Lake Dardanelle State Park Dardanelle Area

While out for a drive with Donna's mom and dad we decided to try and find the portion of Lake Dardanelle State park on the Dardanelle side of the river. I knew I had been there many years earlier but didn't really remember much about the park. What we found was a really well kept park with big expanses of grassy fields and campsites nestled among tall pines. Being so close to home we decided that we should pull the camper the short distance to the campground. A few weeks later we saw a short stretch of relatively cool weather for August and reserved a site for two nights starting Sunday, August 11th. Oddly, we had to drive to the Russellville side of Lake Dardanelle State Park 12 miles away to register. The park was not very full, but I imagine that during spring fishing it could get pretty busy. 

Just around the bay form the park is John Daily's Lion's Den Golf Club. We took a drive around the club and the adjacent neighborhood. 

A short trip down highway 22 we found Delaware Park. The park has primitive camping, with day use picnic areas and a boat ramp. From the park you get a great view of Lake Dardanelle, Mount Nebo and Arkansas Nuclear One just across the lake.

My Truck and Place of Work for 35 Years

Back at Lake Dardanelle State Park there were large grass covered fields that were well kept with ample trees for hanging hammocks. 

We tried Donna's new soy and lime salmon recipe. We cooked it on the Coleman Roadtrip griddle over the charcoal grill. It turned out delicious. That's my kind of camping food!

A redheaded woodpecker had a nest in the hollow of a tree adjacent to our campsite. The nest tree was covered by a resurrection fern (pleopeltis polypodioides) a species of creeping, coarse-textured fern native to the Americas and Africa.

Resurrection Fern

Most of the campsites are located in the shade of tall pine trees. All of the grounds were well maintained by the state park staff from the Russellville side of Lake Dardanelle State Park and by the park host. I spotted the camp host at each vacated campsite picking up any loose trash and cleaning out the fire pits with his granddaughter.

 The park has a boat launch area with a wooden pier and marina. 

Site #66