Arkansas RV Camping & Campgrounds

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Recreational Vehicle Camping in Arkansas

Arkansas is the "Land of Opportunity", and this is certainly true when it comes to RV camping. Private RV parks are located near great Arkansas destinations, and public lands offer developed campgrounds, as well as great dispersed camping (boondocking) locations.

Free RV camping, and public campground topographical location maps follow Arkansas RV camping resources.

Arkansas Resources For RV Camping Information

Private RV Parks - Research tool for finding RV parks and campgrounds in Arkansas.

National Park Service - NPS information about National Park Service administered lands and campgrounds in Arkansas.
US Forest Service - USFS information about both National Forests and RV camping opportunities in Arkansas.
US Army Corps of Engineers - USACE/COE information about COE lakes and RV camping in Arkansas.
US Fish and Wildlife Service - FWS information about National Wildlife Refuges in Arkansas.

Arkansas State Tourism Website - Where to go, and what to do in Arkansas.
Arkansas State Parks information about state parks and RV camping opportunities. Not all parks have camping facilities, use this matrix to find campgrounds and park recreation facilities.
Arkansas Fish & Game - Information about Arkansas wildlife and fishing areas that allow RV camping.

Camping Reservations - Arkansas Federal Campground Reservations for your RV camping trip.

Current Weather - From the National Weather Service
Historical Weather - Know what to pack. Includes monthly average highs, lows, mean temperature, GPS location and elevation..

RV Dumps in Arkansas

RVDumps.com - Places to dump in Arkansas.

Sanidumps.com - RV dump stations in Arkansas listed by town,

RV Camping pages with more information

USFS (US Forest Service) - Describes USFS policies and rules about RV camping. Information about dispersed camping, and tips on how to find great free RV camping sites.
USACE/COE (Army Corp of Engineers) - USACE (perhaps better know as COE) manages water recreation areas throughout the USA. Information about finding USACE lakes, their RV camping possibilities, and rules and policies for use of these water based recreation areas is included.
NPS (National Park Service) - General information about RV camping and campgrounds in US National Parks. With campgrounds in the most historic and scenic places in the country, the NPS offers some of the best places for RV camping.
Boondocking - Learn the rules of camping on public lands, and how to find the best camping sites.

Free RV Camping in Arkansas

Public Lands offer virtually unlimited free "dispersed camping" opportunities. You can get free RV camping location tips from the USFS (US Forest Service) Ranger Districts. US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) also has some free RV camping facilities. Check with local public lands managers for local regulations.

Our Boondocking Section has great information about how find the best RV camping sites.

Hot Springs

Northwest of Hot Springs are USDA Forest Service (USFS) and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) managed with free RV camping opportunities as well as fee campgrounds. The Lake Ouachita area has numerous RV camping opportunities provided by USACE, and the surrounding area is primarily USFS managed lands.

Huntsville

Twelve miles north of Huntsville is the Madison County Wildlife Management Area (WMA). 23 primitive camping sites are designated on the area. These areas were developed and are maintained by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and are available free on a first come first serve basis.

Ouachita National Forest

Free dispersed RV camping (boondocking) is permitted in the National Forest. This large forest offers outdoor recreation such as fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, and birdwatching. You will have to explore to find free camping locations, but this page will help you get off to a good start.

St Charles

The White River National Wildlife Refuge offers free RV camping in many locations. This 160,000 acre refuge offers the RVer outdoor recreation opportunities including hunting, fishing, hiking, and especially bird watching. The NWR is nearly 90 miles long, but only a few miles wide. To find free RV camping sites in Arkansas, you need good maps.

We recommend the Arkansas Atlas & Gazetteer to find RV camping locations. This Arkansas topographic atlas offers comprehensive detail including trails, back country roads, lakes and streams, boat ramps, forests, wetlands, campgrounds, public lands, and hunting and fishing locations. Information about family trips, wilderness outing possibilities, and more are included. Put that together with DeLorme Topo 6.0 Software and you have a versatile set of tools to find RV camping sites across Arkansas.

Ideas For Free RV Parking

Here's a list of places to consider when looking for a free overnight RV parking location in Arkansas. We recommend asking permission for overnight RV parking when looking for a free spot to spend the night. The smaller your RV, the better chances you will have finding places to stay if you choose not to ask permission. If you don't ask permission, you end up "sneaking" into places and hoping nobody bothers you or issues you a trespassing ticket before you move on. Be Smart, Be Safe...Ask Permission

