Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

This is the second year in a row the same group"family" stayed here. Last year we had no trouble. This year we had a bad experience the second night. Our group of 16 spent over a $1000.00 for the weekend here this year. We rented one big cabin and 4 small cabins. 2 raft rentals and 2 canoe rentals. After the float trip Saturday a cousin of mine had two friends drive up from Batesville. They arrived shortly before 10 pm. Which the time didn’t matter SRO policy says you can arrive anytime if camping "I confirmed this Sunday morning when I complained to the employees working the counter". When guest arrived they were greeted by an older gray haired man. The guest called my cousin and he headed up. Before my cousin could get to the guard shack the older man and another guard made the guest turn around and leave with no other option. My cousin pleaded with the guard and he was willing to pay the $10 fee per person to let them stay the night, had the money in hand. The guard said they were acting "funny" and they could not come back. They drove from Batesville and were treated like crap for absolutely no reason. I was at the River during this time bow fishing and frog hunting. I was not happy when I got back to camp but it was too late to do anything. I opted to talk to management the next morning. When I asked the next morning to talk to management I got crazy looks. I told them what happened and they said they didn’t understand and the guest should have been able to come in. I told them how unpleased I was and left.

The crazy part is Spring River Oaks was about 15% full, very vacant. You would think they would take $20 for business and maybe 2 future customers. Spring River was virtually dead it was a very slow weekend up there. I just don't understand these security guards they hire and why they want to act like jerks to customers who are not causing any trouble.

Our group will not likely go back we had some unhappy people.

R.Corter,

What a drag, I'm sorry the situation developed like it did. I've never camped at Spring River Oaks, but taken-out there from float trips on their place for many years with no problem. It sounds like your cousins gave the guard plenty of information about the family/party registered at the campground they were associated with, and with another family member even driving up to meet them, I don't know what went wrong. Being over sixty years old now, and being somewhat of " a 'Hippie' in the 1960&70s I understand about running into folks who may not be having quite as good a time, or may resent not being young anymore, just being a pain, etc. etc. I am sorry it didn't go well. There were things that may have been done on both sides to insure a smoother operation. IMHO. I'm just sorry that part of the weekend was spoiled.

Best Regards
Jim

Obviously, I wasn't there, but I think they owed you at least a better explanation of what happened, maybe even a face-to-face discussion with the guard so that he could give his side of the story as to what they did that made him think the only two options were for them to leave or him to call the sheriff (because that is where this would have gone).

Camps along the Spring have really struggled with keeping things peaceful at night, mostly because of alcohol but I'm sure there are other "controlled substances" as well, and I don't mean just weed. Against this background, something must have triggered the guard to get the wrong idea about who/what he was really dealing with - just normal customers, maybe a little tired from a long day at work plus the drive. I'm not justifying what happened, just saying there has to be a rational reason, and I agree you are owed that better explanation. I think I'd call them back, ask for one of the owners, and ask for that better explanation. If he hasn't already talked to the guard, don't accept what he says off the top of his/her head - ask them to go get the facts first.