The Hardy RV Park is located in the town of Hardy, Arkansas. There are 45 sites available for reservation year-round; however, it is important to note that during the winter months, when freezing temperatures occur, the water will be shut off, and the bathhouse will be closed down. With the exception of these seasonal circumstances, the RV sites all include electric and water with a nearby dump station. Other amenities of the property include a bathhouse that features showers and bathrooms. The Spring River, which runs through the city of Hardy, is located along the side of the RV park and contains a floating dock that is additionally under the ownership of Hardy RV Park. Patrons can fish on the floating dock if they please. Other features of the park include a walking trail, two gazebos, and activities such as cornhole.
Hardy, Arkansas, is home to the location of the Hardy RV Park, owned by Hardy City. The property is "about the size of a football field," says Terry, the park manager. On the premises, there is an RV that is utilized as the main office for the park. Another building accessible to guests is the bathroom area, which includes two stalls for restrooms and two others designated for showers. There are 45 RV sites available for reservation, each one including electric and water hookups. A dump station is also located on the property, available for all patron's use. Additionally, there is a store on the grounds where RV parts and equipment are sold. Terry reports that the RV park is about three to four acres.
The area where the RV park is located is about a block away from downtown Hardy. It is also situated right next to the Spring River and a children's park, which adjoins the RV park. Besides the park, there are other various activities that patrons can participate in while staying on the premises. Such activities include using the cornhole boards provided for guests' use and walking trails that go through the park's ground. The campground features others structures for those staying at the property to utilize. These structures include two gazebos and a floating dock on the Spring River. Fishing is a common activity that visitors participate in when staying at the Hardy RV Park. Additionally, about a half-mile down the Spring River, there is a city park that people often use to jump in the river or float down to another city park.
Frontier Day, which is held annually on September 24th, is an event hosted by the Hardy RV Park where they set up a kettle and a jailhouse and they designate an area to recreate older cooking arrangements. "It turns into an old-timey camp," reports Terry, the manager of the property. The public is invited during the event, as well as those who are staying at the RV park during that time. This event is set up along the park's western border, where the area has more shade.
The Hardy RV Park's goal is to create a family-friendly environment where guests "can enjoy themselves," reports Terry. One such policy that is set out to create such an environment is that quiet time starts at 11:00 PM every night. Furthermore, alcohol consumption is permitted in individual sites so long as those participating in drinking are respectful of other guests. Pets are permitted on the property, and according to Terry, the Hardy RV Park is one of the few RV parks in the area that allows animals. Overall, Terry wants visitors to feel welcome and states that he interacts with guests as they walk around the park. He also says that he is willing to offer assistance when people first arrive at the premises by guiding them to their site. "[I] just look after them and make sure everything is good," says Terry.
The RV park is most known for trains since the railroad runs alongside the property. Another unique aspect of the property is a walking trail that is 1.6 miles and leads along the side of the land between the sites and the Spring River. Previous guests have commented on the cleanliness of the establishment. One patron stated that the property is "Always clean, a nice place to stay, and very family-friendly. The managers are great. If it's your first time here, stay and float the river." On the same topic of cleanliness, another guest remarked, "The grounds are very well kept and really nice. The bathrooms included the bare essentials, but they were clean and smelled nice. The grounds attendant was extremely nice and helpful." Those who stay at the park discover the business most commonly through word-of-mouth. Most visitors who come to the Hardy RV Park are repeat guests. The typical demographic of patrons to visit the Hardy RV Park tends to be those of the older generations, from around the age of 40 to the early 80s. Terry says the park's success is attributed to being "genuinely friendly" to everybody who visits and striving to always be willing to help his guests out. The busiest time of operation for the business starts early spring through the summer. Holiday weekends are also known to be more successful for the RV park, with July being the busiest out of all the months.
The property is open year-round; however, it is important to note that during the wintertime, the bathhouses are shut down, and the water is turned off for the camp, though, the sites will still have the electrical hookups. This shutdown happens when the property knows that freezing temperatures will occur in the area. Water is still available for patrons; however, it is not located on-site, but the establishment still makes that an option if they want to fill up their RV tanks with water. Tent camping is also unavailable during the wintertime.
Those staying at the Hardy RV Park tend to visit surrounding attractions in the area during their stay. Such attractions include the Mammoth Springs, which according to Terry, is the seventh-largest spring in the world. An old water wheel that previously was used to grind flour is another attraction that is across the river from the property. The property is also located near the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, with "very moderate hills" close by, says Terry. Overall, he describes the surrounding environment as a "beautiful country" area. In Hardy, there are multiple restaurants for visitors to eat at. Terry recommends that his guests try the CrossEyed Catfish Cafe', Spring River Draft House & Grill, and the Rebel Time Out. The first two options are within walking distance of the RV park, and the latter is about six miles away.
The Hardy RV Park was originally built in the 1960s and has always served as an RV park and campground. Originally the park was privately owned but was eventually bought by the city of Hardy, who are still the current owners of the park. Terry, the manager, reports that he was in the area when the park was in need of a manager and that he "took it and ran [with it]" and says that he has witnessed the business grow since. His favorite part of managing the Hardy RV Park is the customer service side of the job and being able to meet all different kinds of people. Since the city purchased the property, there have been multiple electrical services upgrades, with plans to continue making electrical upgrades. These updates are being made for the park to be able to offer a higher voltage of electrical hookups, mainly getting all of the sites able to hook up to 50 amps. Another future plan for the campground is to update the bathhouses on the property.
Notable events during the history of the Hardy RV Park include a flood that occurred a year after the park was initially established in 1981. During this flood, the rising water was reported to have taken out a local bridge that was located right next to the RV park. Terry says that the water was about three to four feet high in Mainstreet, which affected the RV park since it is about half a block from downtown. According to Terry, rainfall is not common for the area, and during that time, the area received an unusually high amount of rain, resulting in a relatively devastating flood.
3 N Spring St
Hardy, Arkansas 72542
United States
Campground
Hardy City
