Dam Site Recreation Area & Campground

 July 7, 2021

We returned to Dam Site Campground on Greers Ferry Lake for some summer lake time. We arrived on a Wednesday evening for a four night stay. Brayden and Hannah came with us from Dardanelle and we got to see all the family from Heber Springs as well. With the expectation of rain overnight the first night we setup the camper in campsite M13, but did not put up the tent. Campsite M13 was well shaded and nicely separated from adjacent campsites.

Thursday I tool the steep walk down the back side of the campsite that lead to rock outcrops at the shoreline. Several folks were swimming and jumping from the rocks below us. On more that one occasion an exhausted kid making the climb back up the hill walked practically through our campsite. 

Continuing through the campground from where we camped in area M is a swim beach and boat launch adjacent to the Greers Ferry Dam. Due to high water levels the boat ramp was closed. The beach was open just not the road down to the parking spaces. In the pictures below you can see the water up to the parking spots. 

Brayden and I went to the Dam Site Marina to check on our reserved pontoon boat rental for the Saturday boat cruise. The young lady at the marina realized after I told her my name that I was Addie's granddad. I think everyone in Heber Springs knows my sweet granddaughters.

Friday afternoon we got to see Addie, Lily and Zoey (... and Matt and Sarah of course). Its always a special time when all my grands children are together.

After dinner we all gathered up at Libby Road Missionary Baptist with Gray and Jasper for fire works. Its hard to believe that we have two granddaughters driving.

Saturday we were joined by Juan and Jessica. Hannah helped with grilling burgers and brats for lunch before our afternoon pontoon cruise.  She used the extra aluminum foil to fashion a hat to protect her from aliens reading her thoughts.

We picked up our pontoon boat from the marina "Dam Store" early in the afternoon and kept it out on the lake for about five hours. It was a hot sunny day on the lake but the water in Greers Ferry Lake was a perfect way to cool off. Tubing is always good for a laugh and the kids had a great time.  

Brayden Jumping from the Boat

Before we went in for the evening we cruised the recreation area swim beach. We had seen the big yellow cigarette boat flying across the lake and caught it loading up at the boat launch.

Below are a few pictures from the lake of the area below our campsite and around to the Greers Ferry Dam.

Fed the hungry crew sandwiches and cleaned out the leftovers after we returned from our day on the lake.

Donna borrowed Hannah's aluminum foil hat. It didn't stop me from reading her thoughts.

Rain storms and high winds were forecast for Saturday night. So we packed up everything outdoors and battened down the hatches for a blow. Hannah and Brayden went home to Dardanelle with Jessica and Juan. We said our goodbyes to Matt, Sarah and the ALZ girls and they went home as well. Luckily, the weather man was a little off and most of the heavy storms missed us during the night.

The last comedy of the week was the inevitable trip to the dump station on Sunday. We were about the fifth trailer in line so we got to watch everyone in front of us and their unique attempts at sanitation. I thought Donna was going to gag! (Actually see did a couple of times.) 

Dam Site Recreation Area & Campground

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Summer would not be complete without a trip to Greers Ferry Lake for some water fun. We reserved site M4 at Dam Site Campground for four nights arriving Wednesday evening. We had not previously stayed in Loop M, but were happy with the site on the lake side of the loop. These sites are high above lake level and for all practical purposes provides no access to the water. The separation between sites was good with water and electrical service. The pads were apparently intended for a trailer / RV or a tent.  With Hannah, Brayden and the Heber Springs girls spending the night we took our new Eureka Desert Canyon 4 tent for additional space. It was a tight fit in the narrow site. The picnic table was movable and we swung it around on its short chain to the double wide asphalt drive. I noticed several other sites in the loop had to do the same thing.

Back in the day when I was a Boy Scout we were taught to leave campsites better than we found them. A simple courtesy to the next guy. It isn't a very big thing to just pick-up after yourself and in the process pickup things folks may have inadvertently dropped or the wind had carried away. Someone at our site felt it necessary to intentionally throw plastic, cigarette butts and batteries among other litter into the fire pit. I cleaned the fire pit out before I would let anyone start a fire due to the potential noxious smoke that would be created when using it for a campfire or BBQ grill. 

Brayden and Hannah had never been to Blanchard Springs Caverns. For a cool summer activity on Thursday afternoon we caravan'ed to the cave. The previous year we did the longer 1.2 mile Discovery Trail. Tihs time we took the 0.4 mile Dripstone Trail because I wanted Hannah and Brayden to see the cathedral room (and it was just easier walking for us old people). Donna took some great pictures inside the cave.

When we returned to the campsite Thursday afternoon we got a pretty hard rain shower.  This was a chance to see just how well the new tent would stand up to rain. It was completely dry after the rain.

Friday morning we we had a 140 HP tritoon party barge reserved for five hours. The kids had a great time tubing and swimming off the barge. We stayed mostly in the area of the JFK dam where there was minimal boat traffic.

Saturday morning all of the the kids played Uno. Not sure just who won, but from the noise I think they had fun.

Later Saturday Brayden and I went to the swim beach (or at least what was left of the beach). The lake level was about 6' above normal. Brayden (a.k.a. Sharkboy) played find the rock. We had a triangular rock that I would throw for him to fetch. We kept the rock!

It was a little cooler on Saturday evening so I had Brayden build a campfire for the requisite S'more roasting. Brayden has got the tepee style campfire building process down. The fire starter sticks help!

We returned to Russellville on Sunday bringing another great trip to an end, but the memories will always last.