About Charlton Recreation Area
Charlton Recreation Area is located 20 miles west of Hot Springs along Highway 270. Picnic, swim, hike, and fish along picturesque Walnut Creek, a cold, spring-fed mountain stream in the heart of the Ouachita National Forest. This historic recreation area features a captivating native stone dam that forms the swimming area and rustic bathhouse built by the Civilian Conservation Corps federal work program in 1935. **Overview:** The campground is made up of three loops with 46 campsites, ranging in amenities of no services to campsites with electric, water and sewer provided. Bathhouse with warm showers and flush toilets are provided. Day use hosts spring fed swimming site with some of the area's coldest water found in the area, even during the hottest of summer temperatures. A 1-mile nature trail can be found near the campground and connections to the 40-mile Lake Ouachita Vista Trail…
- Fees: - Day Use: $5/vehicle OR $2/person (walk-in/bike-in/drop-off) - Camping: - Single sites- $15/night - Single sites w/ electric: $25/night -…
- Managed by: USFS - Ouachita National Forest
- Where: 3 mi west of Crystal Springs, AR · 34.51682, -93.38182
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Apr–May & Sep–Oct (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Jan.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Fork | ATV road | 1.3 mi | 6.1 mi |
| Hickory Nut Mtn | ATV road | 2.0 mi | 0.8 mi |
| Hickory Nut Vista Trail | ATV / OHV, Dirt bike | 2.6 mi | 1.1 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 5G · AT&T 5G · T-Mobile 4G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way is bright, with a little glow low on the horizon.
Class 3 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Camps nearby
- Loop C 0.3 mi
- Camp Clearfork 0.8 mi
- Campsite #25 · 2 mi NW of Crystal Springs 2.5 mi
- Hickory Nut Mountain Campground 3.9 mi
- Mountain Harbor Resort And Spa 4.9 mi
- Tompkins Bend CoE 6.1 mi