Lake Dardanelle State Park - Dardanelle, Arkansas - State Park with Campsites

Lake Dardanelle State Park is located at State Park Drive near Dardanelle in Arkansas. From Dardanelle visitors can reach the site by taking Highway 22 west for three and a half miles and turning right into the park. The Visitor Center is open throughout the year, seven days a week from 8am to 5pm except between May and early September when it opens until 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Lake Dardanelle is a very popular place for fishing and boating and is surrounded by the Ouachita Mountains and the Boston Mountain Range of the Ozarks. This 34,000 man-made lake off the Arkansas River offers anglers opportunities to catch a variety of fish such as crappie, bream, largemouth bass and catfish. Visitors can also swim for free at the beach here with a rest room in the swimming area open between April and August, but it should be noted that there is no life guard service provided at the lake.

A good way to explore the lake shoreline is by riding on a bicycle and these can be hired from the Visitor Center, which is located in the Russellville area. The Fishing Tournament Weigh-In Facility is ideal for holding a fishing tournament on the lake with park staff on hand to release all tournament fish. Group pavilions and the Fishing TournamentWeigh-In Facility may also be reserved for a small fee and the meeting room can be rented separately.

There are two camp grounds at the park with the main one in the Russellville area consisting of 57 campsites, whilst the one in the Dardanelle area has 18 sites. Here campers have access to dual-voltage hook-ups, freeze proof water connections and modern bathhouses as well as a table and grill at each site. Each campground also contains a sanitary dump trailer and one of the Russellville camping areas is wheelchair accessible.

The Visitor Center has over 7,000 gallons of freshwater aquariums displaying some of the different species that can be found in the lake and river. Visitors will also be able to see a honeybee hive, river darter tank and a turtle touch table as well as a short orientation video in the theater area. Educational programs for students and other groups are offered at the Visitor Center classroom.

The Meadow Brook trail is approximately three quarters of a mile long and relatively easy for hikers of all ages. It is a self guided trail providing a great way to observe the flora and fauna of the area and starts and ends near the park amphitheater. Guided hikes, nature talks, kayaking, lake tours and demonstrations are held throughout the park and the amphitheater also hosts slide shows and movies in the evenings.

If visitors are just stopping by for the day but wish to find overnight accommodation nearby, they will find hotels within 10 kilometers of the park. Park Motel is in West Main Street in Russellville, while also in Russellville is the Comfort Inn and Suites located at Parkway Drive.