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Campgrounds in Ouachita National Forest?

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rkruz

rkruz

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Robert
Do you have any experience using the campgrounds in or around the Ouachita National Forest? I plan to spend several days riding around that area and spending the nights at a campground or 2.
Thanks for any advise!
 
It's been 20 years, but we stayed in the Lake Ouachita State Park and it was nice. It is close enough to Hot Springs that you can run into town if you need anything, but you can get to the fun roads without having to go through town if you want to avoid the traffic/crowds. I think the best riding is North of the Lake, so I might look on the North side for camping areas if I were to go now. Actually, if I were to go now, I'd look for places like the Lost Valley State Park on Hwy 43 on the Buffalo River. It is right smack dab in the middle of some of the best riding in the state!! Harrison and Jasper are nearby if you want places to shop/eat or need groceries/gas.
 
we stayed at the wolfpen atv campground and cabins :wolfpenatv.com near mena and it was nice as well as close to the trail system. Clean hot showers, tent and rv spaces as well as cabins and a small convenience store with gas. We never went into mena except on the way in and out.
 
If I am thinking of the right place, I often confuse Ouachita and Whichitas in OK, I moto camped at a corps campground at Lake Sardis many years ago. It was a good campground. Pit toilets though... Just a heads up.
 
TX_northstar said:
If I am thinking of the right place, I often confuse Ouachita and Whichitas in OK, I moto camped at a corps campground at Lake Sardis many years ago. It was a good campground. Pit toilets though... Just a heads up.
Click to expand...

Sardis is Ok, Ouachita is in Ark.
 
A few years ago, I spent a week at the Shady Lake National Recreation Area. It's one of the few National Forest campgrounds I've stayed in that has flush toilets and showers. I was there for the hiking, not the riding, and have been meaning to get back there ever since. Lots of twisty pavement and lots of dirt/gravel forest roads. To find it on the map, locate Athens AR, and Shady Lake is about 4 miles NW on Route 246.

Another nice place, right on the Talimena Highway, is the Winding Stair NF campground. The problem is that their well ran dry a few years ago, so there's no water in the campground - you've got to bring water with you. On the plus side, you'll probably have the entire campground to yourself, including a majestic view, since the campground sits right on top of the ridge.

EDIT: If you want amenities, there's also Talimena State Park. It's right at the western end of the Talimena Highway, about 3 or 4 miles outside of the little town of Talihina OK. Prices are reasonable and, depending on if you're tenting or RVing, you can choose between some quiet, private little tent sites for only $10/night, or RV sites for (I think) $20/night. The RV sites have electricity & water. In either case, you get flushers and showers.

Whether you choose Okie state parks or NF campgrounds, campers 62 or older get a 50% discount.
 
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That is great advise. Thank you. All 3 sites sound great and the Winding stair one sounds really good at least for a night or two. I want to use these as basecamps for several days to try some the off pavement rides around there. I have a big Adventure bike so looking for forest roads and such that I can safely transit alone. The Arkansas dept of tourism puts out a nice guide with several dual sport routes in Ouachita that I thought I try.
Thanks again!

tshelfer said:
A few years ago, I spent a week at the Shady Lake National Recreation Area. It's one of the few National Forest campgrounds I've stayed in that has flush toilets and showers. I was there for the hiking, not the riding, and have been meaning to get back there ever since. Lots of twisty pavement and lots of dirt/gravel forest roads. To find it on the map, locate Athens AR, and Shady Lake is about 4 miles NW on Route 246.

Another nice place, right on the Talimena Highway, is the Winding Stair NF campground. The problem is that their well ran dry a few years ago, so there's no water in the campground - you've got to bring water with you. On the plus side, you'll probably have the entire campground to yourself, including a majestic view, since the campground sits right on top of the ridge.

EDIT: If you want amenities, there's also Talimena State Park. It's right at the western end of the Talimena Highway, about 3 or 4 miles outside of the little town of Talihina OK. Prices are reasonable and, depending on if you're tenting or RVing, you can choose between some quiet, private little tent sites for only $10/night, or RV sites for (I think) $20/night. The RV sites have electricity & water. In either case, you get flushers and showers.

Whether you choose Okie state parks or NF campgrounds, campers 62 or older get a 50% discount.
Click to expand...
 
You're welcome. Just show up at Winding Stair with a 5-gallon water bottle already filled & you'll love the place. If you run out of water, there's a US Forest Service station about 15 miles west, at the beginning of the Talimena Highway. They'll let you use their water faucet.
 
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me and my wee strom are planning a one week trip from houston in Nov. and would like to do some riding in north texas and then work my way up into eastern oklahoma (probably stay south of I40) and then home through arkansas and louisiana. right now just planning on putting it together using butler maps but if you've got any recommendations on "must rides" i'd welcome any suggestions (paved only.....my riding buddy is on a goldwing). thanks in advance.



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