Tar Camp Park Among Top 100 Campgrounds in Nation

PINE BLUFF, Ark., June 29 – Tar Camp Park near Redfield on the Arkansas River was recently selected by Reserve America as one of “America’s Top 100 Family Campgrounds” based on customer feedback, park amenities, stunning outdoor scenery, and educational offerings to visitors.

The park, which is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers Pine Bluff Project Office, was one of three parks in the Corps’ Little Rock District to earn national recognition. A second Little Rock District campground was listed in the Top 100, River Road Park on Clearwater Lake near Piedmont, Mo. The district also has a day use park ranked in the Top 20 Park Beaches, Moonshine Beach Recreation Area on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Mo.

Reserve America, the company that runs the National Recreation Reservation Service, reviewed more than 3,000 campgrounds in compiling the Top 100 list. Park rangers, regional park management and campers who provide testimonials review the parks. From that list they select the 100 best at providing campers outstanding locations to bring their families for a fun, safe, educational and memorable family-bonding experience.

People from all walks of life enjoy camping at Tar Camp Park as a popular summertime activity. This 223-acre park is located just five miles east of Redfield off Interstate 530, and it is known for its beauty and first-class fishing on the Arkansas River. Tar Camp has been considered “the cozy little get-away that just keeps getting better.”

Responding to the advancements in camping trends and styles, the Pine Bluff Project Office continues to update Tar Camp as funds become available. Today’s new camping trailers and recreational vehicles require increased electric amperage, and since they are getting longer and wider with more slide outs, they require larger campsites.

Some areas in Tar Camp have been rehabilitated to include lengthening camping pads for increased parking space, while new pull-through campsites have been added for convenient camper setup. Each new site also includes an area with a convenient, moveable lamp post and a handicapped accessible grill, fire rings and picnic tables. Some sites also sport new illuminated combination electrical and water hook-ups for better visibility at night.

The Corps has added two tent camping pads in “C” area at Tar Camp. These sites are available at a lower price for tent campers not requiring electricity and water. For anglers, there are fish cleaning stations with two water cleaning sprayers and a motor for grinding fish byproducts.

To make the playground complete for children, a new rock climbing wall and basketball goal were added to the existing swing set, merry-go-round and combination slide set. Also, apple and pear trees were added this year, with more trees to be added annually.

More park enhancements are scheduled and should be visible in the near future. These improvements will assure that Tar Camp Park continues to provide the quality recreational experience for visitors of all ages that they have come to expect.

To ensure a developed campsite will be available upon your arrival, call the National Recreation Reservation Service at 1-877-444-6777 or visit the Website at recreation.gov and make your reservations in advance. For more information regarding recreational opportunities around Pine Bluff, contact the Corps at 4305 Charles W. Wooden Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71601, or call the Pine Bluff Project Office at (870) 534-0451.