Pond, River, and Ridge Camping
Hosted by Shelly · Mena, Arkansas
2 sites · RV, Tent · 160 acres
Staff verified
Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.
from
$18
/ night2 sites
Select a site
Tent-only sites
1 site
Site 1 - River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
96%
(12)Campfires allowed
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
from
for 4 guests$18
/ nightRV/tent sites
1 site
Site 2 - River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
96%
(12)Campfires allowed
Toilet
Potable water
Pets allowed
from
for 4 guests$21
/ nightfrom
$18
/ night2 sites
Reviews
95% Recommend54 ratings · 30 reviews
Shelly's campsite offers a welcoming and scenic stay, where campers can enjoy a blend of natural beauty and friendly farm life. The views of the mountains and ponds are consistently noted as breathtaking, and many guests appreciate the opportunity to interact with the animals, especially the dogs and cows. Shelly is frequently praised for her hospitality, going out of her way to ensure guests have a comfortable and enjoyable experience. While some mention unpredictable weather, the overall sentiment remains highly positive, highlighting the site's beauty and tranquility.
Summary AI-generated from real reviews
This is truly a hidden gem. Unbelievable views, great fishing and Shelly the host was great. Big thank you and I’ll definitely be back.
Leonard G.
5 reviews
Recommends
· October 2024
Tent · With pets ·
Site 1 - River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
Beautiful spot! We loved waking up to the view of the pond and mountains beyond. We caught lots of bass, saw some deer and enjoyed watching the cows. Definitely recommend for a private camping spot but also close enough to enjoy Wilhelmina State Park and all the area has to offer.
Millie M.
2 reviews
Recommends
· May 2024
Tent · With pets ·
Site 2 - River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
I loved tent camping on Shelly's land! The views were beautiful and my kid loved seeing all the cows!
R
Rachel C.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· March 2024
Tent · With kids ·
Site 1 - River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
Campsite 1 was very lovely, Shelly is a great host and her dogs were definitely one of the best parts.
J
J A.
2 years on Hipcamp
The views were beautiful and we got to see some wildlife in the area! Shelly was a great host and we had some cute cow friends come visit!
K
Kerstyn H.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· January 2023
Tent · Group trip ·
River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
Shelley was great at communicating and checking on us. I chose the location on the hill, and it was a great, private location to just relax.
Kelly A.
4 reviews
Shelly is amazing and very accommodating. Her property is gorgeous and there are sprawling hillsides and valleys to camp in and mountains all around. It was truly a serene and beautiful place! She has a lot of good things in the world right now with lots of new activities and adventures to come soon. I highly recommend staying a night or three here! I will definitely be back next year!
J
Joshua C.
3 years on Hipcamp
The farm plot of land was widespread and most of it felt uninhabited. Beautiful indeed. Truly a great place to get a quiet nature fix. I plan to return for the Big Foot festival in September :) Also, thanks Shelly for helping jumpstart my dead car battery !
Nathan R.
4 years on Hipcamp
The stay was amazing, even though it rained our last morning.. The tent was amazing and provided everything we needed.. Shelley met us upon arrival and was super helpful. She even gave us tips on where to go and what to do, thankfully there was a fair in town while we were there! The bed was super comfy and the view was gorgeous.. it could use a wee bit more privacy from the other guests, but all in all we absolutely loved it and will return most definitely!
Desiree R.
4 years on Hipcamp
Very private area to camp while enjoying a great view of the national Forrest. Zip lines were fun time and great experience. Shelly was very helpful on events going on in the area. Restrooms were within walking distance and great to have.
J
Jimmy E.
4 reviews
I had a great stay, Shelly showed me the way to the campsite and left me to explore. Beautiful creek off of the campsite to sit and listen to the bubbling brook.
Ricky T.
3 reviews
Recommends
· August 2020
Group trip ·
River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
Our family of 6 stayed at #4 for three nights . It was nice and quiet, totally off grid, and beautiful scenery/landscape. Shelly was very knowledgeable about the area and the land and she gave lots of recommendations for things our family could do.
L
Liz S.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2020
Safe & amazing views of mountains
Group trip ·
River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
Private property with amazing views. We were greeted by the 8+ super friendly paw patrols. My kids immediately started playing with them. Shelly was very welcoming and kept me informed upcoming rain. Next morning we woke up to the farm rooster call ( 2 hrs past first sunlight ) and met all the chickens and chicks that were roaming by our tent.
Even the cows were super friendly..
Zip line & the stream was super close. We didn’t get to use it this trip but I’d come back again . We went to diamond state park after that which was about 1.5 hrs beautiful scenic drive away. Ur kids are under 12 and they all loved the animal friendly experiment.
Shumit A.
5 years on Hipcamp
We had such a wonderful time camping at the Blue Farm! We stayed on site #4. Very secluded, surrounded by beautiful trees. Beautiful, scenic drive on the way to and from the campsite. Got to get up close and personal with very friendly cows. A nice 15-minute walk from the zip lining. Night time zip lining was fun, but next time I think we will stick to the day time! We hope to come back one day!
Shannon S.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2020
Thanks for prepping our campsite. The cows were a nice touch!
B
Brook S.
2 reviews
So much fun fishing. Site was great. Landscape amazing. Shelley was great.
T
Tess K.
5 years on Hipcamp
Stayed by the pond. I loved the cows and dogs. We had a great time and caught some fish!
G
Greg D.
5 years on Hipcamp
Basic camping - flushing toilet and warm water to shower was a plus. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and we enjoyed the doggies greeting us. The camp host was friendly and informative.
