If you're looking for a place to pitch your tent near Ava, look no further. With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Ava campgrounds for you and your tent. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Ava campsites are perfect for tent campers.
Swan Creek is an 8,488 acre area that provides for year-round nonmotorized dispersed recreation use as it is a designated Semi-Primitive Nonmotorized (SPNM) Area. There are approximately 20 miles of moderately used riding, hiking, and mountain bike trails available. Swan Creek itself offers swimming, fishing, and a non-potable water supply. For more detail of the trail visit Map of the Trail System. Trail System Map (printable) and Trail System Map GEO Referenced for use with Map Apps
Drury-Mincy Conservation Area is in southern Taney County, southeast of Branson, off of Route J. The area, located in the heart of the White River glade region, was the Conservation Department's first deer refuge. The area is named for early landowner Frank Drury and the settlement of Mincy. The Commission leased the land in 1939, then purchased it in 1987. At present, the area is comprised of 5,599 acres which includes a portion of Bull Shoals Lake managed lands. By the turn of the century, deer numbers had dwindled to the point that Missouri could claim only 14 herds. One of these lived in the Drury-Mincy area. The area was purchased by a private landowner in 1929, who worked with the Department to increase deer numbers. From 1939 through 1959, Drury-Mincy deer were successfully used to restore populations statewide. The Drury-Mincy area, one of three areas that supported flocks of native wild turkeys, provided 300 turkeys for statewide restoration projects during the 1960s. Bluestem glades and post oak woodlands dominated the rolling hills. Mincy, Fox, and Bee creeks meander through stands of wild cane on their way to Bull Shoals Lake. Purple beardtongue, fringetree, and Ashe juniper are among the unusual plants found on the area.
Primitive camping is permitted in designated camping area only. Campers are limited to 14 consecutive days in a 30-day period. Groups of more than 10 campers are required to obtain a special use permit.
Noblett Lake Picnic Pavilion provides a sheltered place among forests, streams and wildlife, for groups to picnic near Noblett Lake. It is a great location for birding, canoeing and boating.
Noblett Lake is a popular location for boating, canoeing and fishing. Only electric trolling motors or non-motorized boats are allowed on the lake. Visitors enjoy the day-use picnic area and the Ridge Runner Trail, a 22-mile remote path that loops hikers through the scenic Ozark Mountains.
The pavilion offers seating for up to 75 people. If over 75 people, a special use permit is required; please contact Tray Hall at 417-967-4194. It is equipped with electricity, tables and grills. There is a vault toilet. Trash collection services are provided. There is no water available; visitors must bring their own. There is no overnight camping allowed in the day use area. Dispersed camping (no amenities provided) is allowed in area across from Noblett Trailhead (old Oak Hill camping area) and below dam (old Sycamore Loop camping area). A parking area for the pavilion and the adjacent trail is available.
The pavilion is set in a forest of oak and pine trees, on the Salem Plateau. It is near Noblett Lake and south of the town of Willow Springs.
West Plains, Willow Springs, Cabool and Mountain Grove are the closest towns.
$50 / night
$25 - $45 / night
Guide
Tent camped here with a group of private boat paddlers from all over the country. Campground operations had not really started for the season. I arrived after dark and could not find the tent campsites. Nearly drove into deep mud on gravel road past RV sites. Fortunately had just enough cell signal to access their website. Found a campground map three layers deep on reservation page and located my group.
Tent sites were well-located along the river with basic tables and fire rings. I never found the store to be open so paid camping fee at bar and cafe at entrance. Great breakfast. $25/night for tents. Grass had not been mowed and was deep in tent area. RV sites appear to be a work in progress with much erosion around the new pads and access road. What may have been a shower house had key code locks but there was never anyone to ask. Bathrooms near the entrance lacked tp in some stalls. All one afternoon and evening a group of kids with gas weed trimmers noisely worked on a slope adjacent to the RV area.
