Be in the know! If you have a question that isn't covered here or on the Cabin/Campground pages, please send an email to whiterockrecreation@gmail.com

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"Where are you located?" 

Location: White Rock Mountain is located in the heart of the Arkansas Ozark National Forest.  For driving directions PLEASE enter "White Rock Mountain Recreation Area" into google maps ONLY.

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"How are the roads and can I take my car?"

Road Conditions: All roads leading to White Rock involve gravel, and are spectacular!  Getting here is half the fun!  The roads are well maintained for the most part and accessible by car and even motorcycle, but you may be more comfortable in an SUV or truck.  The shortest section of gravel road leading to White Rock is traveling North on Hwy. 215 from I-40 exit 24, there are approximately 6 Miles of gravel after you pass Shores Lake.

For current road conditions during inclement weather visit our Facebook page: White Rock Mountain Recreation Area

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"Are reservations necessary and how do I make them?"

Reservations: Please visit Recreation.gov to check availability and make online reservations. We highly recommend making advanced reservations. Weekends fill up at least three months in advance for the lodge & cabins, the campground reserves one to two weeks in advance.  
There is a two night minimum for all lodge & cabin reservations.  Exceptions may be available for OHT hikers, day of drive-ins, for campers during bad weather, and only on weekdays. Please call 479-369-4128 to inquire.

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"When and where is check-in?"

Check-In: All Guests with reservations must check in at the brown & white office/general store at the top of the mountain.  Check-in is from 3pm to 7pm for the Lodge & Cabins and 2pm - 7pm for the Campground.  If you will be arriving later than 7pm please call us at 479-369-4128.

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"What is the cancellation policy"

Cancellations: Please view the NRRS cancellation policy HERE. This is a USDA Forest Service Recreation Area, we are bound to the rules and regulations of the NRRS system.

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"May I reserve a campsite on the Shores Lake/White Rock Loop trail?"

Back Country Sites: These sites are available on a first come first served basis, reservations and permits are not required. There are a limited number of primitive backcountry sites located along the White Rock/Shores Lake Loop trail.  Camping is limited to established sites with fire rings ONLY. Overnight parking is available at White Rock Mountain.  You must check-in/register at the White Rock Office upon arrival, overnight parking is $5. It is advised to arrive at these sites on Thursday prior to a nice weekend.  We have no way of knowing if these sites are taken.

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"Are ATV's allowed?"

ATV's: ATV's, OHV's, etc are not allowed at White Rock Mountain per Forest Service Rules and Regulations.  Guests are more than welcome to bring them, but you must trailer your ATV's to the White Rock Recreation Area entrance. (1mi)  Thank you for your cooperation!

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"Where is the nearest grocery store or restaurant?"

Groceries and Restaurants:

Grocery Stores: We suggest grabbing groceries prior to arrival.  All stores are at least an hour away from White Rock.

Grocery stores On I-40 if you are coming from the south:

- Alma (SW): Harps and a Super Center

- Ozark (SE): CV's Family Foods and there is a small Wal-Mart.

Grocery stores if you are coming from the north:

- Elkins (NW) on Hwy 16: Harps Grocery Store, this is a nice new one.

- Huntsville (NE) on Hwy 23: Harps and a Super Center.

Restaurants:  There are some really neat places to eat in the area! All restaurants are about an hour away from White Rock, but an afternoon road tripping to some of these "in the know" spots are well worth the drive!

- "The Snack Shack" in St. Paul, AR.  Kick back on the front porch with the locals and enjoy fantastic burgers, sandwiches, and local fare.  Our favorite!

- "Oark Cafe" in Oark, AR. Oark Cafe is the oldest gas station/general store in the state. Visiting Oark is like being transported back in time to the early 1900's! Watch out for dogs sunning in the Hwy, kids riding horses down the road, and enjoy spectacular scenery on the way there.  The restaurant features homemade pies, incredible burgers, fried catfish and so much more!  Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get there, the Cafe closes at 6 and can be busy on a pretty day.

