Searching for the best camping near Benton, MO? Benton is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
"Sites are only a few miles from our house, we use it to test out new gear (hammocks)
General Watkins has a good amount of ponds (great fishing) and has a few good walking/ small hiking trails."
"There are a couple of loop trails and we walked one of them. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon. The locals use the area for fishing and walking and it was somewhat busy in the afternoon."
"The facility allotted pets, sewer, water, and electric hook up. If had a few mature trees but mainly a place to catch-up before heading off again."
"Our only hiccup was we passed it first time driving by so look closely for the entrance. Veterans discount. We would 100% stay again if we needed to."
"Lake is more of a swamp with cypress trees, very pretty. Showers dated but clean. They are multiple stalls.
Of note, there is not much around in the way of stores."
"Due to the pandemic, only one host has volunteered for Trail of Tears."
"PRO
Senior discount saving $6
Able to reserve on-line 365 days prior to arriving
Very friendly and helpful camp host
Unobstructed view of the Mississippi River
Great dark sky viewing
No highway"
"There are only two camp site at this location and they are very close to each other. The camp sites are also very narrow."
$40 / night
"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)."
"Water park close by (5 minute drive) that was great for the kids on a hot day. Camping spots was all nice and level. looked like all the spots was full hook ups."
"There is a big grassy area in the middle of the loop of wanting to play games and run around."
"There was a public paved walking trail along the back of the CG, which was very nice to walk the dogs. There was also a 2 acre fishing pond for CG residents to use."
$45 / night
"They also have a dog park area."
RangerReal nice RV park orientated toward rigs of all sizes. Easy to navigate the roads, with every site level concrete. ATT & Verizon both worked fine. Wifi & cable included in the price. 10% discount for Good Sam, military & seniors. Right off a hiway (W) and a bit noisey, but all in all a nice park, especially for a night over. Sites are reasonably spaced, many with large trees. Not real far off 55. Would stay here again for a nioght ofer and even an extra night. They also have a dog park area.
ScoutThe older man in the office was kind and helpful. The facility allotted pets, sewer, water, and electric hook up. If had a few mature trees but mainly a place to catch-up before heading off again.
GuideReally nice place on the castor river. The owner was a nice guy and very helpful with whatever we needed. I love the castor river. The water feels good and is clear. The castor river ranch campground in Marquand Missouri is a nice lil campground. There aren’t many people that knows about it so there isn’t hardly any campers there so we had a whole Big area to ourselves. The river is right next to the camps. The bathroom is a single person bathroom but it was really nice and air conditioned and has a stand up shower with wood walls and tile floor. There was never a wait for the bathroom it was always open. There’s also showers on the outside of the bathroom for spraying off after you get out of the river. Each camp has its own water spicket for dishes or whatever. They are very pet friendly there. The owner guy was super nice. The only complaint I have is that there is no trash service there so you have to take your trash with you but there is a winery down the road that lets you use their dumpster for $5. I also recommend eating at the winery. They have the best food, amazing people and great service. All around awesome experience with the campground and winery. The castor river shut ins is only 27 minutes from the camp so I definitely recommend going there too. It’s beautiful to see and the water is amazing. The owner of the camp will also give you a ride up river to float back down to your camp for free just bring your own tube or whatever. There is electric sites. Rv or tent camping.
GuideMaybe it's because I am from WI and we tend to rip on IL a lot, but I really found this park sub-par. I am also spoiled from getting to see some of the larger parks in the country. Would probably be nice for a long weekend with the kids. But I don't have kids. It's more of a touristy place than a real campground in my opinion. If you are in the area check out the view of Tower Rock. There are a lot of campsites available for both tent and RV, and they do offer grills, tables, camp fire pits, toilets, and a playground. Pets are welcome. Part of a foundation of an old house built on a rock is still around and is a neat part of history.
