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US Army Corps of Engineers logo - white castle on red background Bull Shoals Lake

Bull Shoals Lake Contact Information

Contact Mountain Home Project Office

Location

Mountain Home Project Office

324 Natural Resources Drive
Mountain Home, AR 72653

Phone Numbers

Office: (870) 425-2700

Fax: (870) 425-3795

Duty Ranger: (501) 340-1400

Office Hours

Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Closed on Federal Holidays

Duty Ranger Hours

Monday Only
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Bull Shoals Lake - Recreation Activities

Bull Shoals Lake Recreation Activities

Discover endless outdoor adventures at Bull Shoals Lake - from world-class fishing to family camping, hiking trails to water sports, and everything in between.

Campgrounds

9 USACE Parks

Campsites

300+ Sites

Hiking Trails

4 Trails

Swim Areas

6 Beaches

Camping

9 USACE campgrounds with 300+ sites offering electric hookups, modern amenities, and beautiful lakefront locations

Reservations Available: Book your campsite online at Recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777

Campgrounds managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers offer a wide range of facilities for campers to choose from. Most parks offer sites having electrical and water hookups, restrooms with showers and flush toilets, and sanitary dump stations. Although season dates vary by park, most parks are open from April through October.

All 9 USACE Campgrounds

Beaver Creek Park

Description: This is a small, quiet campground that is perfect for a family outing. The park is within a 15 minute drive of Forsyth, Missouri and is only 30 minutes from Branson, Missouri.

Facilities: 33 campsites with electric (30 or 50 amp), restroom with showers and flush toilets, drinking water, trailer dump station, launch ramp, playground, picnic shelter, and marina.

Buck Creek Park

Description: This campground has many shaded and partially shaded sites. Located just outside of Protem, Missouri, this park is just a ferry ride away from Peel, Arkansas. Many amenities are available at Buck Creek Park for your family camping trip.

Facilities: 38 campsites with (30 & 50 amp) electric hookups, flush toilets, showers, drinking water, dump station, launch ramp, swim area, playground and picnic shelter.

Open: May 1 - September 30

Highway 125 Park

Description: Highway 125 Park offers a great experience for your family vacation. The park is minutes from the Peel Ferry, so you can take a ride on the only operational public ferry boat in the state of Arkansas. Peel Ferry transports vehicles and passengers across a section of Bull Shoals Lake. It is open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Facilities: 38 campsites with (30 & 50 amp) electric hookups, flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water, trailer dump station, launching ramp, swim area, playground, picnic shelter, and marina.

Open: April 1 - October 31

Lakeview Park

Description: Open year-round, this is a large park with several wooded campsites on a bluff overlooking Bull Shoals Lake. Near the town of Lakeview, Arkansas, this park has many new upgrades that will enhance your camping experience.

Facilities: 78 campsites (30 & 50 amp), flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water, trailer dump station, launching ramp, swim area, playground, hiking trail, picnic shelters, and marina.

Open: Year-round

Lead Hill Park

Description: Lead Hill Campground is a sizable campground with plenty of waterfront sites along the shores of Bull Shoals Lake.

Facilities: 75 campsites with (30 & 50 amp) electric hookups, flush toilets, showers, drinking water, dump station, launching ramp, swim area, playground, picnic shelters, and marina.

Open: April 1 - October 31

Oakland Park

Description: Oakland Park is a small but popular recreation spot with 32 campsites and all the modern campground amenities to keep campers comfortable. The campground sits on Bull Shoals Lake, a favorite destination for water sports and prime fishing.

Facilities: 32 campsites with (30 & 50 amp) electric hookups, flush toilets, showers, drinking water, dump station, launch ramp, swim area, playground, picnic shelter, and marina.

Open: May 1 – September 30

River Run Park

Description: Campground is on the upper end of Bull Shoals Lake. River Run Park is only 14 miles from Branson, MO. There are many long, level campsites. This park is within a few minutes of Forsyth, MO.

