Lake Ouachita State Park
An Arkansas State Park on the lake's eastern end near Mountain Pine, with premium Class AAA full-hookup RV sites, standard sites, cabins, a marina, and interpretive programs. Reserve ahead in peak season.
Home › Parks & resorts
Three lakes & a national forest
Parks & resorts
Hot Springs is a genuine RV destination — public state parks, Corps campgrounds on Lake Ouachita, and private resorts, from full hookups to primitive.
Why Hot Springs draws RVers
Few small Arkansas cities pack in this much water. Hot Springs sits amid three lakes — Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton, and Lake Catherine — with the Ouachita National Forest wrapping the mountains around them and Hot Springs National Park's bathhouses downtown. That combination gives RVers a rare spread of options within a short drive: clear-water state parks, federally managed Corps campgrounds, and private resorts with pools and marinas. Whether you're staying a weekend or shopping for a season-long or deeded spot, the public campgrounds are where most people start.
State & federal
Public camping on the lakes
Two Arkansas State Parks and a string of Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds ring the water.
Lake Catherine State Park
An Arkansas State Park on Lake Catherine southeast of town, with lakeside campsites, cabins, trails, and a marina — a quieter, smaller-lake alternative close to Hot Springs.
Corps campgrounds — Lake Ouachita
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages Lake Ouachita and its shoreline campgrounds, including sites like Crystal Springs, Brady Mountain, and Denby Point — many with electric and water hookups; verify current status on Recreation.gov.
National forest & primitive
Beyond the developed parks, the Ouachita National Forest and Corps land offer more rustic and backcountry sites for self-contained rigs. Facilities are limited — plan for boondocking.
Public vs. private — the practical tradeoff
Public campgrounds around Hot Springs tend to win on setting and price and lose on length-of-stay: state parks and Corps campgrounds usually cap consecutive nights (commonly around two weeks) and aren't set up for year-round living. Private RV resorts around Lake Hamilton, Lake Ouachita, and the Hot Springs Village area fill that gap with monthly and seasonal sites, full hookups, pools, and laundry — and are where you'll most often find long-term leased or deeded lots for sale. Amenities, hookup class, and season rules vary widely resort to resort, so confirm 50-amp service, sewer, and any occupancy limits directly with each park. We don't publish nightly or lot prices here; rates shift by lake, season, and hookups.
Watch
See Lake Ouachita State Park
The flagship public campground on Arkansas's clearest lake — sites, hookups, and cabins.
Lake Ouachita State Park — Arkansas RV destinationState Parks
Lake Ouachita State Park — camping & cabinsPark tourNot sure which lake fits your rig?
Tell us your hookup needs, how long you're staying, and whether you want a marina or quiet water — we'll steer you to the right park or resort.
Ask a local guideRelated Hot Springs niches