Located amid the beech forests and sandhills of southwestern Arkansas, White Oak Lake State Park features some of the best fishing you’ll find in the state, as well as excellent hiking and mountain biking. The park’s lake teems with crappie, bream, catfish, and bass, making it a great angling destination any time of year.
The park also has miles of hiking trails that lead you through the beach and Loblolly forests and across the area’s marshland. On your hikes, you’ll be able to spot the dozens of bird species that call the park home, including blue herons and egrets. You may even be able to catch a glimpse of bald eagles in the winter.
In the summer months, the whole family can enjoy fun interpretive programs like nature hikes and talks. After a long day of adventure, you can relax with a lakeside picnic. The park’s campground has over 40 sites for you to choose from for your rig, all of which feature electrical hookups. The sites are also located near the water, so you’ll have lakeside views from your campervan.
Located in southwestern Arkansas, White Oak Lake State Park is within driving distance of multiple major cities in the South. The park’s roads are fairly easy to navigate, so most RV campers should have few issues getting their rig around the park.
If you are coming from Memphis, take I-40 and I-30 and you will reach the park in around three and a half hours. From Little Rock, take I-30 west from the city and you will get to the park in a little under two hours.
The park has well maintained roads that make it easy to reach your campsite. Some of the sites toward the back of the park may be hard to reach if you have a large rig, so you should try to book a site that is closer to the park’s main roads.
The park’s main campground has 41 different sites to choose from. All of the RV campsites have electrical hookups and some include water hookups as well. The sites are within walking distance of a store where you can buy basic supplies. There are also restrooms throughout the campground, and within walking distance of all of the sites.
The campground is also within walking distance of the park’s two main hiking trails- the Beech Ridge Trail and the Coastal Plain Trail. You’ll also be near the marina and boat launch.
All of the sites in the campground can be reserved online year round, up to a year in advance. You must book a day before you arrive. When you arrive at the park, you’ll need to check into the visitor center. As the park is a popular summertime destination, do try to book as early as possible if you plan on visiting during this period.
White Oak Lake State Park is known for its fishing, with some of the most active waters that you’ll find in the state. The lake is packed with crappie, bream, catfish, and bass
There is a store with fishing supplies, so you can stock up on what you need before heading out onto the lake. The boat launch is wide and easy to access from the campground.
Arkansas state fishing regulations cap the number of bass per day at five, and crappie are currently catch and release only.
The park is also a great destination for those who want excellent boating. Kayak along beech shaded shorelines, or take a larger boat out onto the waters to relax and enjoy the scenic views of the forests.
The park has a marina with rentals, in case you don’t want to bring your own boat along with your rig. There is a boat launch near the campground that can accommodate large vessels.
If you want more information on the local wildlife found in the park, you can take part in one of the park’s interpretive programs. You’ll get a guided hike through the park, where you will learn more about the natural history of the area and the local wildlife. Or you can attend a nature talk where you can ask the park rangers questions. The interpretive programs are only available during the summer months. Once you arrive at the park, contact the park office for more information on program times.
The park’s network of trails is also open to mountain bikers. Explore the ridges and sandhills of the park at high speed. The diverse terrain of the park, from dense beech forests to marshland, makes for interesting and challenging rides.
There are also bikes for rental, in case you didn’t bring your own with your rig. The trails are shared with hikers, so do take extra caution, especially when going around tight corners.
White Oak Lake State Park is also a great choice for RV campers interested in hiking. There’s a wide variety of trails that allow you to explore the scenic sandhills and pine forests of southwestern Arkansas.
The Beech Ridge Trail takes you through a forest of Loblolly pines, where you’ll also find beech and hickory trees. The trails is two miles long, and accessible to hikers of all ages and skill levels.
If you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can take the Coastal Plain Trail, a three-mile long hike that weaves through the forests and sandhills of the park. You’ll see some of the most unique wildlife found in the park.
The trails are open year round to hikers, although the hiking is at its best in spring and fall. The temperatures are mild, and you’ll find a greater variety of bird, mammal, and plant life than at other times of year.
The beech forests of the park are also home to dozens of different bird species, making the park the perfect destination for those looking to spot some Arkansas’ rarest birds. You’ll be able to see blue heron, green heron, osprey, and egret. If you visit during the winter, you may be lucky enough to spot mating bald eagles.
Check with the park office for more information on the park’s birds. They may be able to provide you with a checklist of the species found in the park. You can also consult the websites of local birdwatching groups, many of which have information on local species and recent sightings.
