Kettle Campground is situated along the mountainside of Eureka Springs, featuring 55 RV sites and three cabins. Bryan and Austin Wright, the current owners, have been running the business since 2019, though the campground itself dates back to 1974. Several renovations have taken place under the management of Bryan and Austin as the couple has added several on-site activities, updated the bathrooms, and cleaned up the sites. For visitors who would like to participate in activities without having to leave the premises, a pool, playground, and pavilion are all available for guest use. Attractions that can be found outside the borders of Kettle Campground include the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, the Great Passion Play, and the Crescent Hotel, to name a few.
Kettle Campground occupies nearly 14 acres of land in the northwestern corner of Arkansas. Nine of the acres are developed for the RV park while the remaining five acres are made up of wooded land and forested areas. In the back area of the woodlands, a walking trail circles around the property, and visitors can roam the path at their leisure. Kettle Campground features 55 RV sites in one campsite plus three cabins that guests can rent year-round. A pool, pavilion, and playground are on the premises of the property, as well as other activities such as horseshoes. The pool is open from May through October.
Every RV site includes a picnic table and fire pit. Full hookups that offer water and electricity are also provided for every site, with the exception of six of the spaces. One of the three cabins is still in construction, though after its completion it will contain two bedrooms and a full kitchen. Some of the amenities featured in the two cabins that are finished include a queen-size bed, bath, coffee bar, fridge, freezer, couch, microwave, and TV with Netflix and other streaming services. Visitors have access to the on-site bathhouse and laundry facility during their stay, both of which are open 24/7. A store that primarily sells RV and camp supplies such as hoses, lighters, medicine, and bug spray, for example, can be found on the premises. Additionally, firewood and ice are sold at Kettle Campground as well.
Eureka Springs, the town at which the campground is located, is a historical town with diverse architecture, according to Austin, one of the owners of Kettle Campground. A few of the attractions that Austin recommends to guests are the Great Passion Play, the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, and Float Eureka. The city trolley can pick visitors up and take them around the area. According to Austin, Eureka Springs also contains the most haunted hotel in America, Crescent Hotel. She explains that the hotel has been several different things in the past such as a mental hospital and a hospital for unknown ailments. Crescent Hotel draws a considerable number of tourists annually, and Austin remarks that it is one of the most prominent attractions of the area. There is also a downtown historic shopping area that winds down the hillside from the Crescent Hotel. As for nearby restaurants, Austin directs patrons to Gravel Bar at Wanderoo Lodge, The Grotto, and Basecamp in Eureka Springs.
Kettle Campground is open year-round, with the peak season typically lasting from April through November. Most of the long-term stays happen between November and March, which is also the slowest season for the business.
Visitors are required to abide by the policies that are set in place at Kettle Campground during their stay. One of the notable policies is the quiet hours that last from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Smoking is prohibited inside any of the buildings on the premises. Furthermore, pets are allowed to stay with patrons, though they are not allowed to stay inside the cabins. Beyond this, the main policy that the camp hosts hope that their guests will abide by is keeping the campground clean by picking up their trash and cleaning up after their pets. Regarding the guidelines for events, Kettle Campground allows visitors to host events at the property, though the owners do not host such events of their own. In the past, a band has come to play at the pavilion. Several other groups have held gatherings and similar functions as well.
Austin and Bryan, the owners, strive to allow their guests to feel "worry-free" during their stay. Austin also says that they want patrons to feel "comfortable." Their goal is to create a family-oriented atmosphere where visitors feel like they can contact the owners if they need any help. Austin and Bryan interact with their guests as much as the guest prefers, and they "try to be as accommodating as possible," Austin says.
One of the most notable elements of the RV campground is the abundance of trees that characterize the acreage. Austin remarks that the property is the "only RV park in Eureka Springs that has trees." A fair amount of guest reviews mention this particular aspect, as well as the cleanliness of the park. One previous guest said, "[We] were so pleased with the cleanliness and convenience of our stay. We brought our 28' Class C RV and had plenty of space to enjoy outdoors with a simple water and electric hook-up. There is a trolley that picks you up at the entrance of the campsite that goes directly into the downtown area of Eureka Springs, so you can easily get around without having to drive yourself."
Kettle Campground has been in business since 1974; however, Bryan and Austin Wright, the current owners, first acquired the acreage in 2019. The couple was on a camping trip when they first discovered the campground, and they desired to own and manage the property. One of Austin's favorite aspects of running Kettle Campground is that it is a "nice place to raise our family."
Since gaining ownership, Bryan and Austin made a full renovation to the property, adding nearly 55,000 dollars worth of gravel to the sites. Austin comments that it was difficult to tell where each site was before the renovations. A playground was added, all of the picnic tables were replaced, and the bathrooms were updated. These renovations have led to the success of the property, according to Austin, and she believes that striving to fix previous complaints and cleaning up the property has aided in the success as well. Regarding future plans, Austin and Bryan want to do a "gut job" and redo the ceilings and walls of the cabins. They also want to finish the construction of the rec area and add more on-site family-friendly activities.
4119 E Van Buren
Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
United States
Campground
Bryan and Austin Wright
