Ouachita National Forest Guide Profile

Camping, trails, maps & photo credits — Ouachita National Forest

Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas, Oklahoma offers Forest Service recreation at Cedar Lake Recreation Area, Charlton Recreation Area. For a walking or hiking visit, start with Cedar Lake Recreation Area, Charlton Recreation Area. Each recreation site has its own facilities and access rules; use the official maps and current site instructions to plan your visit.

Camping & reservations

The booking button opens the official reservation destination for Cedar Lake Recreation Area. Other campgrounds in this forest may have separate reservations, first-come sites or district permits. Read the current instructions for your chosen site.

Cedar Lake Recreation Area ↗

Cedar Lake is located in southeast Oklahoma, in the pine and hardwood-forested mountains of Ouachita National Forest. The campground is situated on the shores of the scenic lake, a popular destination for boating, fishing, horseback riding and hiking. This 86-acre lake ( shown in this detail aerial photo ), surrounded by pine and oak covered hills, is a perfect place to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Overview: The campground sits along the shoreline of a 86-acre lake constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. Surrounded by pine and oak covered hills, campers and day use visitors can choose from a wide variety of outdoor activities to include picnicking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking the 3-mile lake perimeter trail and horseback riding on the areas equestrian trails. The campground has a variety of campground amenities, ranging from campsites with no services to campsites with electric, water and sewer connections. The 90-campsite campground is divided into four separate loops, Equestrian, Sandy Beach, Shady Lane and Northshores. Day Use facilities are located at Sandy Beach and Northshores. Cedar Lake is located approximately 12-miles south of…

Reservations: Reservations can be made by visiting Recreation.gov . Reservations must be made 10 days ahead of arrival.

Reservations / current camping instructions ↗

Site rules: No motors larger than 7 1/2 horsepower are allowed. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation regulates fishing and hunting in Oklahoma.

Charlton Recreation Area ↗

Charlton Recreation Area is located 20 miles west of Hot Springs along Highway 270. Picnic, swim, hike, and fish along picturesque Walnut Creek, a cold, spring-fed mountain stream in the heart of the Ouachita National Forest. This historic recreation area features a captivating native stone dam that forms the swimming area and rustic bathhouse built by the Civilian Conservation Corps federal work program in 1935. Overview: The campground is made up of three loops with 46 campsites, ranging in amenities of no services to campsites with electric, water and sewer provided. Bathhouse with warm showers and flush toilets are provided. Day use hosts spring fed swimming site with some of the area's coldest water found in the area, even during the hottest of summer temperatures. A 1-mile nature trail can be found near the campground and connections to the 40-mile Lake Ouachita Vista Trail lead from the campground as well. Charlton Campground is located 20 miles west of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. Information about Charlton Recreation Area. Information about Charlton Recreation Area - Spanish Other recreation sites within the Caddo/Womble Ranger District

Reservations: Reservations available through Recreation.gov .

Reservations / current camping instructions ↗

Site rules: Hunting is not allowed in recreational areas. Please read and follow the posted regulations. You are responsible for your fires. Build them in stoves, grills, and fire rings only. No fishing in the swimming area. All pets must remain on a leash while in the campground. No dogs allowed in the day use or swimming areas. There is a fee to use this facility.

Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area ↗

The 26,445-acre National Recreation Area encompasses Talimena Scenic Drive in Oklahoma, Talimena Drive Visitor Information Station, Old Military Road, Horsethief Springs, Winding Stair Campground, Cedar Lake Campground, Cedar Lake Equestrian Camp and Pipe Springs.

