Can you reserve a site at Joplin?

Yes, Joplin is reservable through Recreation.gov.

How many campsites does Joplin have?

64 sites in total, of which 58 can be booked.

What is the maximum RV length at Joplin?

20 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.

Are pets allowed at Joplin?

Yes, pets are allowed at Joplin.

Are campfires allowed at Joplin?

Campfires are allowed at Joplin. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Joplin, Arkansas — 58 sites, fees and cancellation alerts

Overview

Joplin Campground on Lake Ouachita is an excellent destination for pristine lakefront camping. Joplin is perched on a slender peninsula with plenty of attractive scenic views of the water and surrounding mountain terrain.

World-class striper fishing goes on in the lake, and wildlife watchers can find everything from bobcats to rare freshwater jellyfish.

Click here for the Lake Ouachita Virtual Tour.

Recreation

Prized as one of the clearest lakes in the nation, Ouachita Lake is ideal for scuba diving.

Visitors also enjoy hiking, biking, scenic driving, water skiing, fishing and hunting, as well.

Facilities

All 59 campsites have electric hookups, but keep in mind the spaces are small and unpaved. Campsite pad lengths vary greatly from site to site due to the terrain. No campsite lengths are posted on the website due to the varianciances of camper slidout configurations and the visitor trailer towing skills. For questions contact the fee booth at 870-867-4472. Water hookups are not available, but a water faucet is located in each loop. Other amenities include a dump station, fish cleaning station, hot showers, boat ramp and a swim beach.

Natural Features

Nestled in the Ouachita Mountains of Central Arkansas, Lake Ouachita spans a surface area of over 40,000 acres, making it the biggest lake completely within the state of Arkansas. The region has a climate with four seasons. Spring and fall are mild, summer is hot and humid, and winter is variable with temperatures ranging from below freezing on up to the 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Contact Info

This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (501) 767-2101.

Nearby Attractions

Head to Hot Springs National Park and discover how it earned the nickname, "The American Spa." Or take a scenic drive through the 1.8 million-acres of Ouachita National Forest. Boat rentals, horseback riding rentals and the Hickorynut Mountain Vista are not far from the campground.

The facts

58 bookable sites
64 sites in total, including non-bookable
Vehicles up to 20 ft
Up to 12 people per site
Loops: A, B, C, D

Site types

28 Standard Electric
17 RV Electric
13 Tent Only Electric
6 Management

Amenities

Electric hookups
Water hookups
Sewer hookups
Campfires allowed
Fire pits
Picnic tables
Grills
Shade
Pets allowed

Book on Recreation.gov

64 campsites at Joplin

Check-in 6:00 PM · Check-out 4:00 PM

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Access	Water	Max rig	People
01	A	Management	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
02	A	Management	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
03	A	Tent Only Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
04	A	Tent Only Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
05	A	Rv Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
06	A	Rv Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
07	A	Rv Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
08	A	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
09	A	Rv Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
10	A	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
11	A	Tent Only Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
12	A	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
13	A	Tent Only Electric	Back In	—	Hike In	Lakefront	20 ft	12	🐾
14	A	Tent Only Electric	Back In	—	Hike In	—	20 ft	12	🐾
15	A	Tent Only Electric	Back In	—	Hike In	—	20 ft	12	🐾
16	A	Tent Only Electric	Back In	—	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
17	A	Tent Only Electric	Back In	—	Hike In	Lakefront	20 ft	12	🐾
18	A	Tent Only Electric	Back In	—	Hike In	Lakefront	20 ft	12	🐾
19	A	Tent Only Electric	Back In	—	Hike In	Lakefront	20 ft	12	🐾
20	B	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
21	B	Rv Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
22	B	Tent Only Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12
23	B	Tent Only Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
24	B	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
25	B	Rv Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
26	B	Rv Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
27	B	Tent Only Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
28	B	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	Drive In	—	20 ft	12	🐾
29	B	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	Drive In	—	20 ft	12	🐾
30	B	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	Drive In	—	20 ft	12	🐾
31	B	Rv Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Drive In	—	20 ft	12	🐾
32	B	Rv Electric	Back In	Gravel	Drive In	—	20 ft	12	🐾
33	B	Management	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
34	B	Management	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
64	B	Management	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
35	C	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
36	C	Management	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
37	C	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
38	C	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
39	C	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
40	C	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
41	C	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
42	C	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
43	C	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
44	C	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
45	C	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
46	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
47	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
48	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
49	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
50	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
51	D	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
52	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
53	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
54	D	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
55	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
56	D	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
57	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
58	D	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
59	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
60	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
61	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
62	D	Standard Electric	—	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾
63	D	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	12	🐾

Getting there

From Hot Springs, Arkansas: Take US 270 west for 23.5 miles to Mountain Harbor Road. Turn right and follow access road three miles north to the park.

34.57519, -93.44264 · 34°34'30.7"N 93°26'33.5"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Low °F	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Precip in	3.8	3.8	4.6	5.1	5.8	3.9	3.6	3.9	3.6	4.2	4.8	4.9

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 6.7 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Common questions about Joplin

Can you reserve a site at Joplin?: Yes, Joplin is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Joplin have?: 64 sites in total, of which 58 can be booked.
What is the maximum RV length at Joplin?: 20 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Joplin?: Yes, pets are allowed at Joplin.
Does Joplin have hookups?: Electric, Water, Sewer.
Are campfires allowed at Joplin?: Campfires are allowed at Joplin. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Camping near Joplin

Tompkins Bend 1.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Tompkins Bend Day-Use 1.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
Denby Point 3.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
Little Fir 4.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Charlton Recreation Area 5.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Crystal Springs (AR) 5.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Crystal Springs (AR) Day-Use 6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Brady Mountain Day-Use 10.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
Brady Mountain 10.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
Spillway (Lake Ouachita) 13 mi · Campground · we watch it
Avery 14.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Camp Clearfork 5.4 mi · Campground

Contact

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

Joplin