Truck Stops - Asking permission is usually not a requirement Be considerate of the big rigs!
Walmart - Not all stores allow overnight RV parking due to city ordinances. Check store for policy. Nightclubs - Had one too many or just pretending?
Grain Elevators - Ask where you can park your RV out of the way for the night.
Fraternal Organizations - VFW, Elks etc. may allow members free overnight RV parking.
Cemetery - Sounds creepy to us, but we've also heard they may have water available.
Fairgrounds - State and County facilities may allow RV camping or parking when not otherwise in use.
Parks - City, County, State, and Community parks often have free RV camping.
Churches - You can almost make "reservations" by calling ahead for permission.
Hotel Parking Lots - Assuming a nightclub/bar is inside, had one too many or just pretending?
Truck Terminals - Parking areas for large trucks might allow you free RV parking permission
RV Dealers - Pretty brave to us, but you could fit right in.
Cracker Barrel - These nationwide restaurants usually allow free overnight RV parking.
Movie Theaters - Too tired to drive home after the late show?
Highway Rest Areas - All rest areas allow a few hours of free RV parking, but noisy.
Drive In Movies - Got a small RV, park in the back row and enjoy the show. Fell asleep by accident right?
Vehicle Repair Shops - Need to see the repairman first thing in the morning?
Big Box Retailers - Kmart, Best Buy, Sams Club often allow free RV parking.
Roadside Parks & Picnic Areas - The early day version of the rest area.

As you can see, there are a lot of free RV camping and parking possibilities in Arkansas. If you are not asking permission, it's best to keep a very low profile. If your RV has slide outs, jacks and TV antennas, don't use them so as not to draw attention to yourself. Consider your surroundings carefully and if you feel uncomfortable with the area, move somewhere else.

Arkansas Public Campgrounds

RV camping is available throughout Arkansas public campground systems. The National Park Service (NPS), USDA Forest Service, and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE/COE) offer campgrounds from primitive to full RV hookup campsites. The following list are just samples of the RV camping locations available, and you can find other recreational vehicle campsites by searching the public lands links above.

EL DORADO

Fishing, boating, and of course RV camping activities are available not far from El Dorado in the Moro Bay State Park. Twenty campsites are available.

FAYETTEVILLE

A great area for RV camping in northwest Arkansas is the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE/COE) Beaver Lake.

HOT SPRINGS

RV camping is allowed at the Gulpha Gorge Campground in Hot Springs National Park year round. This National Park was established as a reserve 40 years before Yellowstone, and is the oldest public lands in the National Park System. Outdoor recreation opportunities include hiking, biking, camping, and bird watching.

LANGLEY

RV camping is available North of Langley at the Ouachita National Forest Albert Pike Campground. This campground has RV hookups as well as traditional US Forest Service amenity campsites that include fire ring and picnic table.

MENA

A popular area for RV camping as well as other outdoor recreation activities can be found at the Queen Wilhelmina State Park. Located on top of the second highest mountain in Arkansas, this is a popular park for it's scenery alone.

MOUNTAIN VIEW

Located in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, RV camping is available in many locations. The UDSA Ozark National Forest has many developed campgrounds. The Blanchard Springs Recreation Area is only one example of the great RV camping locations available.

OZARK NATIONAL FOREST

RV camping is permitted in Forest Service Campgrounds. Dispersed RV camping (boondocking) is also allowed for those looking for remote RVing experiences. Outdoor recreation opportunities such as hiking, biking, fishing, rock climbing, bird watching, and boating are only a few of the possibilities to go with your RV camping trip.

PARAGOULD

Located in the Northeastern hill country of Arkansas, Crowley Ridge State Park offers RV camping at 26 campsites. Hiking, biking and fishing are just a few things to do during your RV camping trip.

SCOTLAND

The Gulf Mountain WMA (Wildlife Management Area) consists of over 12,000 acres of public land. RV camping is permitted in designated areas within the Wildlife Management Area. There are 6 primitive camping areas with 118 campsites.

TOLLETTE

Located in southwestern Arkansas, the USACE (US Army Corps of Engineers) manages Millwood Lake. There are several designated campgrounds suitable for RV camping. The Beards Bluff Public Use Area offers electric and non electric campsites, as well as an RV dump station.

WAVELAND

The USACE (US Army Corps of Engineers) manages the Blue Mountain Lake. Reservations are accepted for RV camping at this popular lake.

WINSLOW

A short distance west of Winslow, you will find the Devil's Den State Park. RV camping is allowed at 144 campsites in the park. Hiking, biking, fishing and more await you for your RV camping trip to the Ozark Mountains.

The location map images for finding RV camping locations in Arkansas are derived from DeLorme Topo 6.0 Software and used with their exclusive permission. These map images only display a very limited area. DeLorme's Topo 6.0 covers the entire USA with highly detailed maps that can be zoomed in or out, moved, printed, and interfaced with GPS units. 3-D views, tracking and route planning, as well as map annotation ability are included. BLM administered lands are available free with registration of the program.