The heart of Harrison hangs around the Boone County Courthouse Square Historic District, featuring early 1900s brick storefronts, the 1909 courthouse, 1914 jail, the Lyric Theater, and Hotel Seville—all offering a nostalgic main street experience. The Lyric Theater, originally a 1929 movie house, now hosts live performances and was renovated preserving its historical character, earning praise as the “Roots Music Palace of the Ozarks”.

Twin Falls

Twin Falls—also called Triple Falls after heavy rains—is a scenic waterfall tucked near Camp Orr Boy Scout Camp along the Buffalo National River in northern Arkansas. The name “Twin Falls” comes from the two water sources feeding it (a creek and a spring), and during wet seasons, a third stream may appear, creating that “triple” falls effect. It was a beautiful place to hike on an otherwise hot day.

Alum Cove

Alum Cove Natural Bridge Recreation Area in the Ozark National Forest is a gorgeous spot featuring a massive stone arch and a short, scenic hiking trail. The natural bridge spans about 130 feet long and 20 feet wide, formed from a sandstone cave carved by wind, water, and ice over time. Pioneers used the bridge to cross the creek in their wagons.

Although the loop trail is only a short relatively easy 1.1 miles long, due to the summer heat we only took the trail down to the bridge which is about .4 miles round trip.

Hammerschmidt Falls

Hammerschmidt Falls is a seasonal waterfall tucked into the upper Indian Creek drainage in the Buffalo National River region of northwest Arkansas. It’s named after Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt, who helped make the Buffalo River the nation’s first national river.

The trail is short and pretty easy—around 0.7 to 1 mile round-trip, with 125–130 ft elevation gain, making it accessible for most folks looking for a casual hike. The path follows an old dirt road from Hwy 74, dips near a private pond, and then meanders along the creek until you reach the top of the 43-ft plunge waterfall.

One key thing: you generally need a few inches of rain in a short period to see the falls running at full flow. Most of the year it’s a trickle or dry. After heavy rain, though, it turns into a stunning curtain drop and gives off a dramatic vibe that’s well worth the timing.

Independence Day in Harrison Arkansas

The town of Harrison held a great fireworks show that included a drone light show as a backdrop to the fireworks called “Fire in the Sky”. I wasn’t super excited to see fireworks but the drone show was spectacular. We had previously only seen them on TV. It really added a lot to the fireworks show.

Park Review – Shady Oaks Campground and RV Park

Rating: 
Location: South of Harrison, AR along AR-206.
Type: Commercial Park
Check-in/Check-out times: 11:00/1:00
Site Quality / Amenities:
Access: We came from the east and followed AR-206 from US-65 in Bellefonte. From the west side, AR-7 south of the park is hilly and has lots of sharp turns which would make them a bit difficult for a larger trailer. They would probably be fine for something smaller. AR-7 from the north goes through Harrison which could be done but wouldn’t be the preferred route (for me).
Staff: When we were there the owner of the park had recently changed and clearly the park was undergoing change. Many of the staff had left the park and the few left were doing all the work although they weren’t too happy because they were working full time jobs when they were only supposed to be working 20 hours or so a week. Although I had good interactions with the lady in the office before we got there, the office was never open while we were there due to some unspecified issues. We did always get them on the phone when we needed something, however. It seems like the new owner has some good people but he needs to treat them better before they decide to move on.
Cellular/WiFi: Our T-mobile signal was marginal and speeds were pretty slow at around 10Mbps down and less than 1Mbps up. Due to the park basically being in a forest, Starlink was also marginal due to trees overhead. Although streaming worked pretty well since it buffers up data, anything else (phone calls in particular) just barely worked.
Restaurants: We both ate fried catfish at Flavors of Louisiana in Harrison and at Cliff House Inn in Jasper . Both places had some of the best fried catfish we have had, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Ozark Cafe also in Jasper is an Arkansas Landmark since 1909. It’s been featured in several foodie magazines and had great food.
Nearby parks: We didn’t drive through any nearby parks but we did look at quite a few as we drove by them. Many were a bit rough and would not be somewhere we would want to stay. I think one of the issues for this area is that a lot of these places were in their heyday when the nearby Dogpatch USA amusement park was open. Built 1968 and closed in 1993, Dogpatch was the major commercial attraction in the area.
What we liked: The park was very tree covered which helped with shade for summer temperatures.
What we didn’t like: Navigation within the park was difficult for large rigs due to sharp corners and trees close to the internal roads. Sketchy Power – We had a 50 amp site but those of you who have a similar 50 amp trailer know the breaker is a dual 50 amp version and there are usually a 30 amp and a 20 amp breaker for the other plugs. 50 amp sites actually supply 100 amps of power, 50 amps for each leg. This park supplies 30 amps to one leg and 20 amps to the other. Not only does it supply only 50 amps total, half what it should but that is shared with the other plugs which some people likely try to use. This would quickly overload the circuit. Luckily, we only had problems one time. We didn’t pop the breaker but we did have a low voltage situation when we were drawing close to the limit of the breaker.
Verdict: This park was one of the nicer ones in the area but ultimately it wasn’t a great option for larger trailers like ours. We likely won’t stay here again.

Today, Fort Smith is a cool blend of small-city charm and growing vibrancy. With about 90,500 people (a slight increase since 2020) it’s the third-largest city in Arkansas and anchors a metro area of nearly 300,000 across Arkansas and Oklahoma. Fort Smith feels lively—rooted in its frontier history, with a growing arts and food scene, solid economy, friendly neighborhoods, and a nice base for both families and young professionals. It’s a spot where history and opportunity sit side by side.

Fort Smith

It all started in 1817, when the U.S. Army, led by Major William Bradford and engineer Stephen Long, built the first Fort Smith atop Belle Point to maintain peace between the Osage and a migrating band of Cherokee. This small stockade featured blockhouses, a hospital, and provision buildings. Remarkably, its only threat came in 1821 from Chief “Bad Tempered Buffalo” and the Osage, who backed down without bloodshed. By 1824, as tensions eased, the fort was abandoned in favor of one further upriver at Fort Gibson .

In 1838, the Army returned, erecting a new fort—later completed in 1846—as a supply depot during the era of Indian Removal. It played a significant role during the Trail of Tears, helping facilitate the forced migration of the Cherokee and other tribes westward. Under General Zachary Taylor in the 1840s, the site also became a supply base during the Mexican‑American War and served as a jumping‑off point for gold rush hopefuls.

During the Civil War, Confederate forces occupied Fort Smith briefly in 1861, but Union troops seized it again in September 1863. It remained a Union stronghold until the war’s end, serving as a base for restoring order in the region.

By 1871, the military presence ended, and in 1872, the site became the Federal District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, including Indian Territory. Judge Isaac C. Parker, the “Hanging Judge,” held court from 1875 to 1896. Over 79 people were executed under his watch—a record for a U.S. federal judge—while marshals, including the legendary Bass Reeves (Shown in the featured image at the top of this post with his dog), enforced the law across a notoriously lawless region.

After Judge Parker’s death, the fort’s federal court and jail continued to operate until federal jurisdiction was scaled back in 1896.

Fast forward to 1961, when the site was designated a National Historic Site and National Historic Landmark. Today, visitors can explore remnants of both forts, Judge Parker’s courthouse, reconstructed gallows, the oldest building—the Commissary from 1838—and the Trail of Tears overlook along the Arkansas River.

United States Marshals Museum

The U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, AR, is a fresh and immersive tribute to America’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. Built on the riverfront, this 53,000 sq ft facility officially opened to the public on July 1, 2023, after more than 16 years of planning and fundraising.

The museum is organized into five main galleries plus a Hall of Honor:

• To Be a Marshal – Traces the agency’s origins in 1789 and showcases its judicial and protective duties, with a timeline and interactive features.
• The Campfire – A centerpiece multimedia exhibit where animated marshal figures from different eras tell personal stories.
• Frontier Marshals – Focuses on Fort Smith’s frontier era with a recreated saloon, stories of figures like Bass Reeves and Judge Isaac Parker, and hands-on interactive scenes.
• A Changing Nation – Highlights marshals’ roles through Prohibition, the civil rights era, disaster response, and more, with participatory decision-making elements.
• Modern Marshals – Features current operations, including court protection, fugitive apprehension, and captures of FBI Most Wanted, showcased with multimedia and interactive displays.
• Samuel M. Sicard Hall of Honor – Pays tribute to over 350 fallen marshals since 1789, with names etched on a wall and a peaceful river view.

This museum isn’t just about local history — it brings the full 234-year story of the U.S. Marshals to life through interactive, emotional, and educational exhibitions. Whether you’re fascinated by the Old West frontier, modern law enforcement, or immersive museum design, the U.S. Marshals Museum delivers something compelling. If you’re planning a visit to Fort Smith’s rich historic district (next to the Old Fort and Judge Parker’s courthouse), this museum is a must-see highlight that connects past to present in a powerful, engaging way.

Actor John Wayne helped create the mythology of the frontier marshal through his many Western film performances during Hollywood’s Golden Age. Wayne rode this saddle in many parades.

Park Review – Fort Smith Riverfront RV Resort

Rating: 
Location: Fort Smith, AR
Type: Commercial Park
Check-in/Check-out times: 1:00/11:00
Site Quality / Amenities: Roads were gravel and pads were concrete. We were in site 115 which was a premium 70′ site that backed up to the Arkansas River. These sites had a unique design with patios and connections on both sides of the pads. This allows for motor homes to pull straight in so that their large front windows face the river as well as supporting towables that back in to the sites. This is a new park and the few trees that were in the park were small. We were lucky in that there were some larger trees behind us that provided some shade later in the day. There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site. Park amenities include an Outdoor Playground & Exercise Area, Horseshoe Pits, Porch Swing Conversation Area with fire-ring, Pickle Ball Court, Private on-site Boat Ramp & Boat Parking Area, Boat Dock with Fish Cleaning Station, a Swimming Pool and a Dog Park. The entrance to the park is gated at night.
Access: Although you do have to go through town to get to the park it wasn’t difficult to navigate. Easily accessible from Interstate 40 from either direction.
Staff: Staff was friendly and helpful. We asked for and got a late check-out because of local heavy rain at checkout time and because we had a late check-in at our next stop and it wasn’t that far away.
Cellular/WiFi: They do have WiFi available but we didn’t use it. T-Mobile was good as was Starlink since we had an unobstructed view of the sky.
Restaurants: We tried Rolando’s Restaurante – a local Latin American place with good food. We typically like Mexican and Latin was a bit different for us but we still liked it.
Nearby parks: We didn’t check out any nearby parks.
What we liked: Concrete pads and large sites (premium). Convenient to local attractions including the fort, and Marshals Museum. Walking trail behind the park.
What we didn’t like: We felt like it was a bit expensive. The back side of the park was open to the public trail which could be a security issue although we didn’t experience any issues.
Verdict: We would stay here again!

The Bathhouse Row you see today consists of eight bathhouse buildings that were constructed between 1892 and 1923. This area along with the Grand Promenade was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 1987. Of the original eight only three are open today for spa treatments – Quapaw, Buckstaff and Arlington. Fordyce is now the visitor center and another is the gift shop. The others are used as other commercial ventures with one being a brewery.

Park Review – Catherine’s Landing

Catherine’s landing is a well-known and popular RV park located five minutes south east of historic Hot Springs. This is a large park on 400 acres surrounded by one mile of water frontage on beautiful Lake Catherine. In addition to the lake, the park is built for family fun including a zip-line, pool with splash pad, playground, disc golf, and hiking trails. It’s also pet friendly.

Rating: 
Location:  Hot Springs, AR
Site Quality / Amenities: Concrete pads and asphalt roads. Fire pits and picnic tables at each site. Hiking trails, Swimming pool and Zip Line in the park. Pontoon Boat, Kayak, Canoe, Bike, and Golf Cart rentals are available in season.
Type: Commercial Park
Access: Don’t take the direct route!
Staff: The park had a self-service setup for check in and we really didn’t have any interaction with staff. It’s efficient and COVID friendly but not necessarily the best customer service.
Cellular/WiFi: WiFi was available but we did not use it.
Restaurants: Mr. Whiskers – Made-to-order catfish, shrimp & chicken with fries in a Southern eatery with a lake-fishing theme had pretty good catfish. Bubbalu’s – Serves good burgers, hot dogs, fries and malts across the street from Bath House Row.
Nearby parks: We didn’t look at any other parks in the area.
What we liked: Clean, well run park. The eastern sites backing up to the lake (101 through 124) have a better view of the water but the western sites (276 to 294) had more room. Their wooded sites (270-275) had a lot of privacy.
What we didn’t like: Little to no interaction with staff.
Verdict: This is a nice park for a week or a month. In the summer it is likely very crowded with families but the off season can be much less so.

Across the lake from Ozarks RV Resort is the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena. This is a 20,000 seat nature amphitheater owned by Johnny Morris of Bass Pro Shop fame. While we were there they had one of their first concerts featuring Garth Brooks. Even though we could see the amphitheater from the park, Anna was disappointed that we really couldn’t hear the music very well. We did get a good view of the daily air shows that opened each of the three concerts however.

Park Review – Ozarks RV Resort on Table Rock Lake

Rating: 1/2+
Location:  Oak Grove, AR
Site Quality / Amenities: Asphalt roads and concrete sites.
Type: Commercial Park
Access: From US-65 south of Branson/Hollister take Missouri state highway 86 to Missouri state highway 13 to Arkansas state highway 21. Right after entering take Arkansas highway 311 to county road 663 to the entrance.
Staff: Friendly family owned park.
Cellular/WiFi: Good AT&T and Verizon service.
Restaurants: Table Rock Coffee Roasters on Missouri 86 had good coffee. Branson has lots of restaurants and stores but it is a tourist area and can get very busy.
Nearby parks: We didn’t look at any other parks in the area.
What we liked: Clean, well run, nicely landscaped park.
What we didn’t like: A bit far off the beaten path. It’s a good 30 minutes or more to any large grocery store or restaurant. You have to go into Branson, MO or Berryville, AR. There was a boil water notice while we were there and the only notice was at the main office so we never knew about it.
Verdict: This is a very nice park for a week or more when travelling through the area and we’d stay here again.

After visiting Anna’s uncle in Springfield Missouri for Thanksgiving we decided to go south through Arkansas while heading toward the Texas coast for winter. We had been to a couple of Arkansas parks before and wanted to try a few more during the Fall to see if we still had a good impression. By and large we were not disappointed. We will definitely be returning to Arkansas in the future!

Our first stop was Withrow Springs State Park in northwest Arkansas just north of Huntsville in the Ozark Mountains. The park was created among the scenic mountains and valleys that surround the site’s key feature, Withrow Spring. The spring, which has a constant temperature of 54 degrees, served as a common watering place for area settlers and travelers in the 1800s. It is named for Richard Withrow, an early settler who traveled west in 1831 from Tennessee an established one of the first gristmills in the area. He, along with his sons and their families, homesteaded land over much of the area.

Withrow Springs gushes from a small cave at the foot of a bluff, spills into a pond, cascades over a ledge, and makes its way through the hardwood forests of the park before joining War Eagle Creek. Fishing is popular in the creek and in a small pond within the park. There are several trails within the park but we did not hike them due to the wet weather in December.

Although Withrow Springs is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, there is a Walmart nearby and its also close to Eureka Springs. Secluded and peaceful with winding mountainside streets, Eureka Springs has flair like no other town. Streets are lined with Victorian homes hugging cliff sides, and the entire downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places. It also has block after block of one-of-a-kind shops, boutiques, fine art galleries, craft emporiums, spas, museums, and restaurants. Festivals and events span everything from blues, jazz, and opera to car shows to UFOs, antiques and the arts. It’s a must see destination if you’re in the area but do some planning if you plan to go there with a large rig. The streets can be difficult to navigate even with just our truck.

From Withrow Springs we were also able to visit friends, Russell and Cheryl, who had just moved to Bella Vista. After seeing their new home we went into Bentonville for dinner. Bentonville was the birthplace of Walmart and the original store along with Sam Walton’s pickup truck are available to see as a part of the Walmart museum on the historic town square. It was fun to be there at Christmas time to see the impressive Christmas tree and light displays.

After leaving Withrow Springs we continued south to Lake Fort Smith State Park in pouring rain. It was a beautiful drive in the Ozark National Forest to get there. The rain turned into a very dense fog as we drew closer to our exit onto narrow windy back roads. Luckily we only had to travel a few miles and then we came out of the fog as we descended the other side of the mountain down into the valley where Lake Fort Smith is located. It was beautiful and breathtaking.

Lake Fort Smith is in the Boston Mountain Valley of the Ozarks, north of Fort Smith. Originally built as a city park in the 1930’s by the WPA, it became a state park in 1973. Following a move from its original location, the state park reopened in 2008 on the western side of a 1400-acre reservoir made by enlarging and joining lakes Fort Smith and Shepherd Springs. The result is a beautiful park surrounded by the Ozark Mountains.

The 165-mile Ozark Highlands Trail has its western trailhead in the park. This backpacking trail is heralded as one of the most scenic in the nation. Hikers can follow the trail through the Ozark National Forest, through several wilderness areas, and along the Buffalo National River. We spent a few hours hiking along the first part of this trail within the state park. A benefit of winter camping and hiking, the trees were void of their leaves so we were able to see for miles.

There are 20 class AAA campsites with full hookups and 50A service within the lower part of the loop. The upper loop class B campsites are shorter and are 30A with water. Our rig would not fit in those. In the picture below, we were supposed to be in the site blocked off with cones. About a week before our arrival a freak storm (for December) came through and dropped a tree on an RV and the electrical pole for the site so they moved us to site 9.

The last campground we stayed in Arkansas was Bellah Mine. The park is located on the northern end of DeQueen Lake just north of the town of DeQueen. We visited late in December and we were the only ones in the park. It was beautiful there and the site had multiple levels, one for the picnic table and another for the campfire. Unfortunately though, the sites were 15-20 feet shorter than advertised and had there been others in the park it would have been difficult to navigate. Others said their site was narrow and slides were very close to the road. We had a couple of feet but not much more. The dump station was also tight for a large rig. If you have something smaller, maybe < 30 feet it would likely be great but we will not return with a big rig.

Park Review -Withrow Springs State Park

Rating: 
Location:  Huntsville, Arkansas
Site Quality / Amenities: Asphalt roads and pads. Each site has a picnic table, grill and fire ring. The sites include 50A full hookups and there is a bath house and restrooms in the single campground loop. Numerous hiking trails. Swimming pool.
Type: State Park
Access: Access via Highway 23 north of Huntsville.
Staff: We had little interaction with staff at the park but they were always friendly.
Cellular/Wi-Fi: Verizon was nonexistent but we had some AT&T service via our amplifier at about 2 Mbps.
Restaurants: Granny’s Kitchen in Huntsville had good American food.
Nearby parks: We did not look at other parks in the area.
What we liked: Nice well kept park with lots of trees. Many of the sites are quite large and many include a separate parking pad in addition to the RV pad.
What we didn’t like: Although we got satellite TV in the winter it would likely be difficult to get in the summer when trees are growing. Little to no cellular signal as the park is down in a valley. The campground is on spur 23 which is primary for park and other local traffic. We expected there wouldn’t be a lot of vehicles travelling the road but we were wrong. There are lots of cars and most are going well above the 25-35 mph speed limits in the park.
Verdict: This is a very nice, small, out of the way campground with just 29 RV sites and another 10 walk-in tent sites. This is definitely a good option if travels take you into north western Arkansas. Sites 8, 12, 14, and 15 are all large sites that would be great for larger rigs but with the downside that spur 23 is right behind those sites. We stayed in site 14. Sites 16, 17, 21, 22, 26, 27 and 29 are away from the road and more secluded but closer to one wall of the canyon and as such it would be unlikely you could get satellite signal in any of those, even in the winter. Sites 18, 29, and 23 are in the middle of the campground and might offer the best of both worlds – away from the road and best shot at getting satellite signal while being a little less secluded than other sites.

