Waterfront RV camping with hookups for $20 or less still exists, but it takes some digging to find it. After sorting through the data, I found 14 campgrounds that meet that threshold based on their lowest listed nightly rate.
This list includes lakeside and riverfront campgrounds in several states, with prices starting at $14 per night. Some drop to as low as $7/night with an America the Beautiful Senior Pass, where pass holders get 50% off the nightly rate!
They offer water and electric hookups, and many also have extras like boat ramps, showers, swim beaches, playgrounds, and dump stations.
At the bottom of this article, you’ll also find a U.S. map showing all 14 campground locations, along with links to check availability and book each one.
Disclaimer: Prices, amenities, and availability can change. Some campgrounds list a starting rate, such as $18+, or a price range. Always check Recreation.gov or the campground directly for current pricing and details.
1. Joe T. Fallini Recreation Site
Location: Mackay, Idaho
Price: $14+
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10156151
Joe T. Fallini Recreation Site sits on Mackay Reservoir in central Idaho and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The views here stand out thanks to the snowcapped Lost River Range in the distance.
The campground has 26 campsites with full RV hookups, plus a dump station, restrooms, drinking water, a boat ramp, and an interpretive trail. Boating and fishing are common in summer, while ice fishing draws visitors later in the colder months.
2. Hillsboro Cove Campground
Location: Marion, Kansas
Price: $17
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233512
Hillsboro Cove Campground offers direct access to the water in a setting that feels simple and easy to use. It sits just off Highway 56, so it combines convenience with a quieter atmosphere than you might expect.
Sites include tables, grills, hookups, and sun shelters. There is also a nearby group area and a boat ramp, which makes getting onto the water straightforward.
3. High View Park
Location: Ennis, Texas
Price: $18+
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232602
High View Park sits on the north shore of Bardwell Lake, roughly an hour south of Dallas. This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground offers shaded campsites with water and electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings.
Visitors also have access to a boat ramp, swim beach, playground, restrooms, and showers. Many of the sites have at least partial water views, and the lake is known for crappie, bass, and catfish fishing.
4. Horseshoe Bend
Location: Dierks, Arkansas
Price: $18
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10050257
Horseshoe Bend Park lies along the Saline River just below Dierks Dam. It is best known for its whitewater paddling course, which includes engineered drops that can create Class II to IV rapids when the spillway is open.
The campground has twelve riverfront campsites with water and electric hookups. A pavilion, showers, restrooms, and a playground add to the appeal, and the base-of-the-cliff setting gives the campground a distinctive look.
5. Mott Park
Location: Ennis, Texas
Price: $18+
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232646
Mott Park is a smaller Bardwell Lake campground that tends to feel quieter than some nearby alternatives. Campsites include water and electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings.
Restrooms, showers, and a boat ramp are available on-site, and the mature trees provide welcome shade. Its smaller scale is part of what makes this campground appealing.
6. Arlie Moore Campground
Location: Bismarck/Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233417
Arlie Moore Campground sits on DeGray Lake, one of Arkansas’s Diamond Lakes known for clear water and good fishing. Every campsite includes electric hookups, and the campground also has a swim beach, amphitheater, playground, showers, and restrooms.
Boating, kayaking, and water skiing are all popular here, and anglers often target hybrid striped bass. The nearby interpretive trail gives visitors another option besides spending time on the water.
7. Birch Cove
Location: Barnsdall, Oklahoma
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233451
Birch Cove sits on Birch Lake in Osage County, where rolling hills and wooded valleys create a quiet backdrop. It is a smaller-feeling waterfront option for campers who want easy lake access without a high nightly rate.
The campground includes a boat ramp, fishing dock, playground, and swim beach. Many of the campsites are either right on the water or only a short walk from it.
8. Bluff View
Location: Piedmont, Missouri
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232530
Bluff View Campground sits along Clearwater Lake and gives campers access to fishing, boating, swimming, and picnicking. The area also supports a wide range of wildlife, including deer, turkey, geese, wetland birds, and bald eagles.
The campground has 60 sites, many with water and electric hookups. Hot showers, a dump station, a playground, a boat ramp, a swimming area, and an interpretive trail round out the amenities.
Note: There is technically a road between the sites and the water, so I would consider this one to be a “water view” site, not exactly waterfront.
9. Cowhide Cove
Location: Murfreesboro, Arkansas
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233469
Cowhide Cove sits on Lake Greeson, a reservoir on the Little Missouri River. The campground includes 50 sites, and 48 of them have electric hookups.
Amenities include showers, a dump station, a boat ramp, a playground, and a swim beach. The wooded surroundings and regular wildlife sightings help give this campground a more natural feel.
10. Eureka Campground
Location: Kuttawa, Kentucky
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232585
Eureka Campground sits in the rolling hills around Lake Barkley, a large reservoir known for fishing and wide open water. Kentucky’s largest yellow bass was caught here, which says a lot about the lake’s reputation among anglers.
The campground has 26 campsites with water and electric hookups, along with hot showers, a playground, a swimming area, and a boat ramp. It is a simple and affordable setup for a lakeside stay.
11. Kiamichi Park
Location: Hugo, Oklahoma
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233529
Kiamichi Park Campground lines the shore of Hugo Lake in southeastern Oklahoma. Its grassy layout and forested setting give campers room to spread out instead of feeling packed in.
The campground has 85 spacious campsites, plus a group camping loop. Families often choose it for its playground, swimming beach, and group picnic shelters.
12. Kirby Landing
Location: Kirby, Arkansas
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233531
Kirby Landing Campground sits at Lake Greeson on the Little Missouri River, surrounded by pine forest and rolling hills. The campground has more than 100 campsites, each with 50-amp electric service and water hookups.
Guests also have access to a swim beach, playground, marina, boat ramp, showers, restrooms, and drinking water. That mix of features helps it stand out as one of the stronger values in this price range.
13. Mound Valley Campground
Location: Cherryvale, Kansas
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233555
Mound Valley Campground sits on Big Hill Lake in southeastern Kansas. The larger lake system includes multiple campgrounds, day-use areas, and equestrian trails.
Campers can combine swimming, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and picnicking without needing to relocate. The heavily wooded setting will appeal to people who prefer lots of tree cover around camp.
14. Potato Hills Central
Location: Clayton, Oklahoma
Price: $20
Link: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233590
Potato Hills Central Campground sits on Sardis Lake in southeastern Oklahoma and is surrounded by blackjack oak, post oak, and pine. The wooded setting helps keep many of the campsites shaded.
Every campsite includes electric hookups, and many also include water. The campground also has a playground, an accessible fishing dock, a nearby hiking trail, and hot showers.
Location Map
*Lat and long coordinates taken from Recreation.gov. Pins may not be 100% accurate.
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