Metropolis, IL is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Metropolis is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Metropolis, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
The Art Farm Women’s Retreat
15 min away
Dutchman Lake Camp
28 min away
$45 - $65 / night
"Birdsville Riverside RV Park has a great setup for RVers looking to enjoy the area without being on top of their neighbors. Check them out and share some pics of your stay on the Dyrt!"
$49 / night
"Mostly seasonal and permanent with a few spots for weekly and overnight. All sites are level, gravel with concrete patios and fire rings. The staff makes you feel like a friend immediately."
"Most sites here are occupied by full time residents with very impressive setups."
"Convenient to I -24"
"Like the lake and outdoor commons area"
"Duck Creek is adorable, easy to find and every site is pull-through. The staff is great, campground is very clean. Sites next to the Hwy are a little loud but all in all, we definitely recommend!!"
$38 - $43 / night
"The campground(CG) was easy to find off I-24, but we did as the pre-check-in email stated and took exit 45, NOT exit 40 as the RV GPS wanted."
"We can’t say enough great things about Outback RV Resort in Eddyville, KY."
"Angie met us and we were escorted to pull through site 25 with water and electric(50/30/20 AMP). This pull through is a large half moon."
"Personally I enjoy being able to hike and ride a bike which is limited here. There is a nice swimming beach and beautiful views."
$25 - $45 / night
"The facilities are great, but you can tell it is a very new campground by the lack of mature trees for shade. Fortunately, we were not at camp during the heat of the day."
$45 - $65 / night
"This little gem is off the beaten path but well worth it! Super nice owner, very clean small park without a lot of extra frills. All open sites waterfront, 30 or 50 amp, sewer and water hookups."
"Sites alternated pull in and back in sharing water and electric pedestals. Lots of space on door side of TT. Trash picked up daily from end of the site."
"Nice level sites, friendly staff. We had some issues and needed an extra day last minute and we're able to stay on until things got fixed. Plenty of things close in the area."
"The park also has cable tv. Easy access off the highway. I highly recommend."
Scout🌳 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!
LegendThis 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.
TravelerRiverview campground is a clean, quiet, family friendly campground. It overlooks the Ohio River and provides amazing views at sunset. The stargazing is also great. There are 30 amp and 50 amp sites with water, and a dump station is on site. Firewood is also provided. This was the perfect place to spend the weekend!
LegendEddy creek RV park is very well kept, clean, and somewhat secluded on Lake Barkley. Only open from April through Oct, the RV camp area is behind a code locked gate, which helps to keep the park private. There is a dump station, laundry facility, bath house , propane available and Echo Charlie's restaurant that serves typical American food that includes large servings! I didn't see any tent sites, only RV sites, most with newer looking decks, level sites, electric and water hookup to each site. The beach is private, the pool is private, everything is within walking distance, but most people were using golf carts, as it is a good distance from the RV area to the restaurant or the pool. Bicycling would also be ideal, most areas are paved or at least compacted gravel.
GuideThe sites are very small but spread out. Our 35 ft class a barely fit. They do show length limits for sites and they definitely max limit. There is electric (30 amp) and water at the site but it was 75 ft from my sites. Extensions are needed. The staff is friendly and the roads are paved but there are signs directing where to go. Great bathrooms and plentiful. Also coin operated laundry. Fairly close to the freeway.
ScoutThe best part of this campground is the beautiful rustic old timey feel. There are updated modern bathhouses dispersed throughout. The camp store is well stocked. There is a very nice boat ramp and several boat parking areas. “T” area is our favorite with full hookups and beautiful pine trees. A premier and amazing mountain bike trail system is accessible directly from campground!! The Canal Loop Trail and North South Trails are well known and revered by area mountain bikers and hikers. No WiFi or internet service. Cell signal in prior years have been spotty. Very family friendly and lots of kids riding bikes and playing everywhere!
LegendCanal 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+
GuideThe campground sits on three level overlooking Lake Barkly. There are only 5 pull-thru sites with full hookups on wide open ground, no shade. There are 16 water and electric sites. The 150+ sites are long term rental properties. There is a swimming pool, play ground, boat ramp, and game room. Dump site at entrance. More a retirement community than a RV camp.
ScoutWell kept campground offering a more basic camping experience as compared to the larger campgrounds at LBL. Gravel pads with concrete picnic tables and fire rings. Be mindful when picking a site that some of the fire rings are damaged, some are the older short (12" tall tops) style and still others are brand new and have the adjustable cooking grate.
The actual gravel pads that we saw were for the most part in good shape. One or two sites suffered a bit from heavy wash running across them and rutting or washing gravel off the pads.
About half the sites are on the left hand side when you drive in and you can pick from sites tucked back in the woods a bit or sites nearer the water. Farther into the campground the road passes the vault toilet and boat ramp and goes uphill to higher up sites still. Sites in the woods with a longer walk to the lake but potentially better views and breezes.
We found that campers here did not limit themselves to staying on the defined tent pads. They would park on the pads and set up tents around the true camp site. Not a super big deal but it made getting down to the water a little awkward because you had to walk a little too close to someone else's tent for my liking.
The Forest Service could stand to go in and add some of the timber framing or bigger rip-rap bordering around the sites and maybe a splash of the smaller sized gravel to help level out the pads. You do need watch to make sure you get a level site.
If there are say 30 sites here, only about 15 were occupied over Labor Day weekend. Way less than what we expected for a holiday but it was exactly what we were hoping for, avoid the crowds at the larger, more amenity-filled campgrounds.
Last thing regarding the lake. The back end of Redd Hollow is shallow. Nice place to wade for kids. However, when they start pulling the lake down what were water access sites become gravel and mud bar access sites. In the dead middle of the summer the back end of the cove is probably full of water. Early spring and late summer early fall it is not. I suspect you can use the boat ramp year round though.
RV camping near Metropolis, Illinois offers a variety of well-reviewed campgrounds that cater to different needs, from family-friendly spots to serene retreats by the water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular RV campsite near Metropolis, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Metropolis, IL is Birdsville Riverside RV Park with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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