Featured amenities
Pet Friendly
River Access
About Steel Creek Campground
Number of accommodations: 39
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
River Access
Water Access
- River Access
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
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Rates, Sites & Availability
39 Sites Available
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Site Details
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39 Sites Available
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Reviews (126)
What Guests Are Saying
Steel Creek Campground is highly praised for its beautiful, well-maintained grounds, friendly camp hosts, and clean facilities, including spotless bathrooms. Campers appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and proximity to the Buffalo National River, making it ideal for outdoor activities like hiking and floating. While some minor issues with noise and bathroom maintenance were noted, overall experiences were overwhelmingly positive, with many guests eager to return.
What Guests Are Saying
Steel Creek Campground is highly praised for its beautiful, well-maintained grounds, friendly camp hosts, and clean facilities, including spotless bathrooms. Campers appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and proximity to the Buffalo National River, making it ideal for outdoor activities like hiking and floating. While some minor issues with noise and bathroom maintenance were noted, overall experiences were overwhelmingly positive, with many guests eager to return.
Review Summary
Hannah D
VerifiedNovember 19, 2021 • Stayed at: 02 - Tent Site, Loop: Main Loop
Amazing campground and experience. Beautiful scenery, especially in the fall. The drive to the site was crooked and steep but all paved and not too bad. No cell service at the site, but there is a wifi outside of a shop in Ponca about 10 mins away where you can pull your car up outside and connect to the internet. Lots of awesome hiking nearby as well and very dog friendly.
sneha r
VerifiedNovember 11, 2021 • Stayed at: 08 - Tent Site, Loop: Main Loop
Steel Creek was wonderful! It's not primitive at all - so make sure your expectations are accurate. There's plenty of parking, clean restrooms (no showers), and easy access from car to campsite. Campsites don't have a ton of privacy and if full you'll be close to others, but we were there on a cold off-season weekend so wasn't an issue. The setting itself is beautiful, there's a trail directly from campsite that is in total >30 miles. And the location of the campground is central for many day hikes and is close to Jasper, Ponca, and Compton.
Recommend checking out JB Trading Post in Compton - they have gas, hot a la carte food including breakfast, any camping gear you may be missing, and lots of great trail info. Super helpful and glad we stumbled upon it!
Douglas T
VerifiedOctober 31, 2021 • Stayed at: 13 - Tent Site, Loop: Main Loop
The ranger was super nice and helpful. The area and facilities were clean and in nice working condition.
Steve D
VerifiedOctober 30, 2021 • Stayed at: 04 - Tent Site, Loop: Main Loop
We stayed at site #4 and it was fantastic. It was right along the tree line with plenty of space for our tent and canopy, a small alcove in the shade for our hammock and a path that led right down to the river - which was absolutely gorgeous!
My one concern was that the site was at the bottom of a small hill and whether that may be problematic if we got a bunch of rain, but luckily we never had to find out.
The grounds were very well kept. We saw several deer and we actually had a nightly visit from some curious armadillos.
Just a heads up that we did have absolutely zero phone signal here - which wasn’t all together a bad thing, in fact. We would definitely stay here again when in the area.
Hannah S
VerifiedOctober 30, 2021 • Stayed at: 09 - Tent Site, Loop: Main Loop
This is a beautiful place but the first night we were there we had no water (no flushing toilets and no water at the pump). We also had a problem with someone setting up on our reserved site. The ranger was helpful but really couldn’t do much to make them move. We ended up having to share the site with them the first night. We love Steele Creek but were disappointed with our stay this year.
Joshua E
VerifiedOctober 29, 2021 • Stayed at: 02 - Tent Site, Loop: Main Loop
The bluffs and river are beautiful and the campground is central to many great spots to hit in the Ozarks. We were there Weds through Friday night. Weds and Thurs night were great but Friday night was packed with cars rolling in at all hours of the night and many people setting up camp in areas that were not campsites.
Brenda B
VerifiedOctober 26, 2021 • Stayed at: 28 - Horse Site, Loop: Horse Camp
The conditions of the tie line area is horrible. We had to leave early because the pooling of water around that tie area. Our horses were miserable in the knee deep mud. That water could easily be diverted and fixed. We have been there before and it has never be dry for the horses!
Nasreen J
VerifiedOctober 16, 2021 • Stayed at: 13 - Tent Site, Loop: Main Loop
Camping at Steele Creek was a great experience. The campground was clean and well maintained. Although the area was very open rather than secluded from others, the campers, kids and dogs were very considerate. I will definitely go back. The river and bluffs were beautiful!
