Notable Campgrounds
- Best for RVs: Lake Catherine State Campground has Class AAA (with full hookups) and Class B (with 30-amp electric hookups) sites, all with picnic tables and fire rings.
- Best for family camping: The Lake Catherine Cabins offer 20 heated and air-conditioned cabins ranging from rustic to duplex, with queen beds and wood-burning fireplaces.
- Best for glampers: Rent-A-Yurt has a single yurt with bunk beds, basic furniture, a stove, and an ice chest.
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
- You can reserve campsites, yurts, and cabins online via the Arkansas State Parks website. Weekend reservations require a minimum stay of two nights or three nights for holiday weekends.
- Online reservations can be made up to one year in advance.
- Campsites can book up as fast, especially for holiday weekends, so book at least three months in advance.
When to Go
Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day is peak season in Lake Catherine State Park, when Lake Catherine is the ideal spot to cool off from Arkansas’s summer heat. The marina is closed out of season, but you can still take to the water to fish and boat free from the summer crowds. The park’s campground, cabins, and yurts stay open year-round.
Know Before You Go
- Lake Catherine State Park is located along the Ouachita River, 55 miles southwest of Little Rock or about a 1-hour drive. The towns of Hot Springs and Rockport are both about a 20-minute drive away, where you can fill up on gas or stock up on groceries.
- There are no entrance fees for Arkansas State Parks, but campsite booking fees apply.
- Facilities at Lake Catherine include a Visitor Center, camp store, gift shop, restrooms, and picnic areas. There’s also a boat launch, boat and canoe rentals, and a full-service marina open in summertime.
- There are accessible restrooms, picnic areas, and campsites at Lake Catherine State Park.
Lake Catherine State Park
Peace, quiet, and mountain views on the shores of Lake Catherine.
Set on the shores of the vast Lake Catherine and framed by the forested slopes of the Ouachita Mountains, Lake Catherine State Park is an idyllic spot to escape from it all. Rent a pedal boat, kayak, or canoe to explore the lake, try your luck fishing, or cool off at the swimming beach. Away from the water, hike to Falls Branch Falls, enjoy a horseback ride along the mountain trails, or take a day trip to nearby Hot Springs National Park. When it’s time to camp, take your pick of RV sites, yurts, and cabins, some right by the lakeside.
Set on the shores of the vast Lake Catherine and framed by the forested slopes of the Ouachita Mountains, Lake Catherine State Park is an idyllic spot to escape from it all. Rent a pedal boat, kayak, or canoe to explore the lake, try your luck fishing, or cool off at the swimming beach. Away from the water, hike to Falls Branch Falls, enjoy a horseback ride along the mountain trails, or take a day trip to nearby Hot Springs National Park. When it’s time to camp, take your pick of RV sites, yurts, and cabins, some right by the lakeside.
Activities in the park
1 campground in Lake Catherine State Park
Some people are into poppin’ bottles and others like to pop tents. At Lake Catherine Campground you’ll have the opportunity to do both. Featuring both more traditional tent or RV camping, this camp also has rustic and modern style cabins with fully-equipped kitchens and wood burning fireplaces. Polly Crews Cabin was designed to be fully-accessible Read more...
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Notable Campgrounds
Notable Campgrounds
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
When to Go
Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day is peak season in Lake Catherine State Park, when Lake Catherine is the ideal spot to cool off from Arkansas’s summer heat. The marina is closed out of season, but you can still take to the water to fish and boat free from the summer crowds. The park’s campground, cabins, and yurts stay open year-round.
Know Before You Go
Public campgrounds (book externally) —