LegendReading the reviews on several review websites, we decided to give Little Ole Opry a try as our last overnighter on our way back to our home base near St. Louis. We arrived about 3:00 PM. We used our RV GPS that took us through Jackson, MO(that has many stop lights) right to the address that turns directly into the campground(CG) off Hwy 34. We had talked to the camp host earlier and she told us to go on in and pick a spot and she would be by later to collect our$15. We pulled into one of the better defined gravel sites(#3) closer to the entrance. However, when we tried to put down our MoRryde steps they sat wonky on the wood site trim plus recent rain made us nervous about putting our levelers down and sinking. About that time the camp host(assume owner) pulled in and suggested we move farther down to site 8 that was pretty much grass and dirt but firmer. Even though we were overnighting, we wanted to back up to the little lake and have a picnic table. There is a tree line that runs behind the lake view sites and the other sites across their gravel road and so, at least in a tall 5th wheel, you cannot get very close to utilities, which are all at the back of the site, due to branches from the trees. Our electric cord reel is mid-rig so I knew I was going to need my extension cord to get to the electric box that has two 30 AMP plugs. I also needed 20’ of sewer hose and 35’ of water hose. The water pressure was very good at around 60 psi but you share a spigot with an adjacent site. The sites are fairly level but in need of gravel and grooming. In general, the CG needed grooming but we’d give them a pass as it had been raining and was late April. They were mowing the morning we departed. We got quite a few OTA channels and usable 2 bars on Verizon. The views, especially sunset and sunrise, were very nice. And there was a path around the lake to walk the dogs. We didn’t use their small shower house/restroom, but it did look clean. There’s also a pavilion and small dock for viewing or fishing. We imagine the place gets busy with campers during the summer. Overall, we had a positive experience, but even at $15 a night, we would not spend the time and hassle traveling in from I55 for an overnighter.
RangerWorth the trip up from US 60 if you’re driving E/W, standard MSP rates and setup. There’s a campground on the lake and and a campground up on the ridge. We’ve stayed on the ridge twice, and on a weeknight or any night in the off season, you can nearly have the place to yourself. On a Monday in July, I counted 2 other campers in the ridge campground.
Close to several trails, and obviously the lake, for my Bootheel and Bootheel adjacent friends, this is a great spot close at hand.
For folks from away, look, from April to September, you’re gonna want electric so you can run AC (or at least a fan), Missouri humidity is not a joke.
LegendWe’d seen signs for Shawnee Forest Campground (CG) many times as we headed out and back from our St. Louis home base and wanted to check this CG out. We followed our GPS to the clearly marked CG entrance but our GPS showed we still had about a half mile to go. We checked in at the little office and were given the choice of pull through sites with FHUs 12 or 21. We chose site 21. The gravel roads are slightly narrow with some trees but we did not have any issues getting to site 21. The water and electric(50/30/20 AMP) are at the back of the gravel pad. There are two sewer hookups, which was nice. The water pressure was good around 50 psi. Their WiFi was very good. There are mature trees here and there in the CG, so satellite should not be an issue. We got two bars on Verizon. Each of the bath houses have a washer and dryer. Our site was not level and with all the rain we had, there were water puddles at the steps. There are some nice sites in this CG but we were not offered one of the better ones even though there were plenty of sites open in the upper 26- 50 site area. If we come back, we’ll know where to ask for a site. They have a small lake and two ponds for fishing. There's no formal dog area, but there are paved trails around the large CG area, which made it nice to walk our dogs.
GuideThis was a 1 night stay, just passing through. Glad we found this gem. Mid week in October, so the campground was 1/4 full. Our site was just steps away from the beautiful lake. Water, power and nicely shaded. Sparkling clean bathrooms and showers (with heat lamps!). Took a short drive to the Wildlife Refuge. Quick walk to the Blue Bank Fish House for a great dinner. Would stay here again.
ScoutGood campground not much for kids has a out dated swing set not in great shape that’s the only reason for not 5 stars. Shade was adequate lot of permeant and monthly spots. Water park close by (5 minute drive) that was great for the kids on a hot day. Camping spots was all nice and level. looked like all the spots was full hook ups. Had a nice fenced in area for dogs to run and play at. Some of the nicest shower houses I have seen in my travels so far…
If you're looking for pet-friendly camping options near Benton, Missouri, there are several great spots where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Benton, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Benton, MO is General Watkins Conservation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Benton, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 69 dog-friendly camping locations near Benton, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
