Army Corps of Engineers · Gillham Lake · Gillham, AR

Cossatot Reefs

Cossatot Reefs Campground sits along the lush banks of Gillham Lake in southwest Arkansas. Nicknamed the "Bright Spot on the Cossatot," Gillham Lake is a recreational oasis for outdoor enthusiasts.

More like this: electric hookups in Arkansas · reservable in Arkansas · big rigs in Arkansas · group sites in Arkansas

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Gillham Lake Cossatot Reefs ParkCOSSATOT REEFSGillham Lake Cossatot Reefs ParkGillham Lake Cossatot Reefs Park
Photos courtesy of USACE Gillham Lake · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric28
Walk-in2
group shelter electric1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

31 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntrySurfaceShadePowerWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesAccessible
01ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2
02ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2
03ElectricBack-inPavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2
04ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2
05ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2
06ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2
07ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2
08ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2
09ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2
10ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –8 / 2

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 06:00 PM, checkout 05:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, water
Max vehicle length68 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
AccessibilitySite GS1 is listed accessible

Cossatot Reefs offers 31 shady campsites, including a large group shelter. Hot showers, drinking water and flush toilets help create a comfortable camping experience.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Cossatot Reefs40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 4.12 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snowFebruary: 4.15 inches of precipitation, 1.0 inches of snowMarch: 5.03 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowApril: 5.85 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 6.25 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.37 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 3.44 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.34 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.05 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 4.66 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 4.44 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowDecember: 5.25 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 41.8°F averageFebruary: 45.7°F averageMarch: 53.3°F averageApril: 60.9°F averageMay: 69.4°F averageJune: 77.4°F averageJuly: 81.2°F averageAugust: 81.2°F averageSeptember: 74.6°F averageOctober: 63.1°F averageNovember: 51.9°F averageDecember: 44.1°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Dequeen, 13 miles from the campground at 407 feet, station USC00031948 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 55 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 3 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From De Queen, Arkansas, head north on US-59/US-71. Continue for nearly 10 miles and turn Right at Gillham EZ-Mart. Turn right on Tower Road; go 1.3 miles turn left onto Gillham Lake road; go 4.3 miles turn right and follow signs into the campground.

Nearest townGillham, Arkansas
Coordinates34.2067° N, 94.2313° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    South White Wolf

    29 mi from the campground · 128 acres · 75% contained

  • Wildfire
    Lake

    50 mi from the campground · 105 acres · 50% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗15.9 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗37.7 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Cossatot Reefs Campground - Gillham Lake, AR

Worth a stop

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Ouachita National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Gillham Lake spans 1,370 surface acres and boasts 36 miles of shoreline. The lake stems from the Cossatot River, designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.

Recreation

Visitors enjoy the lake for its vast boating opportunities, and a boat ramp is provided for easy water access. The river can be canoed from a point below the dam to U.S. Highway 71 South, a distance of about 16 miles. For shorter canoe trips, there are access roads to the river at Mize Crossing and Ladd Bridge. Anglers will find smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass, crappie, channel and flathead catfish and various species of sunfish in the river. A short nature trail within the campground weaves through a quaint wooded section. In spring, the trail is painted with colorful redbud and dogwood blossoms.

Guidebooks for Arkansas

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • The Ozarks: 43 spectacular hikes in Arkansas and Missouri
    Jim Warnock, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Arkansas Nature Lover's Guidebook
    Tim Ernst and Pam Ernst, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Scenic Routes and Byways the Ozarks
    Don Kurz, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Cossatot Reefs?

Sites at Cossatot Reefs are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Cossatot Reefs?

Check-in 06:00 PM, checkout 05:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Cossatot Reefs have?

31 sites, including 28 standard sites with power, 2 walk-in sites, and 1 group shelter electric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Cossatot Reefs?

The longest site here provides 68 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Cossatot Reefs have hookups?

Yes, electric and water hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Cossatot Reefs?

Hot showers, drinking water and flush toilets help create a comfortable camping experience.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Cossatot Reefs?

Site GS1 is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Cossatot Reefs?

Visitors enjoy the lake for its vast boating opportunities, and a boat ramp is provided for easy water access. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Cossatot Reefs?

Gillham, Arkansas.

Source: Getting there

What if Cossatot Reefs is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Big Coon Creek (1.3 mi), Little Coon Creek Park (2 mi), and Jefferson Ridge (7.2 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby