Mark Twain National Forest

Beaver Lake is 15 acres in size. Primitive camping is allowed but no facilities are provided. It offers a gravel ramp for boat access. The lake has been stocked with channel catfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, and black bass.

Dispersed camping is the term used for free camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means there are no toilets, no structures, no trash cans, no treated water, and no fire grates. There are extra responsibilities required for this type of camp. It's a must to educate yourself before you try it, but we hope the adventure of dispersed camping in the Mark Twain National Forest calls to you!

Pick a Campsite and follow the Leave No Trace Principles
Camp 100 feet away from trails and water sources.
Treat any water found in the area before consuming it.
Human waste (Feces) must be buried at least 6 inches deep and covered.
Pack out all of your garbage.

Beaver Lake Recreation Area

**20% discount.** Open year round. Full hookups water, sewer, electric 30/50amp, cable tv, WiFi. Food and car rental delivery to sites. Close to town for everyone’s shopping, dining and entertainment needs. Family owned and operated since 1982. We offer a country/rural setting with forested hills, in the beautiful Ozark Foothills of Missouri. Poplar Bluff is known as“Gateway To The Ozarks”. You can relax, stay in, or check out the area. We have camping with convenience in mind. 

**Local activities** include a Water Park, 18-hole golf course, Wolf Creek Trail offers walking, trail running, and mountain biking, Black River Coliseum has shows and events, 8-Showtimes AMC Classic Theaters, museums, antiques and more. 

**The area offers** rivers, springs, lakes, wildlife, and the Mark Twain National Forest. Our seasons offer brilliant spring and fall colors with winding scenic drives, and we provide year round camping opportunities for everyone. 

Make us your Campground Headquarters and enjoy the area.

Camelot RV Campground

## Overview

Pinewoods Lake Recreation Area sits next to Pinewoods Lake in southeastern Missouri. It is an ideal location to enjoy lake fishing and scenic trails.

#### Natural Features:

The lake is located on the southeastern quadrant of the Mark Twain National Forest. The area is densely wooded.

#### Recreation:

A 1.3-mile walking trail surrounds the lake. Most of the trail has a concrete surface and is accessible. The entire trail is relatively flat, with no difficult sections. Circling the 32-acre lake, the trail provides views of the lake, songbirds and wildlife, and an abundance of wildflowers.  
  
The lake offers a floating fishing pier and a concrete boat ramp. Anglers can enjoy fishing for bass, sunfish and catfish.

#### Facilities:

The day-use picnic shelter can accommodate up to 75 people. It is equipped with tables and large grills. Accessible vault toilets are provided. Trash collection service is not available; visitors must carry out all garbage.

#### Nearby Attractions:

Ellsinore is the closest city to the campground, just 3 miles away, with a few dining options, a grocery store and fuel station.

Pinewoods Lake Campground

## Overview

In the late 1930s, Rudolph Fuchs built a five bedroom concrete and native stone house for his family, and also built the present wheel house to produce electricity for his needs. Power was obtained by building a dam in a semi-circle below a large spring forming a small pond. The water was to pour through a chute on the wheel to produce electricity; however, electricity arrived to the site before the wheel ever needed to do its job. The area had an undershot wheel providing power to a grist mill in the late 19th century.

## Recreation

The Black River boasts bass, sunfish, walleye and catfish. Many anglers fish from boats, but others fish from the riverbanks. Canoeing and kayaking is also possible on the river. Various day hikes within the Markham Springs Trail System are accessible from the campground. Eagle Bluff Trail is a one and a half mile loop along the river, where birding and wildlife viewing are favorite pastimes. The day use area has a two-acre, 20 foot deep mill pond that dates back to the 1800s, several picnic sites, open fields; river access for boating, fishing and float tubes and canoes; and short hiking trails that provide views of the river, the pond, the springs and the uplands.

