Camping on Lake Dardanelle

Lake Dardanelle State Park is located on Lake Dardanelle, a 34,000-acre man-made lake. This lake is located between the Ouachita Mountains to the south and the Boston Mountain Range of the Ozarks to the north. This lake offers visitors great camping as well as excellent fishing and boating opportunities.

Lake Dardanelle State Park is divided into two areas. These areas are the Russellville location and the Dardanelle location. These areas are located on opposite sides of Lake Dardanelle and offer camping with 83 sites. Of these 83 sites, 65 are located at the Russellville area and 18 at the Dardanelle area. These sites range in price from $24.50 to $14.50 and are waterfront, water view or woods view. The Russellville location has a RV dump station. Both locations offer pavilion use rental for a fee.

Most activities available in these locations involve water sports, such as fishing and boating. Both areas offer boat launches and boat docks that are available year round and are free to use. Fishing for crappie, bream, catfish and bass, water skiing and swimming along with a public beach area, are the most popular activities.

Visitors here will also find a Visitor's Center that offers interpretive programs based on the wildlife and fish found in the area, complete with aquarium exhibits and hands on exhibits. Picnic sites and bathhouses are also available as well as kayak and bicycle rental and facilities for hosting a fishing tournament, including a weigh-in pavilion.

To get to the Russellville Area of Lake Dardanelle State Park, off I-40 in Russellville, take exit #81, which is Arkansas Highway 7, turn south then immediately turn west on Arkansas Highway 326 and continue for 5 miles to entrance of the park. To reach the Dardanelle Area of Lake Dardanelle State Park, travel west out of Dardanelle on Arkansas Highway 22 for four miles to park entrance. Visitors will have to register at the Visitor's Center located on the Russellville area, after entering the entrance.

Other camping opportunities in this area include U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Campgrounds. These campgrounds include Delaware, Old Post Road Park and Riverview.

To reach Delaware Campgrounds, go ¼ mile East on Arkansas Highway 22 to Arkansas Highway 393, turn North then travel for 2 miles. This campground has 13 campsites with no hookups, but facilities found here are vault toilets, drinking water, boat ramps, an overlook and a pavilion. This campground is closed during the winter and a use fee is charged from May to Labor Day.

Old Post Road Park has 40 water and electric campsites for $16 per night. These campsites can be reserved from May19 to September 15, before and after this reservation period; sites are first come-first served. Picnic shelters can also be reserved for $35 for ½ day and $50 for a full day. This campground offers flush toilets, drinking water, showers, a boat ramp, RV dump station, tennis courts, basketball court, playground, baseball field, or soccer/football field. Activities here include camping, picnicking, fishing, boating or sightseeing. To reach this campground from Russellville, Arkansas, take State Route 7 to Lock and Dam Road and go 1 mile, then follow the signs to the campground.

Riverview Park has 18 camping sites with water and electricity as well as vault toilets, drinking water and a pavilion. This campsite is located ¾ of a mile from Dardanelle, Arkansas on Lock and Dam Road.


There are also several private campgrounds located at Lake Dardanelle. These are Lakeside Resort and Motel, which has 28 campsites and is located on Highway 7, north of I-40; Mission RV Park, with 45 sites and is reached by exiting I-40 at exit 78 to 229 Mission Drive, and Outdoor Living Center, with 50 camping sites and is located on Highway 7.

With so many campsites available from State Parks to privately owned, there are many opportunities to enjoy water sports at Lake Dardanelle.