Jenni H
VerifiedOctober 12, 2021 • Stayed at: 12 - Tent Site, Loop: Main Loop
Steel Creek is such a beautiful place. The campgrounds are great, grounds are nice, the bathrooms flush. We spend a lot of time on the Buffalo, enjoying hiking, and visiting waterfalls in the spring. On our recent trip to Steel Creek, we just sat around, played in the river, and relaxed. It was perfect. Except for the bees. There were swarms of fairly determined bees, who really wanted to share our soda/yogurt/pancake syrup/banana. But, it’s fall, they’re getting desperate for food, we get it.
Rachael B
VerifiedOctober 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 32 - Horse Site, Loop: Horse Camp
This place is BEAUTIFUL! The park rangers were also very helpful and kind.
Location Steel Creek Campground
Address:
386 Nc 2104
Jasper, AR, 72641
United States
From Fayetteville, Arkansas drive north and take US Highway 412 East for approximately 42 miles (67.5 km) to the intersection with State Highway 21. Take highway 21 South for approximately 17 miles (27 km) to the intersection of State Highway 43. Here, take highway 43 East for about 5 miles (8 km) to the intersection of State Highway 74. Here, turn right onto highway 74 and drive about 2 miles (3.2 km) to Steel Creek Road. Turn left and drive approximately .5 miles (.8 km) down into the campground. At the bottom of the hill the main campground will be to your left and the horse camp will be to your right.
From Little Rock, Arkansas take Interstate 40 West for approximately 93 miles (150 km) to Exit 64. At Exit 64 take Business Highway 64 west through the town of Lamar for about 4 miles (6.5 km) to the intersection of State Highway 21. Take Highway North for about 48 miles (77 km) to the intersection of State Highway 43. Here, take highway 43 East for about 5 miles (8 km) to the intersection of State Highway 74. Here, turn right onto highway 74 and drive about 2 miles (3.2 km) to Steel Creek Road. Turn left and drive approximately .5 miles (.8 km) down into the campground. At the bottom of the hill the main campground will be your left and the horse camp will be on your right.
From Springfield, Missouri take US Highway 65 South for approximately 70 miles (112.6 km) to the town of Harrison. In Harrison, take State Highway 7 South about 1 mile (1.6 km) through downtown Harrison until you come to the intersection of State Highway 43 on your right. Follow highway 43 for about 25 miles (40 km) until to get to the intersection of State Highway 74. Turn left onto highway 74 and drive about 2 miles (3.2 km) to Steel Creek Road. Turn left and drive approximately .5 miles (.8 km) down into the campground. At the bottom of the hill the main campground will be your left and the horse camp will be on your right.
Latitude & Longitude: 36.0302 / -93.3419
Elevation: 476 feet
Policies & Rules
General
- Sites 27 - 39 are our Equestrian Camping Sites only for campers with horses.
- The facility is available for camping free of charge outside of the reservation season, generally November 15th to March 15th every year.
- Climbing and/or diving from the bluffs is dangerous and highly discouraged.
- Don't Move Firewood: Help protect our forests! Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. Moving firewood is illegal in some states.
- All park trails are closed to pets with the exception of the Buffalo River Trail, only on the section of trail between Ponca and Steel Creek, the Villines Homestead Trail at Ponca, the Mill Creek Trail (trailhead is at the Pruitt river access area in the Upper District), the Tyler Bend Campground trails (Spring Hollow, Buck Ridge, and Rock Wall in the Middle District), and all three Buffalo Point Campground trails (Forest Trail, Overlook Trail, and Campground Trail in the Lower District). For more information visit the Pets page on the park website.
- Do not swim alone during high water.
- Please be aware that some special events held at the pavilions or anywhere in the park (such as weddings, press receptions, concerts, et al) require a Special Use Permit in addition to the pavilion reservation. To obtain a Special Use Permit or additional information, please contact the Commercial Services office at (870) 365-2724. For more information visit the Special Park Uses page on the park website.
- Please be advised that providing business services within an NPS unit is prohibited per CFR 5.3 without a written Authorization or Permit approved by the Superintendent. This includes services such as RV or tent delivery & set-up, firewood sales and delivery, shuttle (transportation) services, and guided hikes, floats, etc. For a list of approved visitor services and to learn more about working with Buffalo National River, please visit the Doing Business with the Park page on the park website.
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Last updated: June 3, 2026