This campground should improve over time a the management appears to be developing the grounds.
Guide
This is one of the largest KOAs I've stayed at and the kampground itself is very nice. The staff were great ands check in was super quick. Also, there's a rugged little trail that goes behind the kampground. It was a great little walk for the dog and I to stretch our legs after our long drive.
The tent sites are all located at the back of the kampground around a circular pavillion. Each tent site has its own water facet, electricity, and fair internet which are somewhat redeeming for the negatives below. It's nice to have a covered picnic table and the lattice provides some privacy from the picnic tables of the other campers. Other than the traffic is very quiet in by 7:30 or so. Everyone seems respectful of each other.
The tent sites are disappointing to me. They're small, close together, and nearer to the highway than makes for a good night's sleep in a tent. That makes them kind of pricey for what you get.
I'm tent camping because I want to be distanced from other people. I put mine up as far to the side as I can go, but I'm still literally only 10 feet from the next tent. Other users mentioned grass on the sites. I haven't seen any grass around and site 5 has only stones on the tent pad. This site also has probably the worst view. It faces out toward one of the kampground roads and is in full view of the street light. The back sites seem darker.
I'd highly recommend this KOA if you're visiting Branson in a trailer or RV. The kabins also look really cute (and there are lots of them!). If I visited here again in a tent, I'd pick one of the two sites that face the woods.
Legend
After reading from some this was not equipped for tent campers I would have to beg to differ. The campground is great for those camping in a tent!!
I spoke to someone before checking it out and they were more than welcoming but did mention that the grassy spaces were a bit limited. They did however openly welcome tents!!
The ground without grass does pose a bit more of a challenge should you get one of those spaces but with proper padding it is a great location to visit. The water front is great and they do have a dock to access the water for fishing and an area for launching kayaks which is very nice.
Scout
Even though their website says they have tent camping they DO NOT
Scout
Park is clean and well run. Along the beautiful White River, trout heaven. 3 “cabins” available, these are park model RVs in permanent spots along the River. Tent sites with no hookups available, but not at rivers edge. You can put a tent on an RV spot. Programs available from park rangers. Store in campgrounds has most of what you may have forgotten. Tent sites have trees for setting a hammock, some better than others.
Ranger
Went here for a Jeep Jamboree and had a great time. There are several areas to tent camp and have great amenities as well. Toilets, showers, food, etc. The hosts are very hospitable and treat you great!
Traveler
Perfectly nice place, very friendly staff, and really not much to complain about. The wifi signal was very weak in the tent sites, but useable. There is a train that goes by occasionally, but didnt bother me. Nice little fenced dog runs, was a cute touch. But at the end of the day it is basically like all KOA’s an RV parking lot with trees. Close to Springfield which is nice, and there arent a lot of great options around this area so it was fine for a one night stay over. Bonus points for being able to get a pizza delivered to my tent site.
TravelerI went with my family to go tent camping here. Nice tent spots that are flat. Ground is somewhat hard to get spikes into and depending on the season, expect rain! The woods behind are non threatening, you don’t really have to worry about animals. Fire pits are great too.
Scout
Wonderful out of the way hidden gem! Owner is friendly and place is so very well kept! This was a last minute stay for us as our original campsite flooded. What a blessing in disguise! Ponds for fishing and swimming. On site kayaks. RV camping. Tent camping and monthly music festivals!
Traveler
Place was fine and well kept. Convenient store and pool and playground were nice. Went on a holiday weekend so I expected it to be crowded. Didnt expect such small tent sites so close together. If it isn't crowded not a big deal.
Guide
While this is mostly an RV campground there are some tent campsites that are out of the way and usually free. It is an off-roading park so be aware of the noise.
LegendMainly an RV campground with some tent sites. Camped with our camper van at site #35 along the White River. Long walk to the restroom from here. The RV sites have paved drives & offer views of the river. Most sites are small, feels crowded, although there were many unoccupied "Reserved" sites. No privacy between most sites; can easily hear conversations from neighboring sites. Table, firepit, water & electric hookups included. The restroom/shower house is clean & warm. Campground is popular with fishermen. Big Bluff hiking trail nearby; excellent trail. T-Mobile service is very good. Campground is clean & well maintained. To us, the layout of the RV sites along the river had a mobile home park feel to it. The 20 tent sites are in a wooded section away from the river. These sites appear to be spacious- more so than the RV sites.
Traveler
We loved this campground. My parents brought their camper and we tent camped. The park was beautiful, the facilities were very clean, and the people were friendly! It was nice and quiet, close to the lake, and our children loved the pool! Just a short drive to Branson or to do some mountain biking in the state park! We will be back!
GuideWe had a great time camping Memorial Day Weekend. We tent camped. The campsite was really nice and everyone was very friendly. The visitor center is awesome and the park had several activities available. We went to an owl talk and a bear talk that was very informative. We also did the lake cruise. I would highly recommend this park. This is my favorite camping spot.
GuideWe stay here 3 or 4 times a year, they have lots to offer. Bike/hiking trails, horse shoe pits, basketball court, a very large picnic area a store with thing's if you forget something, very nice bathrooms with showers. They offer tent camping area that's pretty nice, and rv camp site with Full hook ups and some with just water and electric. It's a must see, also, some site are available year round
Scout
This campground was wonderful! We needed a tent site for one night and we ended up getting a whole grove of trees to ourselves! It was a Saturday night and there was an open mic night and bbq. The atmosphere was light and fun and the people rocked! Very clean bathrooms and showers. The rates were very very affordable too! 10/10!!!
RangerI’ve camped here 2x for Jeepstock in September. Brandon, the owners closes the park for the event but it’s still maxes the facilities capacity. The tent camping is questionable, but lots of great electric sites. Generator camping is far away from everyone else so that’s nice.
There’s limited bathrooms and showers but I think that’s going to change soon with additions to the grounds. Nice new cabins are being added yearly. If you ha e a chance to visit SMORR, I would recommend it!
Traveler
I grew up around here so I return often. The trout fishing can't be beat. This campground is right on the banks of the White River. I tent camped. There is a nice large pavilion with picnic tables as well as really clean shower and toilets.
The owners were a delight to get to know and can rent canoes or even get you a fishing guide.
It is near a bridge so the first night we could hear the traffic but by the next day it became like background noise.
My highlight was the way the fog rolls in at night and disappears in the morning. It was so pretty over the river. Wish I had gotten a picture.
GuidePROS- First the floating was excellent on the northfolk River. Great wildlife along the way including cranes, turtles, ducks, fish. Fantastic on site restaurant with bar and grill that has Saturday karaoke and Friday live bands. The best showers with privacy and cleanliness. Has extras on site like cornhole, basketball, Foosball, and a pool table. The campsites were large. The tent sites were shady and grassy with even ground and near the river. CONS- The RV sites have zero shade and very little grass so it's mostly clay mud on the ground, which would have been fine but since it rained it made a giant mud soup mess. The cost is higher than the recreation government sites online for camping.
Guide
I have been floating on the James River many times. Always a great experience on the river.
Campsite PROS- Very large grassy sites for tent camping with RV sites also available. On site general store for various floating items, alcohol, food etc
Campsite CONS- VERY STRICT camping rules when camping with minors... We were all well over the age of 21 ( 30 years old +) with the exception of my brother who was 20 at the time. He was DENIED an overnight site due to his age and the alcohol sold on the premises. Even with my father present . Also their shower/ bath room is poorly maintained and always dirty. They have one bath and toilet for men and one for women for the entire campground, which has well over 40 sites. They are unorganized when it comes to drop offs and pick ups and could use more staff to help get on and off the river for floating.
TravelerThis campground offers RV camping with full hookups or tent camping. The RV sites are a little small and close to each other, and you can tell some people are long time campers. That being said, it’s a very nice area by the river with lots of fishing, floating, and swimming opportunities. A few things to keep in mind-if it’s been raining a lot it does tend to get muddy, we don’t have 4WD and got stuck, luckily some others there did and helped us out. Once it dried up it was no problem. (It had been over for over a week, so it was out of the norm) The exit to get out is a hill with gravel so again not having 4WD that was a little tricky, the visibility is also not great because of curves so you just have to hope people aren’t going too fast. The last thing is this place is also a canoe rental so there are vans/buses with canoes going back and forth all day so it can be noisy.
Traveler
My family stayed in the African Treehouse Lodge. It was a great weekend getaway. The kids loved that the upstairs was up a ladder and running across the swinging rope bridge. The playground has a zipline that all the kiddos had a blast using. We were able to "rent" for free a couple of movies from the office and the staff was really friendly and helpful. The trails made for a good afternoon family walk. Some trails were more cleared out than other but the variety is a plus in my book. They are not overly long trails but still very enjoyable. They have plenty of RV sites and some cabins and treehouses. Me and my wife will be coming back to one of the couples only treehouses for sure! There are not a lot of tent sites and they are all in one crowded area with little seclusion or cover but this place is clearly more geared to the RV's and Cabin getaways. Would be great for family reunions or family trips to the Branson area.
Legend
When it comes to this location I liked the overall spacing of sites and the shaded tent area. This was so appealing when I pulled in. At first I had eyed just a site by the water but when I saw these they were a bit further away but seemed to be just what I was looking for in the midst of the heat.
Many people come to this area to put a kayak in the water and enjoy, and while I wanted to do that it seemed a bit crowded for my liking as a novice. You wouldn't expect that from the water but I get turned around easily and I didn't want to be out there in the way. Instead I enjoyed the other activities and just being at camp itself.
A bit more about the options for water recreation. They do have rentals and a shuttle service to accommodate you returning following a paddle, that seemed very reasonably priced.
Camp was very nice with lush green grass, access to fire rings and picnic tables. It wasn't to loud although you could hear the sounds of campers around you pretty easily.
They also had cabin options here, I didn't explore them this time around but they looked nice and the placement wasn't to close to one another. The RV area was well spaced and had great areas for leveling out with ease, shade coverings for the exposed sites and similar amenities to the tent camping.
LegendThis was a surprisingly nice campground for being situated right in Branson, MO and operated by Silver Dollar City, whose primary business is the theme park. The area is fairly wooded, providing more privacy between the sites. There are many amenities, including laundry, shower, wifi in the main building, a game room with television and comfy couches, pool, market, playground, and a shuttle to Silver Dollar City park. The campground organizes some special events in the main game room, such as the breakfast for Father's Day that we experienced. The staff is super friendly and very helpful. My daughter's roller coaster birthday plans were rained out, and the staff helped us find other indoor adventures. FYI: If looking for adventure in Branson, we really enjoyed Fritz's Adventure--check it out!
As part of a special weekend, we opted to stay in the Pioneer Cabin instead of our usual tent. This cabin was surprisingly isolated, while still be right next to the bathrooms. We enjoyed our little bit of the Ozark, and the kids got acquainted with the abundant fireflies. The other cabins were not quite so private--to be fair.
The RV sites were not as crammed as they are in many private campgrounds. I wouldn't call them spacious, or private either. The tent sites do not seem to offer much privacy, but can be a good place to hang one's for a night. After all, this is in Branson, and there is so much to do outside of a tent to worry much about the details.
Legend
Family style theme campgrounds are always fun. Not really so much about the hiking and outdoors as many other camps in the area but the amenities and attraction of the campgrounds are usually the selling point.
I have seen many Jellystone Parks in the past, and I will say this one is a bit less themed than others. However what it lacks in theming it does make up for in charm as the cast and staff are extra friendly and involved. They ensure that children have interactions with Yogi and that there are plenty of fun activities for the entire family to enjoy!!
