Dub Patton Campground

Love Arkabutla, the propery is beautiful and exceptionally maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
The Dub Patton area seems like it was perhaps the very first campground created here as the sites are highly unlevel, and many of the sites are elevated meaning you have an immediate 2-4ft drop in elevation (Hill) from the paved pad down to the firepit area and picnic tables. Perhaps a dozen or more sites are laughably horrible like this.
The remaining sites still have a lot of elevation changes, and are pretty closely packed together.
We originally had a site reserved in the South Abutment area but had our reservation cancelled 2 days prior due to reported electrical problem sin the area - and we were told the dub patton area had plenty of vacancy. Now we know why - the dub patton is woefully the worst camping area due to the issues already noted. Plus, there is no lake access at all from any of the sites unless you dont mind crawling over very dangerous rocks / riprap.
Being forced to move to the dub patton area, we found a couple sites that were pretty level and they worked out well for us. However, the restroom faciltiy did NOT have any lighting at all - apparently also a casualty of the electrical issues. The heaters and hand air dryers worked, just no lighting. Also, they closed down the dump station.
So the stay was very inconvienant - no lighting in the restroom facilities and no dumping station access, and no walk-down lake access.
I have no intention of every staying in Dub Patton area again.
However, I love the arkabutla area.

Facilities were very clean. Our first time at this campground and probably won’t be back to Dub Patton. A lot of long term rv’s parked here and some were not well kept. Good side is that you saw rangers several in the area. Appears to be older campsites. South Abutment much better area.

Nice quiet location with playground near for the kids

As compared to other COE campgrounds I’ve been to, this one is definitely the least manicured. It’s more along the lines of a rustic state park than a COE. Our site was missing the picnic table and the slope of the ground made it hard to enjoy the traditional patio area. We sat out near the woods directly behind the rig. The bathouse was clean! There were individual shower stalls with lockable doors, and there were no shower curtains trying to eat me during my very hot shower! Strangely enough, in thus year of COVID-19, there was no soap provided in the bathrooms. I’m used to that, but figured it would be different in 2020. Three stars in my system means “we would go back if we need a site and are nearby, but we won’t make a trip just to go here. If you have a tent, sites 9 and 10 look like the best ever tent sites-right on a bluff overlooking the lake.

This is a great place but many of the sites are not level. Covid has taken a toll on maintenance in the area.

No handicapped shower.
No soap in comfort stations.
Long neglected and the manager says "our primary mission is flood control not recreation".

Campsite 09 and 10 are the campsites you WANT to stay at.
Right on the water, makes for cooler evenings.

Granted, they are on the Western side of the lake, you will be woken up at the crack of dawn and if there is no cloud cover, you will begin baking in the sun.

The 2 nights I stayed, there was no cloud cover and an almost full moon. The view was pretty astounding.
Beautiful sunrises as well.

Of the dozens of coe campgrounds I have stayed at across the country over the last 5 years, this is the worst. the common areas of the facility are maintained, however the campgrounds are totally neglected. The camp host sites remind me of homeless camps under an overpass. No one cleans or tidy-up the sites. The site I was on did not have a table, the firepit was full of debris, water hydrant leaked causing a mini river though the rear or the site. At no time did I observe host outside of their RV.
A tour of the nearby campgrounds reveled nearly the same observations. It appears that management does not care about the customer experience. I will not return.

the campground is small and very quiet. However, the bugs are bad, so be sure to load up on Off before you go. Ants, mosquitoes and flies were horrible.

Love this place