Best RV Parks & Resorts near Karnak, IL

🌳 Highlights

Welcome & Hospitality Newly opened in October 2020 and family-run by Rick & Glenda Wilson, guests often highlight their warm, friendly service . One reviewer said:

> “Owners and staff all super friendly, engaging and kind.”

Campground Quality Features include full hookups (30/50 amp, water, sewer), gravel pull-through sites for big rigs (up to ~43 ft), free WiFi, dump station, propane fill, fire pits, picnic tables, laundry, and a shower house .

On‑site Country Store & Deli A notable perk is the store with fresh deli items and daily lunch specials—particularly Friday catfish dinners—plus occasional breakfast on Saturdays .

⭐ Guest Reviews Snapshot

Mick & Karla (30 Mar 2025)

Booked same-day, chose pull-through site, enjoyed 40 psi water, decent WiFi/cell service.

Friendly staff and solid amenities, though gravel/dirt sites got dusty or muddy depending on weather.

Road noise from nearby I‑57 noted. Felt $40/night was a bit high.

CatTrailzz (24 Jul 2024)

Quiet despite being near the freeway. Loves the deli (noting salads and pulled pork).

Clean facilities, new shower room.

Plans to stay again.

QueenMartell (16 Mar 2024)

Friendly check-in, excellent service.

Accommodated a 43 ft fifth wheel with ease.

Highly recommends, loves the Friday catfish.

Other reviewers (Kitty, Kyla D, Tergeo)

Consistently mention friendly owners, clean/gravel sites, good common areas, and a strong likelihood to return .

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros 👎 Cons

Warm, personal service Sites are gravel/dirt—can be dusty or muddy Full hookups and big‑rig friendly Road noise from I‑57 On-site deli with fresh food & catfish dinners Wi-Fi and cell coverage are serviceable but not exceptional Clean shower/laundry facilities Price (~$39–40/night) might be a bit high for basic amenities

Summary

Magnolia Campground is a great overnight or short-term stop if you’re looking for friendly hospitality, solid basic RV hookups, and the novelty of a country store with good food in southeast Missouri. It’s particularly suited for large RVs, travelers who enjoy a welcoming vibe, and those who appreciate a Friday catfish dinner. It’s not a destination resort, so if you're seeking plush amenities or a quiet nature getaway, plan accordingly.

Bottom Line

If you're rolling through with an RV and want a hassle-free, friendly, quick stay with full hookups and good food, Magnolia is a solid choice. For longer stays, be prepared for gravel underfoot and some road noise—but clean facilities and warm hosts might still make it worth it.

If you'd like help booking, directions, or comparisons to nearby campgrounds, just let me know!

This review is based on a short stay rather than a destination campground (CG) experience. We found this CG while looking for options near Sikeston, MO, and decided to try it based on positive online reviews. Booking was easy with a same-day reservation, and we received an email with directions, the WiFi password, and instructions to pick any site between 8 and 13, designated for big rigs and short-term stays, as most of the other sites were occupied by longer-term residents. We chose pull-through site #11 with full hookups (FHU) due to its convenient angle. All of the sites, including the shorter back-ins, offer FHU. Our site accommodated our 40’ fifth wheel and F450 truck comfortably, with centrally located utilities and 40 psi water pressure. The WiFi was sufficient for checking emails and general browsing, while cell service was limited to 1 bar on Verizon and 3 bars on T-Mobile. With few trees, satellite reception wouldn’t be an issue. During our stay, we were the only short-term guests. Some sites had picnic tables and fire pits, and while ours did not, we could have moved them if desired. The CG has a nice shower house and laundry facility, but the real draw is the country store, which operates more like a restaurant. The owner and staff were exceptionally friendly, and the food was good. The sites are pretty much gravel and dirt. At $40 per night, the price felt a bit high for the amenities offered. We were there during dusty conditions, and friends came through a week later in the rain, and the CG was muddy. Along with the country store with a restaurant, there’s a dump station, plus they sell ice and propane. Being located along a frontage road off I-57, road noise was noticeable. Overall, we had a pleasant overnight stay and appreciated their hospitality.

Canal Recreation Area is right by Grand Rivers, Ky and Patti's Settlement. That right there is enough said as far as outdoor activities go. Then you have Canal Rec Area that just adds too the vacation.

Book early because the best sites stay full, but really they are all pretty good sites. The different areas cover just about anything you are looking for in a site from big rig pull through sites, tiered tent sites, water and beach access sites and boat ramp sites.

There is a trail within the campground to walk, a day use area, newer showerhouse/laundry facilities and dump stations. The area is large enough to jog, bike and golf cart. If your not interested in the nearby entertainment there is enough to do right on site to keep you occupied for your entire vacation be it a day or a week+

We stopped here overnight twice because it was close to the highway and had pull-through sites to accommodate our 43’ fifth wheel. We were pleasantly surprised by how nice it was, and you couldn’t even hear the Highway. Our sites both times were in the gravel pull-through area, which seems to be intended for short stays. Even though we were close to the neighbors the sites are angled, so we had a beautiful view of a grassy area with trees out our living room windows. The longer stay sites had gravel and then grass in between the sites, and views of a lake. Very serene, pretty and clean campground.

Paid $35 per night for 2 nights after our Passport America discount. Not sure it would have been worth the full price. Full hookups. 50amp, water (55psi), and sewer. Cell coverage for AT&T and Verizon were both adequate to stream and work. The check-in process was a bit slow. We kinda expected that since it took us a dozen calls just to get someone to pick up the phone to make a reservation. We were first in line at check-in and spent at least 10 minutes going over all sorts of rules and information. Luckily we showed up at 3:05pm because they charge $25 for "early check-in" any time before 3pm. We're full-time RVers and have stayed at nearly 140 campgrounds and that's the first time we've seen something before 3pm called "early" and that's a pretty steep price for check-in. Our entire section of the campground was empty. Our neighbors actually showed up at 2pm and opted to wait an hour in the parking lot to go to their un-occupied site rather than paying $25. But besides the check-in, the campground was beautiful. Plenty of tree cover. The roads are paved and easy to navigate. Many of the amenities are closed for covid but there were still people riding around on their bikes. Definitely a bike-centric park with trails and bike paths around. It's not located next door to Traverse City but it's not far to get to most things. We camped at Timber Ridge Campground & Recreation Resort in a Fifth Wheel.