## Facilities

The house has two downstairs bedrooms with queen beds, a single bed and a shared bathroom. Upstairs has a bathroom and three bedrooms each with a bunk bed and twin bed. The kitchen comes fully furnished as well as all the other rooms; however, you must bring your own linens, pillows and towels.

## Natural Features

Located adjacent to the Black River, the recreation area contains a small pond that dates back to the 1800s. The area is covered by a dense forest of colorful trees, including ash, elm, maple and poplar. Six springs pour almost five million gallons of water per day into the pond, and the bubble spring, a smaller outlet of Markham Spring outside of the pond that has air with it which rises in the soft sand forming unique air bubbles. 

## Nearby Attractions

The Fuchs House is located in the Markham Springs Recreation Area. Camping with both electric sites and primitive sites, day use, and pavilion rental is available. The town of Williamsville is three miles from the Fuchs House and offers a general store ad fuel station.

Fuchs House

## Overview

Markham Springs Campground is set on the Black River in a scenic and historic recreation area in the southwestern corner of Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest. The area provides access to multiple trails and recreational opportunities.   
  
Markham Springs Recreation Area gets its name from former owner, M. J. Markham, who acquired the property in 1901 and operated a lumber mill at the site until the 1930s.   
  
The Fuchs House, a five-bedroom concrete and native stone home, also sits on the property, along with a neighboring mill. At times, it is also available for rent.

## Recreation

River and stream fishing are popular activities near the campground. The Black River boasts bass, sunfish, walleye and catfish. Many anglers fish from boats, but others fish from the riverbanks. Canoeing and kayaking is also possible on the river.   
  
Various day hikes within the Markham Springs Trail System are accessible from the campground. Eagle Bluff Trail is a 1.5-mile loop along the river, where birding and wildlife viewing are favorite pastimes.

## Facilities

The campground offers single and double sites for tent and RV camping. Some rather primitive sites are located in a wooded setting near the river.   
  
Electric hookups are provided, as well as tables and campfire rings with grills. Lantern posts are also available. Accessible vault toilets, drinking water, showers and trash collection are provided. 

## Natural Features

Located adjacent to the Black River, the recreation area contains a small pond that dates back to the 1800s. The area is covered by a dense forest of colorful trees, including ash, elm, maple and poplar. 

## Nearby Attractions

The small town of Williamsville is just 3 miles from the campground, offering a general store and fuel station.

Markham Springs

Currently, NO Water is available at this time due to flooding. The Deer Leap Recreation Area is situated on the east bank of the Current River and provides primitive camping, a boat launch and floater access/tuber launch. Deer Leap Campground has seven (7) campsites; each with a fire ring, table and lantern post. Other amenities include: water, vault toilet, and launch facilities. The Deer Leap Boat Ramp provides launching capabilities for motorized and non-motorized boats with ample parking. There is also a vault toilet located at the boat ramp. The Tuber Launch is temporarily being operated at the end of the campground, and is a popular put-in for floating the Current River. This access is also shared with outfitter/guides. Limited public parking is allowed in the launch area. Most private floaters take out below the bridge in Doniphan at the public boat launch, and outfitted floaters take out at the outfitter’s private launches in Doniphan. This float takes about 5 hours.

Deer Leap

The Current River recreation areas provide a wonderful opportunity for the public to experience a more social recreation opportunity in the southern ozarks. The swift , clear and cool Current River with numerous gravel bars provides motorized boating, non-motorized boating, tubing, camping, picknicking and wading opportunities in a more developed recreation setting. On weekends you will experience numerous recreationists enjoying a variety of waterbased activities. A favorite past time on the river whether boating or tubing includes taking breaks on the numerous gravel bars. The recreation areas on the Current River are easily accessible by vehicle and are located near small communities which provide a variety of services. The northern most access site is the Watercress Recreation Area located in Van Buren, Mo. Watercress is a developed area which provides a boat launch, day use picnicking, overnight camping, and two group picnicking shelters The next area is the Bay Nothing Boat Launch located near Grandin, Mo. Bay Nothing is a primitive site that provides a boat launch and limited day use opportunities. Moving downriver you encounter the Deer Leap and Float Camp Recreation areas located just outside of Doniphan, Mo. Deer Leap and Float Camp are developed areas which provide a variety of opportunities from renting tubes, canoes and rafts; to launching your canoe or jon boat; to camping and picnicking. For more information about these individual sites please select them by recreation area on the website. For Steam Flow and Flooding forecast visit the Quick Link section in the right colum or Click here.