Facilities: 32 campsites with electric hookups, 10 sites with 50-amp service, flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water, trailer dump station, launching ramp, and playground.

Open: April 1 – September 30

Theodosia Park

Description: This is a great campground with full view of the lake. It is located on Missouri State Hwy 160. Quick access to the shoreline is an asset to those who love the water. Come and enjoy Theodosia Park.

Facilities: 31 campsites with (30 & 50 amp) electric hookups, flush toilets, showers, drinking water, dump station, launch ramps, swim area, playground, picnic shelters, and marina.

Open: May 1 - September 30

Tucker Hollow

Description: Tucker Hollow, a small 28-campsite park, sits near the upper part of Bull Shoals Lake. There's something for everyone at the region's most popular lake, whether it's a day basking in the sun, jet skiing, fishing or canoeing.

Facilities: 30 campsites with 50 amp electric hookups and water at all campsites. Amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water, trailer dump station, launching ramp, swim area, playground, picnic shelters, and marina.

Open: May 1 - October 31

Boating

48,195 acres of clear water with multiple free launch ramps and full-service marinas

Bull Shoals Lake has a lot to offer boaters, with 48,195 surface acres of clear, blue water for recreation and relaxation. Many launch ramps, including those located at HWY K, Welcome Ridge, Bull Shoals, CR 15, Spring Creek, Fairview and CCC accesses are free to the public. Marinas, operated by private concessionaires, offer fuel, supplies and other services to anyone who might need them.

Boating Safety Guidelines

Boaters should remember to:

  • Wear a Coast Guard Approved Life Jacket
  • Learn and follow navigation rules
  • Obey Missouri and Arkansas state boating laws
  • Make sure the boat is seaworthy
  • Keep the boat load below capacity
  • Have a floatation device on board for each passenger
  • Have a Type 4 throwable device on board and within reach
  • Avoid standing up in a moving boat
  • Watch for obstructions when approaching the shore
  • Slow down when approaching small boats, docks, skiers, or swimmers
  • Check the weather forecast before going out
  • Be courteous to other lake users

Free Public Launch Ramps

HWY K Access
Welcome Ridge
Bull Shoals
CR 15
Spring Creek
Fairview
CCC Access

Fishing

World-class fishery with multiple state records - bass, walleye, crappie, catfish, and trout

Prime Fishery: Bull Shoals Lake enjoys wide recognition as a premier fishery, holding several Arkansas and Missouri state records.

Opportunities abound for many species, ranging from bass to walleye. A fish shelter program, implemented by a partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, to improve habitat and enhance fishing success has resulted in over 450 attractors being placed in Bull Shoals Lake. A map showing their locations is available online from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's GIS Mapper.

Fish Species

  • Bass: Largemouth, Smallmouth, Kentucky, and White Bass
  • Walleye: Excellent population and fishing opportunities
  • Crappie: White and Black Crappie
  • Catfish: Channel, Flathead, and Blue Catfish
  • Other Species: Bluegill, Sunfish

White River Trout Fishing

The White River, downstream of Bull Shoals Dam, is a premier trout fishery in the central United States and has yielded Arkansas state records for cutthroat and rainbow trout. Floating down the river and fishing for brown, brook, cutthroat, and rainbow trout is a unique experience.

Fish Structure Permit Application

Download Fish Structure Permit Application

Hiking & Trails

4 managed trails from easy to moderately challenging - explore the Ozark wilderness

There are four trails managed by USACE and its partners on Bull Shoals Lake. These trails offer opportunities to explore the natural beauty of the Ozarks, from lakeside paths to woodland adventures.

Dogwood Trail

Lakeview Park
3 Miles Round Trip
Moderately Challenging

The trail head for this moderately difficult trail begins at the trail kiosk and winds through the woods to the lake. The round trip distance on this moderately challenging trail is approximately 3 miles.