- "Turner Bend Outfitter" in Cass.  If you are out seeing the sites and need a quick bite to eat or need some of the basics, stop in and grab one of their "Almost Famous Sandwiches".  Kick back on the front porch with the locals and listen to yarns and tall tales, local adventures, and the "Mayor of Cass" Jackie Patrick is always a hoot!

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"What do I need to bring and is there running water and electricity?"

Cabin Amenities: The Lodge and Cabins all have running hot/cold water, electricity, and fully functioning restrooms.  There is no central heat or air, the lodge and cabins are heated by wood stoves, wood is provided from mid fall - mid spring. Firewood is available to purchase year round, $6 per large bundle.  The facilities remain cool on top of the mountain, the elevation helps to keep temperatures down by at least 10 degrees less than the surrounding area.  All windows open to a nice cross breeze, fans are provided.

- Kitchens: Fully stocked with dishes, silverware, knives, cutting boards, utensils, pots and pans, can openers, bottle openers, potholders, and dish soap is provided.  Each kitchen has a stove, microwave, full sized refrigerator, coffee pot, and toaster.  You may want to bring dish towels and/or paper towels.  Please remember to bring coffee, coffee filters, cooking oils, seasonings, and charcoal for the grills.

- Bedrooms: Each cabin bedroom has nice, full sized bunkbeds built by the CCC in the 1030's, with new mattresses! The Lodge has comfortable twin bunkbeds (10 bunk beds, 20 total beds) that may be placed together to form king sized beds. Please remember to bring sheets, blankets, pillows, and bath towels for both the Lodge and Cabins. 

- Bathrooms: Each cabin has one fully functioning bathroom with a sink, toilet, hot/cold water, and a bathtub. At this time the Lodge is the only facility with showers. Toilet paper is provided, please remember to bring toiletries and towels.

- Parking: Lodge parking can accommodate 12 vehicles.  Cabin parking can accommodate up to 3 vehicles each.  There is room for 2 vehicles with trailers at each cabin.

- Patios: The Cabins and Lodge each feature a beautiful view and are private.  The Rim Trail is easily accessed from the patios.  The Cabins each have two chairs, 1 grill, and one large fire bowl.  The Lodge has a large picnic table, 2 grills, and a large fire bowl.

- Firewood: A set amount of firewood is provided to heat each cabin and the lodge (seasonal).  We promise to keep you as warm as possible.  A small fire with the flu/door closed will burn hotter than when stuffed full and roaring with the flu/door open.  Some of the wood stove fans will only kick on when the fire reaches optimal temperatures, please be patient, close the flus and open the dampers and they will kick on asap.  We are happy to help if you need assistance :)

Firewood for the fire bowls is available from the Office/General Store, $6 for a large load. (Approximately 8 large pieces, about 4x's what you would buy from a store.) Delivered to your cabin.  

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"What is the Campground like?"

Campground Amenities:

The Campground at White Rock features 9 well maintained sites that run in a loop.  Sites 5-9 are on the bluff side (bluffs are 30+ yards away from these sites), sites 1-4 are on the interior.

- There is one CLEAN vault toilet in the center of the campground.

- There are two potable water stations, one on each side of the loop for easy access.

- Sites 1-8 have one tent pad at each site that can accommodate one large tent. Sites 1-3 and site 9 can accommodate more than one tent in the grassy/dirt areas.

- Parking is located at each site. 2 vehicles at sites 1-8, 4 vehicles at site 9.

- There is a fire ring, grill, picnic table, and lantern pole at each site.

- Small RV's, no longer than 20 ft can be accommodated at sites 1 and 2, there are no hookups and no dump station. 

- Firewood for campfires is available from the Office/General Store, $6 for a large load. (Approximately 8 large pieces, about 4x's what you would buy from a store.) Delivered to your site.

- There is no trash removal, the campground is STRICTLY pack it in, pack it out.

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"Are there bears? What else do I need to be aware of?"

Wildlife:

There is plenty of wildlife at White Rock!  We have a beautiful and friendly family of deer, hundreds of hummingbirds, and all sorts of other critters!  This year there is even a cute family of groundhogs, you can view them playing around the overlook parking lot.