They host daily activity times for foam parties, scavenger hunts, interactions and crafts which is really fun and makes for a great family style outing especially for the younger kiddos. Additionally they have a splash pad, swimming pool, hiking areas which are a bit less challenging, playground and ranger station.
Though they do have an all inclusive style approach to entertainment they also have show tickets available for purchase for venturing into Branson itself, a great touch for additional entertainment as there are many things the entire family will enjoy.
Tent camping along with RV camping and Cabins is available but something unique to the park is the RV rental service where you can rent an RV to stay in, something not to many parks in Branson offer.
When I visited the park, some of the amenities and special attractions were currently closed due to the conditions going on in the world, but they still made sure to make it an exciting experience for all staying there.
LegendThis campground is one that is hands above the rest when it comes to upgrades and amenities. With that said it also is a bit higher in price point so when it comes to finding something in the area it is best to ask if you want or need the additional luxuries.
Much like other KOA parks this one offers group activity spaces. A pool, playground, outdoor bbq area, group pavilions and an indoor gathering space are wonderful when available. However when we visited due to the slow roll out of openings due to the things going on in the world, these features were not available.
So then it comes to looking at the more standard and basic services. There are campion options for all styles of camping including tent, RV and cabin campers. The RV areas are the majority of the space however ai was impressed by how many cabins and the size range of cabins they had on site.
Tent camping is located toward the back of the property and was a bit lacking however the space provided was nice for spreading out and still having some covered areas for cooking and dining. There is a shared pavilion/kitchen shelter in this area which offers water and electricity. The tent pad areas are grassy and well maintained.
All visitors have access to fire rings and picnic tables at their sites and trash pick up service is available daily.
KOA offers those who can connect high speed WIFI and cable. As a tent camper the WiFi is great even though I can’t use the other. This helps me to find the best attractions in the area quickly and both upload or download content. The overall cell signal here wasn’t bad though so it just was an added boost bonus!!
This campground has a small store area but is also located very close to the main areas of town for more complete shopping needs. They also have both a dump station and propane for those needing to fill or empty.
I noticed that since they are close to the lake they had an option to rent a pontoon here as well, something I hadn’t seen at other parks in the area. This boat can be towed from the park to the lake and is equipped with a truck to pull it!!
This campground has thought of pretty much everything!!!
Legend
Looking for a great place to park your boat but still be able to enjoy the benefits of Branson views?? This campground is one which is the best of both worlds as its quick and easy access to Table Rock and the downtown corridor is just a short distance in either direction. While this is a mainly RV location they do allow tent camping with plenty of amenities.
The sites are spaced well throughout the mountainside and are built up to accommodate larger and smaller rigs without the need of massive amounts of leveling in many of the locations. The sites are large enough to allow you to park and still have space to move around to enjoy the picnic tables and fire rings offered at each of the locations.
The common spaces offered include view points, boat parking areas and pavilions. In addition there are common restrooms available mid camp.
The location has beautiful shade trees which create a comfortable temperature even on the hottest of summer days and provide a bit of cover from the more aggressive rains which occur in this area from time to time. This location does allow pets and you will often find people enjoying the common decks alongside their furry friends as they overlook the views of the city in the evening.
On the property there is a nice pool and recreation area in addition to something a bit out of the ordinary, zip lines. This is the home of some pretty impressive lines which depart from the parking area of the main office and facility and allow you to see Branson through the canopies which surround it. The zip lines are not included in your initial price of stay however are comparable to other pricing in the area for similar activities.
If you choose to visit this park you have access to laundry and picnic areas as well. The space is filled with fun but provides a comfortable base camp for activities beyond the campground itself. Keep up to date with the goings on of Branson with Direct TV and local channels upgraded WIFI.
Tent camping near Ava, Missouri offers a serene escape into nature, with a variety of well-reviewed campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ava, MO is Rippee Conservation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.
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