USDA Forest Service · Arkansas
Cove Lake Recreation Area
USDA Forest Service · Arkansas, United States
- Sites
- 37
- Hookups
- 1 electric, 1 with water, 36 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Cost
- January 01, 2019 - December 31, 2019 (Peak Season) Picnic Pavilion $35 Day
- Max RV length
- 68 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Elevation
- 1,007 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- COVE LAKE C.G. B (NFSR 1608D) · bituminous surface treatment · high degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Ozark-St. Francis National Forests
- Nearest town
- PARIS
- Address
- 19 COVE LAKE LOOP, PARIS, AR, 72855
- Phone
- 479-963-6421
- Activities
- Amphitheater, Biking, Boating, Camping, Concessions, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Jet Skiing, Swimming, Wildlife Viewing
36 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
The Cove Lake Recreation Area is a perfect summer getaway and an ideal place to camp, picnic or recreate. It envelops the shores of a 160-acre mountain lake near the 2,700-foot-tall Mount Magazine, the highest point in the state of Arkansas.
Recreation
Popular activities include swimming, fishing, hiking, water skiing and scenic drives. A boat ramp is available and an on-site concessionaire provides boat rentals and other equipment available for purchase.
The lake is home to catfish, large mouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie and perch. It is stocked every other year, although a small amount of catfish are stocked annually and just prior to a yearly kids' fishing derby hosted at the lake.
Facilities
The recreation area provides picnic areas, campsites and a group shelter, as well as multiple activities, including miniature golf, canoe and paddleboat rentals. The campground offers multiple single-family sites for tent or RV camping.
Each site is equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible flush toilets, hot showers and drinking water are also provided. Multiple picnic areas are available on the lake shore, including a picnic shelter that has electricity.
Natural Features
The recreation area is situated in a mixed forest of mature trees and is located in the Arkansas River Valley in the Ozark National Forest.
Nearby Attractions
The recreation area is about 15 miles south of the town of Paris, in Logan County, Arkansas. A scenic route to the top of Mount Magazine is a beautiful 10 mile drive north from Havana, Arkansas.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47° | 30° | 8° | 67° | 9 of 11 |
| February | 55° | 35° | -2° | 74° | 8 of 11 |
| March | 63° | 44° | 27° | 82° | 4 of 11 |
| April | 72° | 51° | 35° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 79° | 64° | 49° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 87° | 69° | 58° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 90° | 73° | 64° | 100° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 91° | 72° | 64° | 104° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 87° | 67° | 56° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 71° | 52° | 35° | 87° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 64° | 44° | 23° | 81° | 3 of 10 |
| December | 53° | 37° | 24° | 72° | 8 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Mount Magazine State Park · Arkansas State Parks · 4 mi · 18 sites
- Waveland Park · Army Corps of Engineers · 8 mi · 52 sites
- Outlet Area · Army Corps of Engineers · 9 mi · 38 sites
- Sorghum Hollow · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 4 sites
- Spring Lake Recreation Area · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 4 sites
All public campgrounds in Arkansas · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.