Sites

Water

20 Amp

30 Amp

50 Amp

Sewer

WiFi

Cable TV

Facilities

Club House

Laundry Room

Swimming Pool

Hot Tub

Fitness Center

Game Room

Rec Hall

Pavilion

Exercise Room

Restroom/Shower

Restroom Only

Shower Only

Restaurant

Groceries

RV Supplies

ATM Machine

Dog Park

Cocktail Lounge

Dog Washing Station

Pit Toilet

Snack Bar

Play Ground

Services

Escort to Site

Self-Service RV Wash

Metered LP Gas

Firewood

Fishing Supplies

Pet Supplies

Onsite Rentals

Worship Services

Golf Carts

Fishing Guides

Onsite RV Service

Staffed RV Wash

Fishing Licenses

Complimentary Breakfast

Policies

RV Age Restrictions

Pets Welcome

Pet Restrictions

Pet Restriction on Quantity

Pet Restriction on Breed

Pet Restriction on Size

No Pets

Tent Camping Allowed

Folding Tent Campers Allowed

No Tents

No Overnight Guests

Recreational activities in or near the park

Recreational Activities

Archery Range

ATV Riding

Biking

Boating

Body Of Water

Casino

Climbing

Dock

Driving Range

Fishing

Golf

Heated Pool

Hiking

Horseback Riding

Horseshoes

Kayaking

Lawn Bowling

Mini Golf

Paddle Boats

Pickle Ball

Putting Green

Ramp

Sauna

Shuffleboard

Snow Sports

Splash Pad

Swimming

Tennis

Wading Pool

Water Slide

Water Sports

Water Umbrella

Whitewater Rafting

<h2>Overview</h2><p>Gulpha Gorge Campground offers a unique opportunity to stay within the boundaries of the oldest unit in the National Park System. As the only campground in <strong>Hot Springs National Park</strong>, it serves as a serene basecamp for those looking to explore the intersection of natural beauty and historic architecture. The sites are nestled along the banks of <strong>Gulpha Creek</strong>, providing a tranquil atmosphere where the sound of flowing water complements the surrounding forest canopy.</p><h2>Location & Surroundings</h2><p>Situated just a short drive from the historic downtown of Hot Springs, Arkansas, the campground feels worlds away from the city's hustle. It is tucked into a lush valley surrounded by the <strong>Ouachita Mountains</strong>. The landscape is defined by towering hardwoods and pines, with the gentle creek meandering through the heart of the park. This location offers the perfect balance of <strong>secluded woodland charm</strong> and easy access to the urban amenities and thermal springs that define the region.</p><h2>Amenities & Park Features</h2><p>While many national park campgrounds are rustic, Gulpha Gorge is notable for its modern conveniences. The park features <strong>full hookup sites</strong> including water, sewer, and both 30 and 50-amp electrical service. Every site is paved and includes a pedestal grill and a picnic table. While there are <strong>modern restrooms</strong> available for guest use, it is important to note that the facility does not offer on-site showers. The sites are well-spaced, though the layout is best suited for moderately sized rigs.</p><h2>Nearby Attractions & Things to Do</h2><p>Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate that the <strong>Gulpha Gorge Trail</strong> begins right at the campground, connecting visitors to an extensive network of hiking paths leading to the Goat Rock Overlook. A quick trip down the road brings you to <strong>Bathhouse Row</strong>, where you can tour the historic Fordyce Bathhouse or enjoy a traditional soak in the thermal waters. Visitors also frequently explore the Hot Springs Mountain Tower for panoramic views of the surrounding Arkansas landscape.</p><h2>Who This Park Is Best For</h2><p>This campground is ideal for <strong>active couples and families</strong> who want to blend a traditional camping experience with historical sightseeing. Because of its full hookups, it is a favorite for RVers who prefer not to dry camp while visiting federal lands. It is a fantastic choice for those who enjoy <strong>hiking and photography</strong>, but it is also perfectly suited for travelers who appreciate the convenience of being minutes away from fine dining and boutique shopping in a historic setting.</p>



Hot Springs Gulpha Gorge Campground is located in Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. The campground is situated in a wooded area near Gulpha Creek and offers a variety of camping options, including tent sites, RV sites, and group sites. Amenities include a bathhouse, picnic tables, fire rings, and grills. The campground is also close to the historic downtown area of Hot Springs, where visitors can explore the city's many attractions, including the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center, the Hot Springs Mountain Tower, and the Hot Springs Bathhouse Row.

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Hot Springs/Gulpha Gorge Campground

Stay at Gulpha Gorge Campground in Hot Springs National Park, AR. Enjoy full hookup RV sites along Gulpha Creek near historic Bathhouse Row and hiking trails.

Gulpha Gorge Campground | Hot Springs National Park, AR

Very nice park with a trail and stream/creek right next to it so the kids can play and hike. The parking spots kinda suck because of the incline or decline.

TLDR; Tent: no, RV: yes.

This is my experience as a tent camper.  My review would be very different if we were in an RV.

While the website says all of the sites are for both tents or RVs, they are not.  The site we chose (40) is right along the creek and had a very small spot for our tent (a 6 person Coleman Skydome) to actually fit between a tree and the paved parking spot/RV spot and it was 100% rock.  We did not have the option to set up our tent on grass at our campsite.  Thank goodness we got into town in enough time to run to Sportsman's Warehouse and buy some stronger tent stakes.  Our normal stakes that we've always used would not go into the rock.

