Army Corps of Engineers · Lake Ouachita · Royal, AR

Crystal Springs

Crystal Springs Campground, perched on the shores of Lake Ouachita in Arkansas, is an ideal spot for families, friends and couples. Approximately 1.2 million people visit the lake each year to explore its crystal clear waters and scenic mountain landscape.

Reservable · Recreation.gov75 sites20 ft maxFull hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: electric hookups in Arkansas · full hookups in Arkansas · reservable in Arkansas · pets allowed in Arkansas · group sites in Arkansas

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Crystal SpringsDay-use PavillionDay-use PavillionCrystal Springs
Photos courtesy of USACE Lake Ouachita · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric59
tent only electric4
group standard electric1
Host/management11
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

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 60 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

64 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
01ATent Only ElectricPartial30/20 ampNo / –8 / 2Yes
02ATent Only ElectricPartial30/20 ampNo / –8 / 2Yes
03AElectricBack-in40GravelFull50/30/20 ampYes / –12 / 2Yes
04AElectricPull-through35GravelFull50/30/20 ampYes / –12 / 2Yes
05AElectricBack-in45GravelFull50/30/20 ampYes / –12 / 2Yes
06AElectricBack-in55GravelFull50/30/20 ampYes / –12 / 2Yes
07AElectricBack-in35GravelFull50/30/20 ampYes / –12 / 2Yes
08AElectricBack-in45GravelFull50/30/20 ampYes / –12 / 2Yes
09AElectricBack-in40GravelFull50/30/20 ampYes / –12 / 2Yes
10AElectricBack-in40GravelFull50/30/20 ampYes / –12 / 2Yes

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 04:00 PM.

Campground map of Crystal Springs
Campground map published by Army Corps of Engineers on Recreation.gov, credited to USACE Lake Ouachita. Open the image for full size.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, water, sewer
Max vehicle length20 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Tent padsYes
AccessibilitySites 22, 73, PAV 1, PAV 2 are listed accessible

The campground consists of 63 sites with electric and water hookups. There is also a reservable group campsite that includes electrical and water hookups. The two group picnic shelters have electricity. Other amenities include a dump station, fish cleaning station, hot showers, boat ramp, playground and a swim beach.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Crystal Springs30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.93 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowFebruary: 4.61 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowMarch: 5.26 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowApril: 5.76 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 6.54 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.51 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.40 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.27 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 4.10 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 4.69 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 5.45 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowDecember: 5.34 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 39.7°F averageFebruary: 43.0°F averageMarch: 50.6°F averageApril: 58.9°F averageMay: 67.1°F averageJune: 74.8°F averageJuly: 78.5°F averageAugust: 78.3°F averageSeptember: 71.7°F averageOctober: 60.8°F averageNovember: 49.8°F averageDecember: 42.0°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Blakely Mtn Dam, 9 miles from the campground at 426 feet, station USC00030764 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 58 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 1 inch a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Hot Springs, Arkansas, take US 270 west about 15.4 miles to North Crystal Springs Road. Turn right and follow access road three miles north to the park.

Nearest townRoyal, Arkansas
Coordinates34.5425° N, 93.3544° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceRazorback Camper Sales, Inc. ↗14.4 mi

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

Explore

Video

Retirement Travel | Crystal Springs Campground Tour | Lake Ouachita Camping Near Hot Sprin

Worth a stop

Part of the scenic 223-mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail runs just north of the lake. Here, hikers and mountain bikers can explore an array of breathtaking views in the Ouachita Mountains.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.2 mi
    Charlton Trail
    4.2 mi trail
  • 2.2 mi
    Prayer of the Woods Trail
    0.7 mi trail
  • 2.2 mi
    Hickory Nut Vista Trail
    1.6 mi trail
  • 2.7 mi
    Hickory Nut Lakeside Trail
    1.7 mi trail
  • 3.1 mi
    Clearfork Lake ↗
    0.6 mi trail
  • 4 mi
    Lovit - Fire Tower Spur
    0.3 mi trail

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

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.

Natural features

Lake Ouachita is nestled in the Ouachita Mountains just 10 miles west of Hot Springs National Park. The pool is fed by the cool waters of the Ouachita River and extends about 30 miles over 40,000 surface acres.

Recreation

Visitors enjoy fishing, water skiing, hiking and boating. Scuba diving is particularly popular because of the lake's high underwater visibility. Small and rare freshwater jellyfish (non-stinging) can be found, in addition to many types of fish, including the striped bass, lazily drifting between rocks. Bald eagles are a big attraction for bird watchers and photographers in winter months.

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 Crystal Springs?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Crystal Springs?

Check-in 06:00 PM, checkout 04:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Crystal Springs have?

75 sites, including 59 standard sites with power, 4 tent only electric, and 1 group standard electric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Crystal Springs?

The longest site here provides 20 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 Crystal Springs have hookups?

Yes, electric, water, and sewer hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Crystal Springs?

Other amenities include a dump station, fish cleaning station, hot showers, boat ramp, playground and a swim beach.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Crystal Springs?

Yes, pets are allowed at Crystal Springs. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Crystal Springs?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Crystal Springs?

Sites 22, 73, PAV 1, and PAV 2 are 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

Is there cell service at Crystal Springs?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE and T-Mobile 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Crystal Springs?

Visitors enjoy fishing, water skiing, hiking and boating. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Crystal Springs?

Royal, Arkansas. Part of the scenic 223-mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail runs just north of the lake.

Source: Getting there