Park Review – Lake Fort Smith State Park

Rating: 
Location: Chester, Arkansas
Site Quality / Amenities: Asphalt roads and pads. Each site has a picnic table, grill and fire ring. The sites include 50A full hookups and there is a bath house and restrooms in the single campground loop. Numerous hiking trails. Swimming pool. Visitor Center with small museum and a some supplies.
Type: State Park
Access: Access via US Highway 71 north of Chester. The road is somewhat steep and windy but is easily doable.
Staff: We had little interaction with staff at the park but they were always friendly.
Cellular/Wi-Fi: Verizon was nonexistent but we had some AT&T service via our amplifier.
Restaurants: Catfish Hole in Alma – Had very good catfish and shrimp.
Nearby parks: We did not look at other parks in the area.
What we liked: Nice well kept park with lots of trees. Nice view of the lake.
What we didn’t like: Minimal cellular service. Sometimes it worked but at other times it didn’t.
Verdict: We will definitely come back to Lake Fort Smith SP. Hopefully we can get a site in the spring or early fall to enjoy better weather. Good sites include 9, 14, 17, 19, and 20. Ok sites are 4, 6, and 7.

Park Review – Bellah Mine COE

Rating: 
Location: DeQueen, Arkansas
Site Quality / Amenities: Asphalt roads and pads. Each site has a picnic table, grill and fire ring. The sites include 50A full hookups and there is a bath house and restrooms in the single campground loop. Numerous hiking trails. Swimming pool.
Type: Corps of Engineers park (COE)
Access: Access via US Highway 71 north of De Queen, Arkansas.
Staff: We only saw the park attendant when we arrived but she was friendly.
Cellular/Wi-Fi: We had Verizon and AT&T service but did not record speeds.
Restaurants: Mary POPS in De Queen had decent Mexican food.
Nearby parks: We did not look at other parks in the area.
What we liked: We were the only one in the park except for the attendant(s) who were quite a ways away. Very secluded and private in December.
What we didn’t like: Location of water at some sites was quite awkward. On site 9 we didn’t get satellite even though we had almost a clear view to the south. The site was very short for our rig in spite of saying it could handle a rig up to 82 feet long.
Verdict: We really wanted to be able to recommend this park. All the sites have great views of the lake and in December, we were the only campers in the park. Unfortunately, site lengths reported on the web site were inaccurate. For instance, for site 9 it showed a maximum RV length of 82 feet but we barely fit and we only need about 67 feet with the truck parked in front of the RV. Most of the other sites also appeared to be 15 to 20 feet shorter than what was reported. For larger rigs like ours, many areas were very tight to navigate and particularly the dump station. Although we enjoyed our stay we likely won’t return to this park.

It had been a long time since we spent much time in Arkansas and we were pleasantly reminded of how pretty the area is with rolling hills and lots of dense forest areas. White Oak Lake did not disappoint with lots of pine and oak trees. With the exception of the weekend when the park was quite full, it was quiet, relaxing and peaceful. Due to limited 50A sites and no sewer hookups we did not like this park as much as we did Woolly Hollow although it is still a good option if it fits within your travel plans.

