¿Christmas adventure, Ouachita or Ozarks??

I am beginning a plan to go explore some of Arkansas this Christmas. I am in Wisconsin. I am thinking about putting the DR650 in the back of the Tacoma and hooking up the $500 pop-up camper [1989 Coleman Ligonier]. I would like to basecamp in Ouachita NF or Ozark NF and spend days on dirt roads and OHV trails, I would like to be off the tarmac as much as possible but not on challenging single track. I am researching a bit online but there is nothing like personal feedback to confirm whether an idea is good or not. Doesn't have to be National Forest but that seemed like the obvious place to start.
Question:
What are your recommendations for a good trailer camping spot in proximity to some decent roads and trails? Any advice that you have about camping or trails will be appreciated. TIA!

The Oklahoma Side of the Quachita/Kiamichi has some pretty knarly single track. Lots of rock. Some nice roads and trails thought to. Check through the Clayton, OK dual sport ride for some guys that might have base maps for both sides of the line.

Keep us up to date when you go if you want maybe some of us will show up!

Byrd's Adventure Center is a great place for a base camp. It's where we hold the annual SLAP rally and there is loads of great DR friendly riding in that area.

SLAP trax thread for some route ideas - http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=660955

Link to Byrd's - http://www.byrdsadventurecenter.com/

The above post is just what I was going to post. Tracks galore in that thread. Since you are coming down from the north, Byrds would be a good spot.

there's a challenge!
I'll check out your suggestion.

That looks like that would be a safe first time in this area. I'll look into it further tomorrow.
Edit: oooo, I looked briefly at the SLAP trax thread. Here in WI we have the luxury of Cannonshot's GPS tracks. I was hoping to find something like this. Thanks!

Looks like I had better order topo maps for my GPS. I forgot that I don't have this area yet. Why is the Garmin 24K South Central only available on DVD and $129? Is it really good?

Because garmin is a rip off. You can get maps that are just as good and will work on your garmin for free. Just google those words and take your pick.

http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Or this.... http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/ar

I had no idea. I am going to be checking this out. I don't care so much for the street maps but would like to have some good resolution topographic maps.

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/ar

maybe more specifically this?

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/137/

I am studying on this .... I'll install it into BaseCamp tomorrow.
This with in combination with DrLewall's tracks looks like the beginning of an adventure. Like I mentioned before, here in WI we have CannonShot who is prolific in laying down the tracks. I have spent a week at a time using his tracks as adventure suggestions and it looks like I can do the same in AR with some of the information that you are feeding me. This should be exciting!

Very excellent suggestion. Good luck.

Another good campground is at Long Pool, north of Dover and Russellville. It is on the southern edge of the Ozarks. It is located in a valley so there is no cell service. Dover is about 15 miles south. It has a grocery store and a few places to eat. Russellville is much larger and is about 6 miles further south on Hwy 7.

There is a lot to choose from around here from scenic forestry roads, easy to difficult ATV trails and some pretty tough single track. If you are in this area, PM me and I will be glad to show you around and/or send you some tracks.

I have a DR, too. Here are some links to a few of the numerous ride reports I have done around here. I have lots of tracks, as well.

http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23269508&postcount=7864

http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=24858484&postcount=8567

http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=25337720&postcount=2772

And one with a little snow.
http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23435565&postcount=7931

I might take you up on that. That looks like a good area to base from.
NF website is not clear about this campground at all. Most will say 'first come ..." or allow reservations but this one says neither. I am assuming first come, first served. Is this a busy camp? Is it likely to be filled up on a Friday night.

Coming from Wisconsin ... that is not what I want to see.

The Long Pool campground should not be busy.

Our weather is very unpredictable this time of year. The average temp is in the low 40's but the average might be in the low 30's one day and in the 60's a few days later. Same goes for the snow. We do not get a lot of snow but every now and then we get a dandy one. That is the Big Piney Creek down there. The Long Pool campground is on the creek about a mile downstream from where I took this picture.

I am finding that planning for a trip like this before Christmas is nothing like planning a summer or autumn trip. Between stuff happening at work and finishing Christmas shopping and the short days ... it is a lot harder to get simple things done. The pop-up camper is prepped, I made a canopy for it and plumbed it for propane heat. I have new D606 's on the DR. I downloaded and installed the Arkansas topo from GPSfileDepot like you suggested, thanks mouthfulloflake and ArkieRider. I am going to try Long Pool as suggested. I still have a lot to do in packing and getting out the door.
The one thing that I need the most is help with tracks!! I pulled a few things from DrLewall 's AR SLAP Trax but I am mostly bewildered because I just doesn't know the territory. Can you guys help me out? Got some interesting rides for exploring? Maybe even meet up and go along? bohawk suggested that I PM him for that request so I think that I will try that and see how this goes.
Any suggestions [more] are appreciated. Even so, I think just going with what I've got now will be an adventure. I was just thinking that I had plenty of good adventures with no GPS tracks or ADV forum assistance. It is all good but your help and a GPS just accelerates the adventure!!

thanks!

I am gonna see if I can make tomorrow a half day at work and finish packing up. If things go well I will be at Long Pool Saturday evening. Else, Sunday morning. My 'schedule' is wide open but I plan on staying until prolly the day after Christmas. If nothing else, if you take a ride out to Long Pool look for either a black Toyota Tacoma by a really small 1989 Coleman Ligonier or a DR650 with a blue Acerbis tank.

go

ive only been in that area a couple of times, but I do remember a couple of great roads, the one they call the "beautiful road" I think, and indian creek road.

let me look at a map and try and verify those, I think also I have a track from a year or so ago when I followed 10cup down there with on2wheels52

It doesn't have to be in the area of Long Pool. I don't mind doing some tarmac to get to a really good track. Thank you for helping me out here, I appreciate it.