Can you reserve a site at Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area?

No. Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area, Arkansas — sites, fees and cancellation alerts

The 625-acre Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area has 30 miles of shore line and offers the following recreational opportunities: camping, picnicking, swimming, canoeing, fishing and hiking. Sitting atop Crowley’s Ridge, the recreation area offers three campgrounds, two picnic areas, a mile-long nature trail, a swim beach and a handicap-accessible fishing pier which all provide visitors a variety of recreational experiences. Bear Creek Nature Trail provides a one-mile loop winding through a forested area. There are excellent scenic views of the lake shoreline, including Beech Point, and interpretive posts that highlight ecology in action. Trophy Largemouth Bass, Red-eyed Bream and Channel Catfish are just a few of the many species of fish that you’ll find in the lakes and streams in the area.

Fish Your National Forests: This site can be accessed by Passenger Car; Fish available include: Bass, Panfish; Types of fishing available include: Shore, Motorized boat, Float tube, Fly, Spin, Bait; ADA Accessible fishing access with fishing pier and boat launch

The Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area is managed by the Mississippi River State Park. Please call the Mississippi River State Park - Marianna Office for any questions at 870-295-4040.

The facts

Season: Year-round — USDA Forest Service, Aug 24, 2026

Recreation.gov's own page

Getting there

From Marianna take Arkansas 44 southeast for seven miles.

34.71222, -90.69382 · 34°42'44.0"N 90°41'37.7"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 91°F in Jul, down to 49°F in Jan.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	49	54	63	72	81	88	91	91	85	75	62	52
Low °F	32	35	43	52	62	69	72	70	63	52	42	35
Precip in	3.9	4.4	5.7	5.7	4.8	3.9	4.1	2.8	2.9	3.8	4.5	5.6

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 4.5 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Common questions about Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area

Can you reserve a site at Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area?: No. Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Also listed by

Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area's operator.

USDA Forest Service — data as of Aug 24, 2026

None for Day Use

Restrictions:

Maximum boat motor size 10 hp.

Accessibility:

Accessible fishing access

USDA Forest Service's own page

Camping near Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area

South Abutment Campground 32 mi · Campground · we watch it
South Abutment Pavilion 32.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Outlet Channel Day Use 32.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Bayou Point Day Use 32.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Dub Patton Campground 33.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Dub Patton Pavilion 33.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Hernando Point Campground 35.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Hernando Point Pavilion 35.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Cypress Point 54.8 mi · Campground · we watch it
Oak Grove (MS) 55.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
The Peabody Memphis 47 mi · Facility
Emmett Till Interpretive Center 54.4 mi · Visitor Center

Contact

Info Recreation.gov

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.

Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area