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A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Army Corps of Engineers campground

Joplin

Army Corps of Engineers campground in Lake Ouachita, Montgomery County, Arkansas. 596 feet. 10.8 miles from Mount Ida.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Army Corps of Engineers Lake Ouachita
Elevation
596 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
58 28 standard electric, 17 rv electric, 13 tent only electric
Longest rig
20 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Montgomery County

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.

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 description, directions and fees are the Army Corps of Engineers’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • kayaking
  • water activities

The land around Joplin

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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