Current River

Lake Wappapello State Park

Holliday Landing is a fun family resort and marina located on sunny Lake Wappapello. Tucked in the Ozarks of southeastern Missouri, we offer everything you need to make your vacation a success! The resort is secluded enough to escape from your everyday life, yet conveniently located and easy to get to. We offer boat launching and camper parking assistance if needed. Whether you are looking for a relaxing, peaceful retreat or a fun, active family vacation, call Holliday Landing Resort& Marina for your next vacation or getaway! The campground offers daily cabins, camping spots, and marina slips. We also offer monthly rates for the campground & the marina.

Holliday Landing Campground & Marina

COE Wappapello Lake Redman Creek Campgrounds

## Overview

Redman Creek offers a varirty of recreational opportunities for every visitor! This large park is an ideal place for just a day visit or an extended stay. Redman Creek Campground features 109 full service campsites in the Redman East and West Campground. Each campground loop has a playground and shower house, with some restroom facilites replaced in 2021. 

Enjoy the scenic view along the new paved Lake View Trail, this multi-use trail is a hiker, biker or walkers dream. Beginning at Redman East Campground, the trail connects the entire Wappapello Dam area featuring multiple trailheads with unique landscapes. 

A tennis court, basketball court, sand volleyball court and playground are available for use year-round. A family picnic or a day of grilling are easy at one of 17 picnic sites or 4 reservable group shelters. An accessible fishing pier, 4-lane boat ramp with courtesy dock and a seasonal swimming beach provide a multitude of water recreation opportunities. 

  
  
[Click here to take a virtual tour of the facilities at Wappapello Lake!](https://www.photographyoptions.net/images/wappapello/tour.html)

## Recreation

Wappapello Lake can be a boater's paradise with a string of secluded coves, islands and wooded shorelines. Hunting, fishing and kayaking are popular activities year-round. Hiking and biking on one of the Lake's 9 trail systems provides opportunities for all ages and abilities. The new accessible Shell Lake Archery Trail is a unique destination for achery enthusiasts. 

## Facilities

The day-use portion of Redman Creek includes the visitor center, four picnic shelters, basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts, horseshoe pits and more. The campground portion provides 109 full service campsites with 50-AMP electric, water and sewer hookups in addition to six non-electric boat-in island camp sites.

## Natural Features

Wappapello Lake is fed by the St. Francis River and boasts 8,400 acres on a whopping 45,000-acre expanse of public land in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. 

## Nearby Attractions

Explore the nearby Pine Ridge Nature trail, Shell Lake Archery Trail and Wappapllo Wildflower Trail and Greenhouse areas or St. Francis River. The Mingo Wildlife Refuge is approximately 11.6 miles from Redman Creek Recreation Area. The Lake Wappapello State Park is approximately 17 miles away, and the Sam A. Baker State park is 34 miles away from Redman Creek Recreation Area. 

## contact_info

Between 03/16/2022 and 11/01/2022 this location is staffed. Please call (573) 222-8233 to speak with local staff. From 01/07/2022 to 03/15/2022 this location is unstaffed. Please call (573) 222-8562 for general information.

Redman Creek Recreation Area

COE Wappapello Lake Peoples Creek Campground

USDA Forest Service

Way back off of a gravel road... There's at least two pull-offs that I've seen, I'm sure there's more. Disperse camping no facilities but it's nice back here... Fire pit... Not much company &amp; free

Beaver Lake Recreation Area

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2022 Explorer Giveaway

Nice place, well off the beaten path.

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