Forsyth Trail

Shadow Rock Park, Forsyth, MO
2.5 Miles One-Way
Easy

Located in Shadow Rock Park in Forsyth, MO. The one-way distance on this easy-to-hike trail is approximately 2.5 miles.

Wildwood Trail

Theodosia, MO
4 Miles Round Trip
Moderately Challenging

Located in Theodosia, MO on Ozark County Road 635. The round trip distance on this moderately challenging trail is about 4 miles.

Roy Danuser Trail

Bull Shoals, AR
2.25 Miles Total
Partnership Trail

The newly constructed one-mile loop and spur was a partnership effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bull Shoals-White River State Park, the City of Bull Shoals, and the North Central Arkansas Master Naturalists. The new construction creates an interconnected trail network totaling 2¼ miles in length. The trail begins in Roy Danuser City Park and ends at the Bull Shoals-White River State Park Visitor Center.

More information about this trail: AllTrails - Bull Shoals City Park Trails

Additional Hiking Opportunities

More hiking opportunities can be found at the Bull Shoals-White River State Park

Swimming

6 designated swimming areas with day use fees - perfect for cooling off on summer days

Many parks offer designated swimming areas that are perfect spots to cool off on a sunny summer day. These parks include Buck Creek, Highway 125, Lakeview, Lead Hill, Oakland and Theodosia.

Day Use Fees: Users may pay a daily fee of $1 per person up to $4 per car or purchase an annual pass for $30. Day use fees are charged in designated swimming areas.

Swimming Parks

Buck Creek
Highway 125
Lakeview
Lead Hill
Oakland
Theodosia
Swimming Safety

Safety Reminders

Swimmers are reminded to:

  • Wear your Personal Floatation Device (PFD's)
  • Swim and wade only where you are familiar with the water depths and the bottom
  • Swim in the company of others
  • Avoid diving
  • Be careful of overestimating your swimming ability because water distances are deceiving
  • Watch children closely
  • Avoid boat channels, launching ramps and docks
  • Remember horseplay in the water can result in injuries

Picnicking

Group shelters and scenic picnic areas available at multiple parks - rentals available

Picnicking facilities are available in many parks and are often located near playgrounds and designated swimming areas. Group shelters are ideal for family gatherings and offer water, electricity and large barbecue grills. Many picnic areas afford scenic views of the lake.

Parks with Picnic Shelters

Beaver Creek
Buck Creek
Highway 125
Lakeview
Lead Hill
Oakland
Theodosia
Tucker Hollow
Shelter Rentals: These shelters may be rented through the National Recreation Reservation Service during the reservation season, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis at all other times.

Park Hours

All parks are open from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Amenities

  • Water and electricity at group shelters
  • Large barbecue grills
  • Covered pavilions
  • Picnic tables throughout parks
  • Scenic lake views
  • Nearby playground areas

Hunting

Abundant opportunities for deer and turkey hunting - Annual Mobility Impaired Deer Hunt

Annual Mobility Impaired Deer Hunt: The USACE Mountain Home Project Office hosts an Annual Mobility Impaired Deer Hunt at Bull Shoals Lake. Contact the project office for details and registration information.

Hunting opportunities are abundant for white-tailed deer, eastern wild turkey, and other game species at Bull Shoals Lake. Numerous boat ramps and parking areas provide access to large parcels of little used public land. Licenses for hunting and fishing are required in accordance with state and federal laws.

Important: Hunting is prohibited in developed parks. All other land that is managed by the Corps of Engineers is available to the public for in-season hunting.

Game Species

  • White-tailed Deer: Abundant populations throughout public lands
  • Eastern Wild Turkey: Excellent hunting opportunities
  • Waterfowl: Seasonal hunting available
  • Small Game: Squirrel, rabbit, and other species

For More Information

Contact the Mountain Home Project Office

Phone: (870) 425-2700

Email: ceswl-mh@usace.army.mil

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Little Rock District

Mountain Home Project Office

For current conditions, reservations, and additional information, visit Recreation.gov or contact the Mountain Home Project Office at (870) 425-2700.