Ozark National Forest in Arkansas offers Forest Service recreation at Blanchard Springs Recreation Area, Blanchard Springs Campgrounds. For a walking or hiking visit, start with Blanchard Springs Recreation Area, Redding 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 Blanchard Springs 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.

Truck-camping & permitted overnight use

4/7/25: Closed until further notice due to flood and tornado damage. Seventeen individual campsites and two group sites available. Water available. Sewage dump station available. Sites suitable for smaller RV's and tents. No electricity or other hook ups. Blanchard Springs Recreation Area Guide Campground and Day-Use Area Rules Blanchard Springs Recreation Area Guide - Spanish

The official recreation inventory lists North Sylamore Creek, Sylamore Walk-in Turkey Hunting Area, Ozone Recreation Area for dispersed camping. Read each site’s current rules; this does not authorize camping on every forest road.

North Sylamore Creek ↗ — 4/7/25: Section between Blanchard Springs and Gunner Pool closed due to tornado damage. The trail follows along the North Sylamore Creek, a federally designated scenic river, from which it is named. Hikers will encounter a wide variety of forested landscapes ranging from lower streamside elevations to high ridges. Main points of interest include Slick Rock Hollow, numerous scenic overlooks, and beautiful open fields managed as openings for wildlife. In addition to the original 13.75 mile section, the trail now extends from Barkshed Campground, upstream along the creek to a new trailhead on Cripple Turkey Road where it intersects the Ozark…

Ozone Recreation Area ↗ — This is the site of the historic Ozone Civilian Conservation Corp Camp. Camping - 8 family units, pavilion rental, picnicking, and hiking. Camping trailers are allowed but no special facilities available. Campground and Day-Use Area Rules

Activities, hiking & trails

Blanchard Springs Recreation Area ↗
The Blanchard Springs Recreation Area offers a rich outdoor experience. Stroll on the paved trail to where Blanchard Springs gushes as a waterfall from the hillside. Swim in the clear waters of the North Sylamore Creek. Hike into the Ozark woods for an hour or a weekend. Try your luck catching rainbow trout from Mirror Lake, an accessible facility. Blanchard Springs Caverns has 3 tours- Dripstone Tour, Wild Cave Tour, & Discovery Tour. Blanchard Springs Recreation Area Guide Blanchard Springs Recreation Area Guide - Spanish Campground and Day-Use Area Rules

Redding Recreation Area ↗
The Redding Campground is a beautiful setting for an outdoor getaway. It sits right next to the Wild and Scenic Mulberry River and is surrounded by forest. Redding offers up a rock canoe launch and river access which is handicap accessible. A nice bath house with flush toilets and warm showers, a well water system with spouts dispersed throughout the campground, and access to the Spy Rock and Ozark Highland Trail (OHT) is what makes Redding such a desirable place to spend the night, the weekend, or even a week. Campground and Day-Use Area Rules

Shores Lake Recreation Area ↗
Shores Lake Recreation Area offers an 82-acre lake with a fully accessible bathroom facility with ramps. The fishing piers were designed with wheelchair use in mind. Underwater structures were built to attract fish to the fishing piers. The pavilion is also fully accessible and is available by reservation. Construction of the dam at Shores Lake began in the 1930s by men in a nearby Civilian Conservation Corps camp. The dam was completed in 1958. A cooperative effort between the USDA Forest Service and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission helped complete the structure. Shores Lake Loop Trail is a showcase of upland hardwoods and shortleaf pine groves. The trail treats hikers to views of waterfalls and wildlife. 18 campsites and 28 family picnicking units. Pavilion for group picnicking by reservation only. Camping trailers allowed, no hook-ups or dumpsite available. Electric sites have 110 outlet & 30 amp outlet access. A campground host is present until November. Due to remote…

Maps & road access

• Official visitor maps, trail maps and Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) ↗
• Interactive Forest Visitor Map ↗

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: Shores Lake, Ozark National Forest
Shores lake in the Ozark National Forest
Credit: Marco Becerra. Original source ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Second large photograph: Buffalo Creek Trail, Upper Buffalo trail system
The Buffalo Creek Trail in the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. The trail is popular for mountain biking, and is part of the Upper Buffalo Bike Trail system.
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.