Horseshoe Bend Overlook
Kayaker at Horseshoe Bend
Dierks Lake Spillway
Saline River
Hometown Throwdown Festival

Featured amenities

River Access River Access
Showers Showers

Available sites

12 total sites

About Horseshoe Bend (Dierks Lake)

Horseshoe Bend Park, located along the Saline River just south of Dierks Dam, is home to a paddlers dream course. This aquatic whitewater park, built along three quarters of a mile of pristine river funneled over native river stone, offers four or more challenging drops. The course is designed with paddlers in mind and is an excellent training location. The water park was home to the Olympic trials in the late 90’s and is dependent on spillway releases from Dierks Lake dam. When water conditions are right the course simulates Class II to Class IV rapids, all within a safe location that is easily accessible for paddlers to practice new techniques. For those looking to stay and play a while, 12 class A campsites are available along the riverfront

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

River Access River Access
Showers Showers
RV Utilities and Hookups

RV Utilities and Hookups

  • Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Showers
Water Access

Water Access

  • River Access
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

12 Sites Available

Site
Price
⛺ Site 1 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 10 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 11 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 12 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 2 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 3 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 4 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 5 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 6 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 7 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 8 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Site 9 Tent
Gravel · Campfire · Yes shade

Reviews (39)

What Guests Are Saying

Horseshoe Bend (Dierks Lake) offers a peaceful and well-maintained campground with excellent hookups, clean sites, and friendly hosts who actively maintain the area. The beautiful lakeside location and serene atmosphere make it a great place to relax. However, the bathhouse is old and in need of renovation, which detracted from the overall experience for some visitors.

Review Summary

4.5
39 reviews
5
69.2%
27
4
17.9%
7
3
7.7%
3
2
5.1%
2
1
0.0%
0

Danny S

Verified

September 8, 2023 • Stayed at: Site 10

4

Campsite camp host weather was all great but there was an odor from the river that was sometimes overpowering. That made it hard to enjoy outdoor activities.

Marilyn H

Verified

September 11, 2023 • Stayed at: Site 7

3

We love Horseshoe Bend but had not camped there in a few years.
The campsites are nice enough but the areas around the sites were more grown up with weeds than I remember.
The water level was very low. The water was brown and smelled really bad. The water and the smell made the experience less enjoyable.
Family and friends being with us always makes a trip worth it and helps to minimize the other things.

Doug H

Verified

November 10, 2023 • Stayed at: Site 9

5

Horseshoe Bend was a most pleasant stay. It is a rather small campground setting next to a creek. We camped during the week so there was no one there except the host. The bathroom/shower was clean and well maintained. The campsite was level and provided electricity and water. The campground hosts were very friendly and helpful. As the weather was chilly we saw many deer in the morning and evening. We are going back soon.

Doug H

Verified

December 26, 2023 • Stayed at: Site 1

5

Small campground area, nestled in a valley with a creek running through it. Sites are relatively large and mostly level. When we were there, there were only two other campers, plus the host. Bathroom/showers relatively clean. Campground hosts were very friendly and helpful. Very weak to zero cell phone signal but all you had to do was drive up to main road. Overall, a beautiful camping area.

Teela S

Verified

January 26, 2024 • Stayed at: Site 4

2

It was ok I am not coming back

Cindy R

Verified

April 13, 2024 • Stayed at: Site 8

5

Perfect campground! Camp hosts were excellent!!! We will return

Doug H

Verified

April 16, 2024 • Stayed at: Site 1

5

Small campground situated in a valley. Wonderful scenic view of a creek. Half of the campsites are located next to the creek. Bathroom/showers are adequate; plenty of hot water. One marked trail but plenty of hiking areas. Campsites are level and fairly well maintained. Since the campground is in a valley, cell service is barely okay. No WiFi. Camp hosts are friendly and helpful.

Charles H

Verified

July 8, 2024 • Stayed at: Site 10

5

Camp was clean and shady. Will be back in the future

Mark A

Verified

November 11, 2024 • Stayed at: Site 8

5

It was great. And the camp host are outstanding.

June D

Verified

November 19, 2024 • Stayed at: Site 6

3

The camp hosts were very friendly and stopped by to introduce themselves. They had already cleared my campsite of leaves and were busy clearing the other campsites. Not all campgrounds do this in the fall. The only negative was the bathhouse. I could tell the hosts were keeping it as clean as possible, my issue is with the condition of the bathhouse itself. It was very old, and the shower and toilets were old and rusty with the overall condition very poor. There was only one shower in the women's, and because of the condition, I chose not to take as shower. The bathhouse is in much need of an overall remodel!!

Location & Directions for Horseshoe Bend (Dierks Lake)

246 Jefferson Ridge Road, Dierks, AR 71833 United States

Elevation: 210 ft

Getting There

<p>From Dierks, travel toward DeQueen on Hwy 70 for approximately 3 mi. At the brown U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sign, turn right on Dierks Lake road and travel approximately 5 mi. Horseshoe Bend Campground Road is the last road located on the le...

Nearest town

Dierks, AR - 6.4 mi

About 9 min to downtown

Highway access

Horseshoe Bend is accessible via US Highway 70, approximately 12 miles to the north, and Arkansas State Highway 27, which runs through the nearby locality of Dierks.

Policies & Rules

General

  • Dierks Lake Project Office: 870-286-2346 Arkansas Game and Fish: 501-223-6459 Howard County Sheriff’s Office: 870-845-2626 Sevier County Sheriff’s Office: 870-642-2125

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: October 20, 2026

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Explore Dierks, AR

Population: 728

Nearby larger city

Fort Smith, AR

Approx. 88 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 440 ft

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Managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers