Big Elk Floats and Camping
Big Elk Floats and Camping
4
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Full view

About
Big Elk Floats and Camping offers RV Camping, with Full Hookup Sites. We float Canoes, Kayaks and Rafts on the Elk River and Big Sugar Creek. We strive for the Family Friendliest, Customer Service'iest Campground Around!
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Big Elk Floats and Camping
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
10 reviews
Excellent
7
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Momommaj
Pineville, MO33 contributions
Jun 2020
This is a great place to enjoy floating, camping and watching fireworks! The owners and employees are very friendly and accomodating. Fair prices and very generous to assist with any problems. Fantastic firework show they gave last year! Definitely the place to go in McDonald County.
Written July 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelley's
4 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
First time at Big Elk Campground and we absolutely loved it. Everyone is so friendly. They try really hard to keep the facilities clean. The environment is family friendly. No drama. The float trips are pretty awsome too. Thank you!
Written May 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
scrmonster
Oklahoma City, OK52 contributions
Sep 2019 • Friends
I meet up with a group of friends yearly to float the river. They keep the camp grounds neat and are very friendly. It’s always a good time!
Written September 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Curtis Y
1 contribution
Jun 2022
I have been coming to Big Elk since I was kid and have enjoyed the campground and amenities for over four decades. However, I am disappointed with my recent experience. I have lived out of the area for the last 20 years and was looking forward to visiting a place that I grew up loving. Every time I am able to return to Arkansas in the summer, I try to camp @ Big Elk with my kids to give them that same experience that I have come to love.
This trip was set to take place over the 4th of July weekend. On Sunday, 5 June 2022, I called to make a reservation. Things were going well and I was super excited to have booked the site for the weekend and for the week (about 10 days). Within minutes of receiving my confirmation email, I noticed the price was a little higher than what I expected. I called back immediately and the attendant explained that the site was $50.00 for 2 and each person was an additional cost (2 @ 20 per person and one @ 10 for each day of stay). Again, I was staying 10 days so that total was @ $1k for the stay. I asked for a refund and requested if I could receive a full refund minus any charge for processing the card. My Card was charged $1003.46 ($903.11 for site + kiddos & $33.93 processing fee). The attendant explained that she would have to give this to her manager. I acknowledged and on the following Tuesday I called because I did not receive my refund and I wanted to talk to the management about the possibility of a full refund. I was told that a manager would call me back and were unable to process the refund because they did not have the full information for my card. I gave the attendant my card information and again asked for a member of the management to call. Two more days passed and on Thursday I called back to request to speak to a member of the management about the possibility of a full refund. Once again, I was told that the manager would contact me back because they were out of the office. On Saturday, I called again to find out about my refund and finally spoke to the management. I was told they already processed the refund, less the 10%. I am expected to receive $872.57 (My processing fee was $33.93 per transaction for a total of $67.86 while the campground will pocket $63.03) So needless to say, I missed out on the opportunity to explain why I am requesting a full refund and missed out on $63 dollars. I am sad and disappointed in a place that has been one of only a few fond memories from my childhood. I can't say that I will never be back, but for now I am looking for other places on the Big Elk to create memories with my family.
This trip was set to take place over the 4th of July weekend. On Sunday, 5 June 2022, I called to make a reservation. Things were going well and I was super excited to have booked the site for the weekend and for the week (about 10 days). Within minutes of receiving my confirmation email, I noticed the price was a little higher than what I expected. I called back immediately and the attendant explained that the site was $50.00 for 2 and each person was an additional cost (2 @ 20 per person and one @ 10 for each day of stay). Again, I was staying 10 days so that total was @ $1k for the stay. I asked for a refund and requested if I could receive a full refund minus any charge for processing the card. My Card was charged $1003.46 ($903.11 for site + kiddos & $33.93 processing fee). The attendant explained that she would have to give this to her manager. I acknowledged and on the following Tuesday I called because I did not receive my refund and I wanted to talk to the management about the possibility of a full refund. I was told that a manager would call me back and were unable to process the refund because they did not have the full information for my card. I gave the attendant my card information and again asked for a member of the management to call. Two more days passed and on Thursday I called back to request to speak to a member of the management about the possibility of a full refund. Once again, I was told that the manager would contact me back because they were out of the office. On Saturday, I called again to find out about my refund and finally spoke to the management. I was told they already processed the refund, less the 10%. I am expected to receive $872.57 (My processing fee was $33.93 per transaction for a total of $67.86 while the campground will pocket $63.03) So needless to say, I missed out on the opportunity to explain why I am requesting a full refund and missed out on $63 dollars. I am sad and disappointed in a place that has been one of only a few fond memories from my childhood. I can't say that I will never be back, but for now I am looking for other places on the Big Elk to create memories with my family.
Written June 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JM9117
Kansas City, MO19 contributions
Jul 2019 • Friends
Great place, friendly staff. We rented two canoes and had a wonderful time. Will rent from Big Elk again.
Written July 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andi D
1 contribution
May 2024 • Family
I wanted to love this place. I wanted to make memories here. If you have any medical or human issues come up they will keep your money. They do not care about their customers at all but would rather make a couple bucks for doing nothing. I am really disappointed. They should have been better humans in how they handled some issues that came up for my families trip. I left them FACEBOOK messages and they BLOCKED me on facebook and took down my review on facebook. Why hide? Why can you not simply speak to your customers and treat people right? Do now EVER give this business your credit card. You will be mischarged badly and they will not fix it or even communicate. I am having to go through my bank and it is simple. Just so disappointing. If a place is struggling financially so bad that they will take from their customers then there is a real issue.
Written May 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abilyn H
1 contribution
May 2023 • Friends
The folks at Big Elk Floats are the absolute BEST! They could NOT be more kind and helpful! 100/10 recommend!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Written May 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tour788194
64 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Our favorite campground!Kept very clean and have quite hours.Staff very friendly and accommodating.Be sure to visit Haven 55 while you are there.Great food.Queen Bee open for breakfast and they had a BBQ truck this last weekend too. They spray the dirt roads for dust control too!!
Written May 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Twerkin and Werkin
20 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
My wife and I floated the big elk. It was beautiful and the water was so clear. The staff is very friendly and makes sure you are having a great time. They keep the campground and shower houses clean. We will be back.
Written June 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary Youree
Houston, TX3 contributions
Jul 2020
My name is Gary Youree and my wife's name is Cindy. Big Elk has been a yearly venture most of my life; we have introduced canoe trips on this river to many, many, people - most of them had never been in a canoe before.
It is a relaxed atmosphere when you are there virtually alone but it gets pretty crazy on holidays; if you are an experienced canoer you might pass over 100 canoes on the trip and it is a lot of fun watching all those inexperienced, and often drunk - somewhere where that river ends are millions of beer cans, many still full.
My wife and I have lived and worked in NW Arkansas since 1983; we started a pallet recycling business in 1984 with no employees and one pickup truck - by 2000 we had nearly 150 employees, 40 trucks and tractors, and 200 trailers. We sold the business property in 2008 and retired.
I had been coming from Kansas City to Big Elk since 1970 when I was 13; after we had moved to NW Arkansas and had our business going we would rent canoes for all our employees who wanted to go, sometimes on July 4. The guys who worked for us were refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala. Most had never been in a canoe before and over 100 of us trying to make it down the river was hilarious.
One time around 1995 my wife, Cindy,her brother, Mike, and myself were driving back to 71 from Shadow Lake; we had dinner that late afternoon and a lot of drinks - the car kept veering onto the shoulder and each of us thought it was the other's driving so we kept changing drivers. It turned out the right front tire was flat.
We had planned on going directly home but by the time was came to Big Elk Camp it was getting dark and we didn't have a spare.
We pulled into the drive of a house that had a large barn across the yard. The barn was filled with some canoes but mostly large floats.
We could not drive any farther (I cannot believe we made it that far) because the tire had gone completely flat and come off the rim. Mike and I asked at the house if they happened to have a jack and a spare; it was a lot to ask - we were all pretty wasted and no one should be driving - we really didn't have a choice on the road back because there was no where to stop.
It was off season, maybe November, but it didn't seem too cold; maybe it was the drinks - we figured we were stuck there for the night but we had no camping gear.
Cindy, who has no shy parts, told me what she was going to do and knocked on the door again. She asked them if we could sleep in one of their floats; the barn door was open and we could see them stacked up.
The man decide "yes" and walked us to the barn and pulled a large float off a stack of two or three. He just pulled it down onto the floor and walked back to his house; I know now he thought we would be sleeping in the float in the barn - we were feeling too adventurous for that so we all dragged it down to the river and put it in the water. We did not have any paddles but planned on going nowhere; we just thought it would be nicer to sleep in if it was floating on the water.
Cindy and I got into one end and Mike in the other. We passed out pretty quickly but Cindy and I woke up sometime later (when I don't know - it was completely dark. I started shifting around in the boat and found I was wet, and cold. Cindy was wet too. Mike was snoring.
I got out of the puddle in the middle of the float and was looking up at the stars. The night sky started to slowly turn; **** we were in the middle of the river somewhere downstream - I could make out the hwy 71 bridge to the east which meant we had floated under and passed it. The bridge had been maybe a city block or two to the west from where we put the boat in the river; we were now down to the main campsites maybe 4-5 city blocks from where we put in - in the middle of the river. I was going to get wet and the was probably 50 degrees out side.
I was already wet so it was me who would get in the water and pull the float to shore; from there we would drag it back east on the bank to the barn - Mike was still sleeping.
I hopped out expecting the water to be waist deep; I went all the way under - it was about 8' deep.
The float had a rope so I swam and them walked to the bank; Mike had woke up after all the noise i made getting in the water.
We got back to the barn and put up the boat. The lights were out in the house so we didn't bother them; it was cold. We gathered firewood in the dark and built a big fire to dry out and get warm. There was nothing to do but sit up all night and feed the fire.
The next morning we found a canoe with a 80-hp motor. We headed downstream for Shadow Lake to get breakfast and drinks, lots of drinks; it took us about 20 minutes, maybe 15 - the prop was shot so we dunked and filled the canoe with water, sinking it.