There are campsites that do have enough grass to comfortably fit a tent, but nowhere on the booking site indicates that and the photos are definitely lacking.  If you're looking for a spot to tent camp at this campground, I'd recommend either the spot closest to the amphitheater (if you want to be along the creek) or one of the interior spots where there is more grass.

The facilities themselves were lovely.  There are 2 showers that are accessible with a code you'll receive in your confirmation e-mail.  Each shower room has a bathroom stall, a curtained shower, hooks for your towel, a bench in the shower as well as outside of it to set your items, as well as a sink and mirror.  Good water pressure and plenty of hot water.  The upside of it being almost exclusively RVs is that, for our 2-night/3-day stay, I never saw anyone else in the restrooms.

There are several "trash disposal" markings on the map, but I never noticed any trash cans.  There is a dumpster right at the front of the campground though.

There is a surprising amount of traffic on the road just outside the campground, so, again, as a tent camper, it wasn't as quiet as we would have liked.

This is mentioned several places I saw, but just to reiterate, the Gulpha Gorge trail to get into the rest of the park is VERY steep.  Be prepared.

This place by far is the best NP campground we have stayed at. This was park 30 something for us. First off, they had full hook-ups! Unheard of in the NP usually.  They also had showers that didn't cost anything.  As soon as we arrived, we were promptly and very enthusiasticly greeted. Brian was very nice and helpful. They did not sell firewood so we went in town to Atwoods. Its kinda like Tractor supply.  Note about the firewood- it is sold in 50 lb bundles. Unknowingly, we purchased 4 bundles thinking they were your standard 6 to 8 pieces of wood. Needless to say, we didn't have the opportunity to use it all on our short stay. The best sites are those along the creek. Another bonus on the sites - paved! They were also level. If you are visiting while camping, stay here. Im sure it is nicer than anything else in the area. You can also access some nice trails right from thw campground. If not for the park, this town would be a ghost town.

Such a gem. Located in a beautiful gorge with amazing hiking. You can hike into town to see the sights. All campsites are full hook-ups and shower houses are nice. We camped during the winter storm in January 2026 :)

My group of 4 stayed for a weekend in mid-November and it was the most perfect weather, perfect fall foliage weekend we could have wished for. The campground was clean, full of people enjoying themselves. We didn't hike the trail, but I will next time. Only thing to keep a lookout for, is that this isn't a gated campground like a state park would be. I saw a few passerbys using the facilities. Also, there aren't showers on the grounds.

Nice campground within Hot Springs National Park.  There are spots along the creek which are difficult to get but beautiful.   The middle section of the campground seems a little more crowded.   Older campground but well kept.  It is close to a main road, but during the week nightly traffic was not too bad.  We ran a fan and then heard nothing.

Some of the sites were recently paved and are nice. We stayed in three different sites during our five nights stay. Site 39 and 40 were both on the water and we’re reasonable sites. One night we stayed in sight four which is technically a handicap site but was definitely the best of all. During the day, there are some questionable folks that use the day area. One guy was changing his oil, then left his oil behind and drove away. Some young teens were riding their e-bikes pretty fast around the park for a couple of days. The hiking trails of the mountains were really nice and the river was pretty.

Campsite have full hookups. Showers, restrooms are very clean. Great hiking trails. Only a few miles from downtown Hotsprings. Highly recommend the free museum, tour of an original bathhouse.

This is a very nice campground. There are only 40 spots and they are very close together 🫣
People seem to be arriving and departing from this campground quite often and at all hours.

Easy access to the hiking trails.🚶🏻‍♂️🥾 You can actually hike across the mountain to the center of town!

Very walkable campground.
Pleasant at night. There is a scenic drive that runs right by the campground and is very busy. The noise from the cars is worse the closer you are to that road🙉

This is one of my favorite national park stops for overnight because they are so clean and so quiet. The grounds are well kept and the bathrooms are really, really clean(at least the one that you need a code to get in). I frequented here when I car camped and tent camped. The hot water in the showers gets really hot (and I love hot showers). Here’s a cheat code for the women… the women’s bathroom with the shower will sometimes have a line, but there’s never a line on the men’s side … so just go use the men’s shower room, they are identical minus the urinal. There are some nice trickling streams on the side of where you park and you can get some really good pictures. Again it’s just one of my favorite stops because it’s so clean and quiet.

Nice Campground that's mostly shaded with fairly level sites. Full hook ups. There are bathrooms but no showers. You need to reserve ahead of time. If you get a site next to the road it's very noisy.

I love this campground!  Full hook up, we are self contained so use our own bathroom. Friendly campers and park hosts. We drove downtown and parked in the free parking garage. Fun little town. Others complained about road noise. During the day there were plenty of cars and trucks, but who cares?  At night it was quiet and peaceful.

Beautiful setting.  Clean area. Now has full hookups.  Now is by reservation only. This is somewhat disappointing for this location to me. But it worked out there were spaces available. The rate has increased but you can still get a 50% discount with the America the Beautiful pass.

Beautiful & clean campground! Highly recommended! It’s first come, first serve for sites. All sites were asphalt. RV hook ups nice. Registration is easy & all digital. There’s a pretty creek along the camp, great for kids. There’s a trail as well.

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Hot Springs/Gulpha Gorge Campground

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