I chose this spot so that I could avoid the hustle and bustle of a regular campsite, and also because my dog barks a lot at people walking past the tent. Unfortunately, one of the major trails goes right past the site, so I had my fair share of barking. I think this problem might be alleviated on its own when it isn't the middle of winter, as there appears to be a significant amount of foliage.

With regards to nearby facilities - there is a trash can right across from the site on the main trail, and there is a port a potty behind the campsite, which appears to be part of the horseback riding trail.

Despite how excellently arranged this site is, I was alarmed to see how dirty other campers had left it. Site 1 had trash everywhere including broken glass and cigarette butts.

Trash aside, this is a wonderful campsite.

Overnighted here returning home from a longer trip. It was okay for what I was doing, but I would never choose to camp here as a destination as a tent camper.

Activities: looking at the lake, bringing a boat to put in the lake, fishing. Seemingly nothing else to do.

Accommodations: clearly geared towards RVers. Each of those sites have water, electricity, and a sewer connection, with a covered cement pad with a grill, a table, and other relevant features. The few tent camp sites were shoved seemingly randomly between and around the RV sites. At my particular site, the concrete pad and picnic table were cracked and seriously damaged, and few grill was rusty enough to be almost unusable. The fire pit and ground of the rest of the site were littered in bits of trash ranging from things like food wrappers, pieces of plastic hangers, and my personal favorite - a construction nail.

The only bright light of this camp experience for me? The bathrooms. Each bathroom ( 2 per building) was a single occupant bathroom with a locking door. In the bathroom was a sink, a toilet, a hand dryer, and a shower with two nozzles at different heights (tall and short). The appliances were stainless steel, and the bathrooms were clearly excellently maintained. The bathrooms also had automatic lighting, an exhaust fan, and what appeared to be a tiny space heater for colder months. The showers had hot water, and the drains in the floor were sufficient at getting all the excess water out of there quickly.

In summary, if you have an RV and/or a boat and love to do things on the water, this is probably a fine campground. If you are taking a tent, I'd avoid this campground.

One of the best experiences I've had camping. The recreation area is breathtakingly beautiful as a whole, with a trail circling the top of the mountain and several trailheads both within the recreation area and off the roads nearby.

Check-in is simple, with a quick pop into the General Store, where the employees are helpful, friendly, and passionate about their work. Honestly, the thought of being so far away from major roads was very nerve-wracking, so just the ability to buy regular items like ice cream or first aid supplies made me feel a lot safer. The store staff/recreation area caretakers were knowledgeable about the area, helping me discern potential wildlife hazards and giving pointers for hiking the area.

The campsite itself was stunning. Sites 5 and up are closer to the edge of the mountain, and you are treated to a better view in my opinion. The site was spacious, free from biting insects, and laid out with typical accommodations. Sites were spaced enough to guarantee privacy, and the whole time I was there, I rarely heard a peep from other campers.

This campground was phenomenal, and I'd recommend it for anyone that wants to be immersed in nature but is maybe a little too scared to backpack and primitive camp.

Overnighted here on my way to an extended Ozarks trip. Check-in was quick and easy, and the staff were extremely helpful. They even offered my dog some treats when they noticed him.

I was thrilled when I pulled up to the site to see that I was close to - but not able to smell- the loop dumpster. The site had shade with trees perfectly spaced to hang a few hammocks, and a water spigot right at the site. My only complaint about the site itself was that it was very difficult to figure out how and where to back in, and I came dangerously close to high centering my vehicle.

The bathrooms were clean and well maintained, and the showers had hot water. Each shower stall had a small shelf/bench for presumably changing clothes, or, in my case, holding my supplies.

I had a great time at this park. Sites A and B are next to the day usage areas of the park, and are separated from the RV accessible areas. I found the site delightfully secluded - with a nice set of steps from the picnic table and fire pit right up to the tent pad. Water spigots are everywhere - although the one immediately adjacent to A&B was a little muddy, so I walked across to the playground to get water there. There's a trash can right next to the sites, and a set of clean, nice bathrooms not far off. This spot is also conveniently located next to several trailheads.

Only major problem with this site - there happened to be two fire ant nests on or directly adjacent to the tent pad. Luckily, I was able to angle my 2 person tent perfectly to avoid trouble, but for a larger tent it may have been a huge problem.

Solo camped with my big dog and had a blast. I went Sunday thru Tuesday, so I was the only camper on the entire loop!

Lots of water spigots, lots of shade, and sturdy fire pits make this campground really convenient. Most lakeside campsites appeared to have canoe ramps worn in.

The bathrooms were spectacular. Each pod of bathrooms had 4 separate ADA compliant facilities, and each facility/room had a shower, a toilet, a sink, benches, transfer bars, and MOST importantly a locking door. It meant I didn't have to leave my dog in the car or wrestle him into a bathroom stall every time I had to go! Also, the showers had hot water.

I didn't get a chance to use the trails, as heavy rains the day before I got there had knocked out the bridges on the trails, so, I had a great time hanging out at my site with a beautiful view!