Tompkins Bend

Tompkins Bend Campground is a furrific spot for an Ouachita getaway with your four-pawed pal! Perched on the southwestern shore of Lake Ouachita near the small town of Mt. Ida, AR, this 70-site campground has everything you need for a fantastically Fido-friendly family vacation, including showers, water and electrical hook-ups, and a playground for non-furry family members. Keen anglers will be glad to know that not only is Arkansas’ largest lake chock full of swimming critters, there’s even a fish-cleaning station on-site, so you can enjoy your fresh-caught catch as an evening meal, cooked on one of the campsites BBQ grills or fire pits. Tompkins Bend is a pretty popular place, so it’s best to make your reservation early and to be sure that your doggo can deal with crowds.

Between the lake and the vast Ouachita National Forest, you and your buddy certainly won’t lack for recreation options! Nature-loving pups will be glad to know that a stretch of the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail runs right through the campground. This five mile-stretch runs to the parking lot on Joplin Rd., though you can walk fur-ther on the trail if you want to! The route runs through wooded wonderland past clear streams, and hound-dog history buffs might be interested in the homestead ruins and old quartz mine. The views of the lake from Eagle’s Vista are unparalleled! If you’d like to explore a little more of what this part of Arkansas has to offer, you could drive the 38 minutes to visit Hot Springs National Park, America’s natural spa.

Wifi isn’t available at Tompkins Bend, but most cellular networks should have fair to good coverage in the area. Campfires are permitted, but the park asks that you do not collect your own firewood. There’s also drinking water available at the campground. Remember to bring waste bags for your pupper, and have a pawesome trip!