Truck-camping & permitted overnight use

Scenic 25-acre lake in remote mountain setting.The Civilian Conservation Corps developed the Shady Lake Recreation Area in 1937. The Shady Lake Trail traverses Saline Creek, passes the historic Shady Lake Dam, and continues along the eastern edge of the campground. The trail is ideal for day hiking. Mountain bikers may also use the trail. Overview: The campground is made up of four camping loops, with 51 campsites, ranging in amenities of no services to campsites with electric and water services provided. Bathhouses with warm showers and flush toilets. Day use hosts a swimming site, picnic pavilions, restrooms, picnic tables with BBQ grills and a 3-mile hiking trail that follows the shoreline of Shady Lake. Campsites can accommodate RV's up to 32-feet in length. Shady Lake is located approximately 40 miles west of Glenwood, Arkansas, and…

No forest-wide permission to camp is implied. Check the district’s current dispersed-camping rules, designated areas, fire restrictions, stay limits and seasonal closures before choosing an undeveloped site.

Activities, hiking & trails

Cedar Lake Recreation Area ↗
Cedar Lake is located in southeast Oklahoma, in the pine and hardwood-forested mountains of Ouachita National Forest. The campground is situated on the shores of the scenic lake, a popular destination for boating, fishing, horseback riding and hiking. This 86-acre lake ( shown in this detail aerial photo ), surrounded by pine and oak covered hills, is a perfect place to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Overview: The campground sits along the shoreline of a 86-acre lake constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. Surrounded by pine and oak covered hills, campers and day use visitors can choose from a wide variety of outdoor activities to include picnicking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking the 3-mile lake perimeter trail and horseback riding on the areas equestrian trails. The campground has a variety of campground amenities, ranging from campsites with no services to campsites with electric, water and sewer connections. The 90-campsite campground is divided…

Charlton Recreation Area ↗
Charlton Recreation Area is located 20 miles west of Hot Springs along Highway 270. Picnic, swim, hike, and fish along picturesque Walnut Creek, a cold, spring-fed mountain stream in the heart of the Ouachita National Forest. This historic recreation area features a captivating native stone dam that forms the swimming area and rustic bathhouse built by the Civilian Conservation Corps federal work program in 1935. Overview: The campground is made up of three loops with 46 campsites, ranging in amenities of no services to campsites with electric, water and sewer provided. Bathhouse with warm showers and flush toilets are provided. Day use hosts spring fed swimming site with some of the area's coldest water found in the area, even during the hottest of summer temperatures. A 1-mile nature trail can be found near the campground and connections to the 40-mile Lake Ouachita Vista Trail lead from the campground as well. Charlton Campground is located 20 miles west of Hot Springs National…

Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area ↗
The 26,445-acre National Recreation Area encompasses Talimena Scenic Drive in Oklahoma, Talimena Drive Visitor Information Station, Old Military Road, Horsethief Springs, Winding Stair Campground, Cedar Lake Campground, Cedar Lake Equestrian Camp and Pipe Springs.

Maps & road access

Consult the current Motor Vehicle Use Map for permitted motor routes, vehicle classes and seasonal designations. A route on an MVUM is not a guarantee that it is maintained or passable. Check current road closures and conditions with the district; carry an offline map.

Use the official directions for the exact named campground or trailhead; forest boundaries and administrative offices are not campsite entrances. Official directions / site access ↗

Before you travel

Check the forest’s current alerts, seasonal services, fire orders and campground rules. Download the relevant official maps before entering areas with limited reception.

Source review: 2026-11-01. Conditions, fees, permits and availability can change. USDA Forest Service official information ↗

Photograph sources & licensing

Banner: Ouachita National Forest panorama
Ouachita National Forest, in Oklahoma, as viewed from atop the Standing Stairs Mountains.
Credit: Aaron Walden. Original source ↗ · CC BY 2.5 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Second large photograph: Crystal Campground, Ouachita National Forest
A campground at the Crystal Recreation Area along Collier Springs Road in the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas. It is certainly a beautiful setting, especially in springtime, and I was surprised to find it completely empty. It's free, but no…
Credit: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Original source ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Photographs are real images of the named unit; no AI-generated photographs are used. Federal photo credit register.