 

There are also bears... We rarely see them on top of the mountain and they have not caused any problems.  PLEASE DO NOT FEED ANY OF THE ANIMALS.  PLEASE keep all food secured in locked bins or locked in your vehicle.  PLEASE clean your grills thoroughly after cooking and do not place trash or food in the fire pits.  Again, we have not had any problems with bears but this is because we are diligent when it comes to cleanliness and trash removal.  Unkempt campsites and easy targets such as left out food and bags of trash create problems that are heartbreaking to deal with.  "Problem" bears have to be trapped and relocated, and worst case scenario put down if they become a danger to humans.  Please do the bears a favor and keep your sites temptation free, thank you!

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When hiking... Make noise.  We share the trails with the bears and they don't want to see you any more than you want to see them. Holler "Hey BEAR!!!" every few hundred yards, wear a bear bell, clap every once in a while, and it isn't a bad idea to carry bear spray.  If you encounter a bear on the trail, bunch together and make yourselves look as large and intimidating as possible.  Pick up rocks to throw just in case.  Call out and clap your hands.  99.999% of the time they will run off faster than you can blink, or will scurry up a tree.  If they are very young it's best to leave the area quickly but calmly.  Mamma isn't far away.  If you see a bear you are one in five thousand, enjoy it, remain calm, and respect their space.  No photo is worth endangering yourself or them.

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What else is there? There are bugs in the forest, like, A LOT of bugs. Most can be kept at bay with standard bug spray. Ladies and Gents, leave the hair spray at home when visiting in late spring.  Gnats are attracted to hair spray and will drive you batty. When hiking in the summer spray your entire body to prevent chiggers and ticks. SPRAY YOUR ENTIRE BODY, not just your ankles.

There are bugs, like, everywhere. You may get a harmless cricket or walking stick in your cabin, maybe an ant or two. The cabins are old and surrounded by over a million acres of wild forest. We do our best, make no promises, and give no refunds. If you have a critter or two visit... Give us a call and we will remove them promptly.

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"What do I do with my trash?"

TRASH: Ohhhh!! The bain of our existence! Commercial waste removal is not available at White Rock Mountain, each week we  haul trash over 30 miles, each way, to the dump.  Please bring as little trash as possible.  Pack food in reusable containers and take recyclables home with you.

Due to the large amount of waste and dumping of gear, clothing, car parts, etc... the campground is strictly PACK IT IN PACK IT OUT.  

If we all do our part, we can make a huge difference! 

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"What is the weather like?"

Weather: The weather in Arkansas is hard to predict.  In January it can be as warm as 65 and as cold as -10.  In August we can have cool dry spells or it can be humid and hot. The good thing is, 

White Rock is surrounded by the Ozark National Forest and the elevation is at 2,309ft.  You can expect temperatures to be anywhere from 5 to 10 degrees cooler than average in both the summer and winter.  Plan a winter trip to see a little snow (when road conditions are safe) or beat the heat at White Rock!

An average guide for White Rock:

January: Maximum: 40, Minimum: 20

February: Maximum: 41, Minimum: 30

March: Maximum: 52, Minimum: 35

April: Maximum: 65, Minimum: 45

May: Maximum: 70, Minimum: 50

June: Maximum: 80 Minimum: 60

July: Maximum: 85, Minimum: 65

August: Maximum: 88, Minimum: 70

September: Maximum: 80, Minimum: 57

October: Maximum: 70, Minimum: 45

November: Maximum: 60, Minimum: 35

December: Maximum: 47, Minimum: 30

*Please note, these are averages.*  It can be warmer and can be cooler. Please check the current weather forecast Here 

Remember, lightening is no joke on top of a mountain. You may shelter safely in your vehicle/cabin or you are welcome to wait out a storm in the office. Storms generally blow through these mountains quickly, please watch the weather closely and plan hikes around the forecast. Additionally, ice storms and snow make these mountain roads extremely dangerous. Please check our Facebook page or call us in the winter for road conditions.