A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Army Corps of Engineers campground

Pendleton Bend

Army Corps of Engineers campground in Arkansas River - Wilbur D. Mills Pool, Desha County, Arkansas. 169 feet. 8.8 miles from Watson.

Managed by
Army Corps of Engineers Arkansas River - Wilbur D. Mills Pool
Elevation
169 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
31 31 standard electric
Longest rig
80 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Desha County

Overview

Pendleton Bend Campground and Day Use Park is located on the bank of the Arkansas River. The campground offers 31 campsites, a two lane boatramp, a comfort station with hot showers and restrooms, playground, picnic sites, and a group shelter that can accomodate 75 users.

Recreation

Hiking, fishing, boating, birding, and hunting are all popular activities for visitors. World-class bass and crappie fishing is found in Pool 2, and the tailwaters of the dam provide excellent opportunities to catch a variety of gamefish, especially catfish. A boat ramp is available for access to the Arkansas River. Hiking and birding is available in the nearby Trusten Holder Wildlife Management Area. Many species of waterfowl frequent the lower Arkansas River and its adjacent wetlands making this area a destination for waterfowl hunters.

Facilities

Pendleton Bend offers 31 campsites with electric and water hookups, 25 of which may be reserved. Additional amenities include a boat ramp, comfort station with hot showers and flush toilets, group picnic shelter, and a playground with picnic sites.

Natural Features

Pendleton Bend Campground and Park is located in the lush Eastern Arkansas alluvial bottomland forest in Desha County. Pendleton Bend Campground and Park is approximately 3.5 miles upstream of the Wilbur D. Mills Dam and Arkansas Electric Coop Hydropower Dam. The Campground and Park sits along the track for migratory birds as they come and go from the Gulf of Mexico, making it a destination for birders. Many species of waterfowl frequent the Arkansas River and adjacent wetlands making it a destination for waterfowl hunters.

Nearby Attractions

Nearby, visitors can visit the Arkansas Post National Memorial. Here, Henri de Tonti established the first European village west of the Mississippi River in 1686. In 1819, Arkansas Post became the capital of the Arkansas Territory and remained so until the Civil War. The Dale Bumpers White River Refuge is nearby that offers 160,000 acres of excellent hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing opportunities as well.

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

What people do here

  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • hunting

The land around Pendleton Bend

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

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

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.

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.