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Cossatot Reefs

Gillham Lake — lakeside, fishing

Location: Gillham, AR, AR

Price: From $14 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (179 reviews)

Season: May through October

Cossatot Reefs Campground sits along the lush banks of Gillham Lake in southwest Arkansas. Nicknamed the "Bright Spot on the Cossatot," Gillham Lake is a recreational oasis for outdoor enthusiasts.Cossatot Reefs offers 31 shady campsites, including a large group shelter. Hot showers, drinking water and flush toilets help create a comfortable camping experience.Gillham Lake spans 1,370 surface acres and boasts 36 miles of shoreline.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): weak signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 0%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cossatot-reefs to be notified when sites open up.

Cossatot Reefs sits on scenic Gillham Lake in southwest Arkansas with excellent boating and fishing opportunities. Campers consistently praise the peaceful setting, spacious sites, and easy access for RVs.

Wildlife alert: Wapiti, wild boar, wild turkey, three-toed box turtles, and Mississippi map turtles present in the area.

Insider tips for Cossatot Reefs: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand. Bring a water splitter; water is shared between some sites. Sites have blacktop pads and roads; RVs can pull in at angles for easy maneuvering. Canoe the Cossatot River below the dam for up to 16 miles or use shorter access roads for partial trips.

Skip Cossatot Reefs if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs.. You require year-round camping—seasonal operations only May through October..

Best time to visit Cossatot Reefs: May through October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only..

Nearby campgrounds: Big Coon Creek (Gillham, AR), Little Coon Creek Park (Grannis, AR), Jefferson Ridge (DIERKS, AR), Blue Ridge Park (Dierks, AR).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cossatot Reefs

Cell signal at Cossatot Reefs (Gillham, AR): weak overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: Verizon.

  • Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Gillham Lake — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cossatot Reefs

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Gillham, AR, AR★ 4.4 (179 reviews)From $14/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cossatot Reefs Campground sits along the lush banks of Gillham Lake in southwest Arkansas. Nicknamed the "Bright Spot on the Cossatot," Gillham Lake is a recreational oasis for outdoor enthusiasts.Cossatot Reefs offers 31 shady campsites, including a large group shelter. Hot showers, drinking water and flush toilets help create a comfortable camping experience.Gillham Lake spans 1,370 surface acres and boasts 36 miles of shoreline.

Best for:AnglersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV68 ft
Hookups31 electric sites
ADA sites1 sites
ToiletsFlush toilets
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowers
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs.✕ You require year-round camping—seasonal operations only May through October.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand.

Bring a water splitter; water is shared between some sites.

Sites have blacktop pads and roads; RVs can pull in at angles for easy maneuvering.

Canoe the Cossatot River below the dam for up to 16 miles or use shorter access roads for partial trips.

Best: May through October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: Verizon.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Wapiti, wild boar, wild turkey, three-toed box turtles, and Mississippi map turtles present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
870-386-7261· Gillham Lake
Getting there →

From De Queen, Arkansas, head north on US-59/US-71. Continue for nearly 10 miles and turn Right at Gillham EZ-Mart. Turn right on Tower Road; go 1.3 miles turn left onto Gillham Lake road; go 4.3 miles turn right and follow signs into the campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Gillham Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Gillham Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cossatot Reefs cost per night?+
Cossatot Reefs costs $14 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Cossatot Reefs open?+
Cossatot Reefs is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cossatot Reefs have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Cossatot Reefs?+
Cossatot Reefs can accommodate RVs up to 68 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cossatot Reefs?+
Cossatot Reefs is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cossatot Reefs?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cossatot Reefs is rated weak. Best carrier: Verizon. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cossatot Reefs open, and what are check-in times?+
Cossatot Reefs is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$14 /night★ 4.4 (179)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cossatot Reefs cost per night?+
What season is Cossatot Reefs open?+
Does Cossatot Reefs have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Big Coon Creek

Gillham, AR

From $14/night

Little Coon Creek Park

Grannis, AR

From $14/night

Jefferson Ridge

DIERKS, AR

From $10/night

Blue Ridge Park

Dierks, AR

From $18/night

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