While here we enjoyed evening walks down to the fishing pier to see wildlife including an Eagle, Egrets and Herons as well as seeing the sunset. There were several gorgeous sunsets which we hadn’t seen for a while due to our location and/or weather. We also hiked a couple of the trails. We were surprised due to the lack of any animals or even bugs on one of the trails until we were closer to the lake. It was eerily quiet! We did run across a large black snake along the trail though and that kept us on guard for the rest of the hike. Having seen several snakes on previous hikes in other places, we started wearing our hiking boots to provide a little more protection on the trails. 

One day we rented a tandem kayak and spent several hours rowing around the lake. With little wind, the water was glassy smooth but a downside was that it got pretty warm out on the water. We paddled for about an hour and made our way up to the spillway where we got out and hiked back behind it to the “Little Grand Canyon” of Arkansas. There is actually another place in Arkansas called the same thing but that’s what locals called it. It was very pretty but maybe more like a “Micro Grand Canyon”. After that we paddled back along the opposite shore looking for wildlife but mostly saw fish jumping in the lake and a few turtles.

We took a couple of trips over to the nearby city of Camden (about 20 miles away) to eat and go to Walmart. We had seafood at Woods Place and mexican food at El Ranchito. Both places were ok but nothing spectacular. I’d rate both about 3 stars. Between White Oak Lake and Camden is Poison Springs where a significant Civil War battle occurred. Union troops were marching south with the intent to take over the state of Texas to gain access to it’s cotton crops. Confederate troops won a decisive battle and turned away the Union army stopping their plan. We tried to imagine how hard it must have been to march with over 1000 troops and supply wagons in these dense and rocky woods.  

The Walmart Supercenter in Camden was decent and while there we used the “ship to store” capability for the second time. This time we purchased a 42 gallon gray water tote so we can dump the gray water and cart it to the dump station without taking the rig over. We have several places booked (including White Oak Lake) that do not have sewer hookups and we expect this to be a great help. Our first use of it was a qualified success. One problem we have is that our dump outlet on the RV is lower than many others and we couldn’t get out tank completely drained. We did get it down to about 30% and hopefully we will find ways to improve on that going forward. Even at 30% it should still be a big help.

If we return to White Oak Lake, site C27 might be the best choice with B25 a close second. B25 is on a curve in the road and other cars and RV’s go by are quite close. A1 is in an area that is a bit more busy than the other 2 sites.

The park preserves the Woolly cabin, a one room log home erected on the Woolly family homestead in 1882 by Martin Alfred Woolly. Within the park is also a art of the old Springfield-Searcy road which connected the area to the rest of Arkansas in the 1800’s. It was used for cattle drives, and by soldiers in the Civil War, settlers, mail couriers, and farmers. Even though it was a “good road” in its day, it would have been nearly impassable during the winter months.

This is a gorgeous park tucked away in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains with lots of trees and first rate campsites. Outside of the peak season was a perfect time to be in the park although some amenities are closed then such as a lifeguard for the swim beach and the snack bar. At the center of the park is a 40 acre lake within the 440 acre park. The park also includes almost 10 miles of mountain biking trails along with about 4 miles of trails exclusively for hiking.

Sites 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 backup to the lake and look like they are the best choices. Sites 15 and 16 are on the lake side but the lake does not extend behind them, however 16 is very secluded. Some of these slope down toward the lake (site 9 looks to be the most level). Sites 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 are nice sites with a lake view but are a bit uneven sloping up from the road to the back of the site. We were in site 8 and had to manually level because the auto level complained about excessive slope. We were able to get level but the nose was very high, we could park under it without lowering the tailgate. Site 8 is probably the best of the lake view sites. The remaining sites also looked good with sites 17, 19 and 28 being secluded but they are not in view of the lake. 17 or 19 would be our first choice of those.  Stay away from the bath house as it had a very loud exhaust fan that runs all the time. Many sites also have tent pads which make a nice place for chairs if not being used for a tent.