With 52 state parks, Arkansas is sure to have the perfect campsite for your adventure. We love camping in these beautiful state parks and have a lot of experience picking out the perfect one. Though not exclusively tent campers, we have had our fair share of tent camping adventures.
Especially if you count that time we gave up one summer night, grabbed our infant, left our tent, and asked my grandparents if we could sleep in their air conditioned motor home with them!
In case you need a little help, here are the BEST Arkansas state parks for tent camping.
8 BEST Arkansas State Parks for Tent Camping
Whether you like hiking, swimming, boating, or just a restful tent site down by the lake, there is an Arkansas state park for you!
1. Woolly Hollow State Park
Woolly Hollow is a beautiful state park on the shores of Lake Bennett. The tent sites are right on the water and within walking distance of the fishing pier, playground, bathhouse and walking trail.
Woolly Hollow State Park is perfect for tent camping because it has everything you need with a great view of the lake! Plus, the tent campsites are far enough away from the Class AAA RV sites to make it nice and quiet.
In fact, we named Woolly Hollow as having some of the BEST tent camping near water in Arkansas!
Woolly Hollow State Park location
82 Woolly Hollow Road
Greenbrier, AR 72058
2. Withrow Springs State Park
Withrow Springs tent sites are nice, tucked in, very woodsy, and very much away from everything else.
“The park features 29 Class AAA and 10 walk-in campsites, plus three hiking trails. A unique flower, the rare Ozark trillium, grows here. Outdoor fun also includes tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, picnic areas, a pavilion, and gift shop.” -source
At Withrow Springs you park in the parking lot and walk in to the tent sites, but it’s a wide, paved path. Just take a cart of some sort, like a wagon, and you’ll be fine.
Even though these sites are “hike-in,” it’s an easy walk that isn’t too far. In fact, it’s just far enough from the road to get that “in the woods” feeling.
Tent campers love to go here because of the peace and quiet.
Withrow Springs State Park location
33424 Spur 23
Huntsville, AR 72740
3. Devil’s Den State Park
Devil’s Den State Park has eight hike-in (tent only) campsites.
“Some of the park’s unique characteristics are rock formations and caverns. An impressive rock dam spans Lee Creek forming Lake Devil, an 8-acre lake for fishing and boating with canoes and pedal boats for rent. The park’s hiking, backpacking, mountain bike, and horseback riding trails lead to the surrounding Ozark National Forest.” -source
For a special treat, take a hike on the 15-mile Butterfield Hiking Trail! Even if you don’t finish it all, it’s worth the trip. Oh, and the ATV trails at Devil’s Den are amazing!
Devil’s Den State Park location
11333 West Arkansas Hwy. 74
West Fork, AR 72774
4. Bull Shoals-White River State Park
Bull Shoals-White River State Park offers 20 tent sites with no hook ups. However, if you want water and electricity at your site, you can book one of the Class AAA or Class B sites. Some of those sites have tent pads as well.
Trust me, I called the state park and checked!
At Bull Shoals you have your own driveway to your site and there is a wonderful playground for kids to play on (with shady spots for parents to sit!) There is also a basketball court and places to the left of the boat dock where kids can easily fish when the Dam isn’t generating.
“Famous for its world-class trout fishing, Bull Shoals–White River State Park lies along the shores of both Bull Shoals Lake and the White River. Besides being the state’s premier park for trout fishing in Arkansas, the park also offers great hiking and mountain biking.” -source
Bull Shoals-White River State Park location
153 Dam Overlook Lane
Bull Shoals, AR 72619
5. Caddo Drive near DeGray Lake State Park
With excellent tent sites right on DeGray Lake, Caddo Drive Campground is the perfect campground for your tent camping getaway.
Now, to be clear, Caddo Drive Campground is not a state park, but it’s very near DeGray Lake State Park.
“Caddo Drive Campground sits along the pristine shores of Degray Lake in the foothills of the Quachita Mountains. The area offers stunning scenery and panoramic views, and Caddo was awarded one of America’s Top 25 Scenic Views.” -source
All of the tent-only campsites have electric hookups. You’ll also find flush toilets, heated showers, a boat ramp and a swimming beach here!
Caddo Drive Campground location
Latitude 34° 15′ 40.0000″ N
Longitude 93° 11′ 15.0000″ W
6. Petit Jean State Park
Petit Jean State Park is one of my personal favorites for tent camping. This is a beautiful state park with plenty of things to do. In fact, some of the BEST tent camping in Arkansas is found here!
“Petit Jean State Park is an Arkansas classic, a natural and historic treasure that has welcomed travelers for decades. The 125 park campsites (35 Class AAA and 90 Class B) are near Lake Bailey. Two swimming pools, picnic areas, playgrounds, pavilions, boat launch ramp,tennis and basketball court, and an amphitheater are also on site. Hiking trails lead through forests and meadows, over canyons, and along streams and the mountainside.” -source
You’ll especially love the hiking trails at Petit Jean State Park. Several of them were even named the BEST Arkansas Hikes with Kids.
Petit Jean State Park location
1285 Petit Jean Mountain Road
Morrilton, AR 72110
7. DeGray Lake Resort State Park
DeGray Lake Resort State Park is a favorite for tent campers because the amenities are endless!
- 18-hole championship golf course
- disc golf
- swimming
- tennis
- hiking trails
- guided horseback riding
- world-class mountain bike trails
- full-service marina
- boat rentals
DeGray Lake Resort State Park is very popular with campers who like playing disc golf!
While you’re there, be sure to check it off your EPIC Arkansas Bucket List.
DeGray Lake Resort State Park location
2027 State Park Entrance Road
Bismarck, AR 71929
8. Lake Ouachita State Park
Y’all, Lake Ouachita State park has some of the most beautiful tent camping I have ever seen.
Now, there is no electricity at the sites but there are several water spigots in close proximity. There is also a beautiful shower house next to the tent only parking lot.
Arkansas’s largest lake, Lake Ouachita offers 40,000 acres of clear, clean water surrounded by the scenic Ouachita National Forest. -source
Lake Ouachita State Park location
5451 Mountain Pine Rd
Mountain Pine, AR 71956