The bar and restaurant was closed (it was Sunday!) so we broke it and started making drinks; we were able to get the grill turned on and made some cheeseburgers. Suddenly there was a SWAT team outside ..... just shucking. The last paragraph was, of course, a fib - it was a little more exciting to end this story with this than just building a fire to keep warm.
Some on these company canoe trips would stay and camp at the Low Water Bridge or further down; Ace Pallet Company, Inc. was in business 1984 - 2008 - by the time we had two employees we probably made Big Elk a company vacation every year. That is 24 years of trips... maybe 23 - I think one year we had reservations and the water was too high. We all went to the lake. The river is better.
We have not been to the Big Elk since 2008. We are planning to go to Pineville Sunday or Monday.
It is a relaxed atmosphere when you are there virtually alone but it gets pretty crazy on holidays; if you are an experienced canoer you might pass over 100 canoes on the trip and it is a lot of fun watching all those inexperienced, and often drunk - somewhere where that river ends are millions of beer cans, many still full.
My wife and I have lived and worked in NW Arkansas since 1983; we started a pallet recycling business in 1984 with no employees and one pickup truck - by 2000 we had nearly 150 employees, 40 trucks and tractors, and 200 trailers. We sold the business property in 2008 and retired.
I had been coming from Kansas City to Big Elk since 1970 when I was 13; after we had moved to NW Arkansas and had our business going we would rent canoes for all our employees who wanted to go, sometimes on July 4. The guys who worked for us were refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala. Most had never been in a canoe before and over 100 of us trying to make it down the river was hilarious.
One time around 1995 my wife, Cindy,her brother, Mike, and myself were driving back to 71 from Shadow Lake; we had dinner that late afternoon and a lot of drinks - the car kept veering onto the shoulder and each of us thought it was the other's driving so we kept changing drivers. It turned out the right front tire was flat.
We had planned on going directly home but by the time was came to Big Elk Camp it was getting dark and we didn't have a spare.
We pulled into the drive of a house that had a large barn across the yard. The barn was filled with some canoes but mostly large floats.
We could not drive any farther (I cannot believe we made it that far) because the tire had gone completely flat and come off the rim. Mike and I asked at the house if they happened to have a jack and a spare; it was a lot to ask - we were all pretty wasted and no one should be driving - we really didn't have a choice on the road back because there was no where to stop.
It was off season, maybe November, but it didn't seem too cold; maybe it was the drinks - we figured we were stuck there for the night but we had no camping gear.
Cindy, who has no shy parts, told me what she was going to do and knocked on the door again. She asked them if we could sleep in one of their floats; the barn door was open and we could see them stacked up.
The man decide "yes" and walked us to the barn and pulled a large float off a stack of two or three. He just pulled it down onto the floor and walked back to his house; I know now he thought we would be sleeping in the float in the barn - we were feeling too adventurous for that so we all dragged it down to the river and put it in the water. We did not have any paddles but planned on going nowhere; we just thought it would be nicer to sleep in if it was floating on the water.
Cindy and I got into one end and Mike in the other. We passed out pretty quickly but Cindy and I woke up sometime later (when I don't know - it was completely dark. I started shifting around in the boat and found I was wet, and cold. Cindy was wet too. Mike was snoring.
I got out of the puddle in the middle of the float and was looking up at the stars. The night sky started to slowly turn; **** we were in the middle of the river somewhere downstream - I could make out the hwy 71 bridge to the east which meant we had floated under and passed it. The bridge had been maybe a city block or two to the west from where we put the boat in the river; we were now down to the main campsites maybe 4-5 city blocks from where we put in - in the middle of the river. I was going to get wet and the was probably 50 degrees out side.
I was already wet so it was me who would get in the water and pull the float to shore; from there we would drag it back east on the bank to the barn - Mike was still sleeping.
I hopped out expecting the water to be waist deep; I went all the way under - it was about 8' deep.
The float had a rope so I swam and them walked to the bank; Mike had woke up after all the noise i made getting in the water.
We got back to the barn and put up the boat. The lights were out in the house so we didn't bother them; it was cold. We gathered firewood in the dark and built a big fire to dry out and get warm. There was nothing to do but sit up all night and feed the fire.
The next morning we found a canoe with a 80-hp motor. We headed downstream for Shadow Lake to get breakfast and drinks, lots of drinks; it took us about 20 minutes, maybe 15 - the prop was shot so we dunked and filled the canoe with water, sinking it.
The bar and restaurant was closed (it was Sunday!) so we broke it and started making drinks; we were able to get the grill turned on and made some cheeseburgers. Suddenly there was a SWAT team outside ..... just shucking. The last paragraph was, of course, a fib - it was a little more exciting to end this story with this than just building a fire to keep warm.
Some on these company canoe trips would stay and camp at the Low Water Bridge or further down; Ace Pallet Company, Inc. was in business 1984 - 2008 - by the time we had two employees we probably made Big Elk a company vacation every year. That is 24 years of trips... maybe 23 - I think one year we had reservations and the water was too high. We all went to the lake. The river is better.
We have not been to the Big Elk since 2008. We are planning to go to Pineville Sunday or Monday.
Written July 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.