Sutton Bluff Recreation Area, near Salem, Missouri, is a fantastic campground that offers a blend of natural beauty and outdoor fun. With spacious sites and easy access to the crystal-clear Black River, it’s a prime location for those looking to unwind and enjoy some water activities.

The campground is known for its clean facilities and friendly atmosphere. Visitors have praised the well-kept bathrooms and the helpful campground host, who provides essentials like ice and firewood. As one camper noted, “The sites are nice and clean,” making it a comfortable place to set up camp.

For adventure seekers, Sutton Bluff is surrounded by scenic trails perfect for hiking and ATV riding. The nearby bluffs provide stunning views and a great backdrop for your camping experience. Plus, the river access is a hit for swimming and relaxing by the water, with some campers highlighting it as a “great river access area.”

While it’s a bit off the beaten path, that just adds to its charm. Just remember to stock up on supplies before you arrive, as the nearest store is a drive away. Whether you’re pitching a tent or parking your RV, Sutton Bluff Recreation Area is a welcoming spot for a memorable outdoor getaway.

## Overview

 Roomy campsites surrounded by open lawn and natural shading, cool breezes, abundant songbirds and scenic views all await visitors at the Sutton Bluff Recreation Area. The campground is a popular site for those using the nearby designated Sutton Bluff off-road vehicle trails. 
## Recreation

 A 20 mile off-road vehicle trail can be accessed from the campground. Permits are required for off-road vehicle use in the area. The Karkaghne section of the Ozark Trail, which is popular among backpackers, hikers and mountain bikers, is accessible from a trailhead less than a mile from the campground. The West Fork of Black River provides access to a serene, slow-moving mountain stream and a natural gravel beach. Visitors enjoy wading in the waters, however the current is not strong enough to enable floating the river. Anglers can enjoy a variety of bass and bluegill.
## Natural Features

 Sutton Bluff is located 13 miles outside Centerville, Missouri, on the Black River. It is nestled among a variety of short-leaf pine trees and shrubs, and a number of campsites sit alongside the West Fork of the Black River. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The small mining town of Centerville is located roughly six miles from the campground.

Sutton Bluff Recreation Area

Black, MO is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Black is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Discover great camping spots near Black, reviewed by campers like you.

Black

The Best Camping Near Black, Missouri

The Sutton Bluff Recreation area is really beautiful, surrounded by bluffs and in a really great location. We showed up on a busy weekend while hiking the Ozark Trail and decided we would hike a mile down the road to a dispersed campsite. Once you pass the road, the trail turns to the left and you'll find a campsite with a picnic table, bench, and a couple of fire pits. This was a really awesome location to camp with lots of trees for rain coverage and access to a rocky beach alongside the water source. The area is surrounded by bluffs and if you walk up the road a little and cross, you'll find a big rocky beach with beautiful bluffs and wide open sky. It rained all night and into the morning and we stayed really dry thanks to the tree coverage in the area. There was a lot of trash when we got here, so remember to pack in/pack out and try to clean up whatever is previously left there. This is a really special spot!

Beautiful location along the Ozark Trail

This is a rough hike for the views you get. Trails are a little overgrown but definitely gives the feeling of being in the wilderness.

Bell Mountain

Nice and quite

clean bathrooms very friendly staff quite and so calm love it

very clean very friendly 

This is a beautiful camp ground with electric sites right on the crystal clear Black River. The host is awesome and takes good care of the campground. You can purchase ice, firewood and ice cream from the host. Fairly small and they have bathrooms and 2 showers. Trails are nearby to ride dirt bikes and four wheelers. Great place and you can hike the bluffs, very scenic.

Sutton’s Bluff

We’ve been going to the day use area at Suttons Bluff for over 20 years and only recently he actually used the campground.
This campground is definitely off the beaten path so make sure that you have the majority of your necessities before setting up camp. The host usually has ice and firewood but other than that the nearest store is about a 30 minute drive
The sites are nice and clean and the inside loop offers electric hookups. 
This isn’t a campground that you would want to bring a large RV into. It’s mostly suited for smaller campers or tents. 
And be aware that there will definitely be more noise in this campground than the average because a lot of people that stay here also bring ATVs to use on the nearby trails. 
The time we stayed there everyone was respectful as they drove them through the campground but it is still more noise than what most might be used to. 
Overall this is a nice little campground that has a easy to access  
day use area for swimming on the black river

Off the beaten path!

I used to take groups of campers here and it was one of their favorite-!typically a quiet campground

Beautiful scenery 

https://youtu.be/kyEDrokxlK0

  

Sutton Bluff is a great campground with wonderful river access area. Nice spacious sites

LUV! GREAT RIVER ACCESS

this campground is a little gem. has a great river access.  the sites are nice and spacious

Photos of Sutton Bluff Recreation Area

Real photos from real campers