S
Sarah H.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2020
Group trip ·
River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
Incredible! Really pretty views, and the ziplining was highly professional and a fun experience. Shelly was very accommodating and laid back. Only wish we could have stayed longer (we had to leave early due to rain). Would definitely stay again!
Melody M.
4 reviews
Recommends
· May 2020
Group trip ·
River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
Make sure to bring tick repellent for you/your dog & be okay with cow patties in your camp because you are on a working farm. If you can get over those two things - the experience is AMAZING! Beautiful land, 15 minutes to town for Walmart/shop trips & very close to tons of amazing hiking trails. Don’t be afraid of a 40 minute drive to a mountain trail as the drives are beautiful with tons of vistas to stop at along the way. And finally, Shelly & her pack of pups couldn’t be more helpful/welcoming!
J
Jared R.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2020
Really gorgeous stretch of land. Our camping spot (#5) was completely private, which was really nice.
D
Daniel N.
3 reviews
Shelly is a great host and the farm is beautiful. My wife and 2 dogs loved camping out. Although the weather was a little unpredictable, the site is perfect for camping. Just a warning, the cows and dogs do like to speak a lot but they're friendly.
Christopher V.
5 years on Hipcamp
We didn't get to stay there long because the weather was terrible but Shelly the host was amazing and the spot was just so perfect the place was clean everything you needed you had it was just wonderful very private enjoyed it and are going back
A
Amy C.
5 years on Hipcamp
What a beautiful oasis in Mena,Arkansas! If you’re looking for a perfectly primitive campsite with a view-then look no further! We found this spare of the moment and it really paid off. The land is privately owned and the owner, Shelly, was gracious to let us explore the land by the pond and creek. The added zip line tour was a great addition and one I would recommend if you have kids! The bathhouse and portapotty are a walk from the campsite and we also built our own fire pit using the rocks laying around -very primitive! Overall, it was a great find for anyone looking to get away for a few days!
Mary I.
5 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2020
Group trip ·
River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
Shelly is wonderful. She had our area completely prepared for our night. We stayed by a small pond and had a great time watching her dogs play. Super grateful for this experience.
Christopher W.
2 reviews
Shelly was a great host. She mowed the area we stayed in just prior to arriving and offered her wash rooms to us if we needed them. I would highly recommend this site.
C
Chance L.
4 reviews
Recommends
· October 2018
Group trip ·
River & Mountain Tent & RV Camp
We had a great time! The view was beautiful and Shelly was wonderful at willing to give us a hand if we had any questions!
J
Jim T.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2018
We arrived super late (around midnight) and Shelly made sure we knew how to get to our site by setting up solar lights to guide us. She gave us her number so we could call for any issues/for direction. This was above and beyond what she had to do and we really appreciated it! The site was large and clean with plenty of space to spread everything out and get cozy for the night. Would highly recommend this site!
Hailey C.
7 years on Hipcamp
Mixed feelings
· November 2017
This was a pretty private site out in the middle of a very large cow pasture. Even though there was a lot of cow manure everywhere, we were able to find a flat spot next to the trail in to set up our tent (free of poop). It was a pretty rough road to get out to the campsite but we managed to do it even with our hitch basket attached. It was a cold night the night we stayed but it was super quiet in between the howling coyotes and the cows. When we got up pre-dusk, the sky was unbelievably beautiful since it was in its natural state free of light pollution. Shelly was super sweet, allowing us to "freshen up" in her bathroom and showed us around her property. They have several zip lines and she told us we were welcome to us them although we didn't have the time. Overall it was a unique experience we enjoyed. We would definitely stay there again if we ever pass through Arkansas again.
Tina S.
4 reviews
Recommends
· November 2017
Caroline and I spent the day in Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas) and ended up driving west. We didn’t really have a plan and ended up picking up a field scout assignment, Shelly’s site, The Blue Farm on the Irons Fork River in the Ouachita Mountains. We didn’t really know what to expect but were treated to one of the coolest experiences we’ve had yet as Hipcamp field scouts.
Shelly, the host, is super friendly. Her and her son and their dogs, I think there were six, greeted us upon arrival. She gave us a little bit of ice to chill our beer and then gave us a tour of her property. We followed her in our 4Runner and she stopped in two or three places before we parked our vehicles and went for a short hike. She showed us the place that she and her family have called home since 1897 and it left us with a deeper sense of appreciation for her property.
There are lots of different places to choose from when it comes to deciding where to pitch your tent or park your RV. We opted on a spot up on the ridge that looked out onto two small ponds and gave us beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. We had the best time just walking around exploring her land and taking photographs of one another and her dogs.
We ate our dinner as the last of the light faded off to the west and then turned in for the night. It was early but the shorter days and the howling wind had us ready for bed. Sleep was easy due to the lack of light pollution and we were treated to the sounds of coyotes howling in the distance as we drifted off to sleep. At some point the wind died off and there was nothing but stillness and peace.
When we woke up we were surrounded by about a dozen cattle! They were curious about our coffee-making but were friendly enough. Still, we kept our distance and it wasn’t long before they became bored of us and moved on down the pasture. We hated to leave but it had to eventually say goodbye.
We recommend this site to anyone looking to spend some time in a really cool spot in the Ouachita Forest.
Caroline W.
99 reviews
Location
Mena, Polk, Arkansas, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Shelly A.
Joined in August 2017Things to do nearby
Similar campgrounds nearby
Campers also viewed...
Popular searches in Arkansas
- Mena
Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.