Top Tent Camping near Benton, MO
Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Benton? The Dyrt can help you find the best tent campsites for your next trip. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Best Tent Sites Near Benton, MO (18)
1. Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
16 Reviews•47 Photos•9 SavesTurkey Ridge is for campers who want a serene outdoor experience. It is a Class C walk-in campground that includes camp pads, picnic tables, cooking grills and showers. Drinking water and toilets are located near the parking lots.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Trash
$18 / night
2. Lake Girardeau Conservation Area
2 Reviews•11 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
3. Willow Springs Campground
1 Review•4 Photos•2 SavesPrivate property sunken into the Shawnee National Forest.
- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Trash
- Firewood Available
- Showers
$20 - $125 / night
4. Whippoorwill Lake Campground Resort
1 Review•2 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
5. Fishing Pier
3 Reviews•7 Saves- Tents
- Toilets
6. Apple Creek Conservation Area
1 Review•1 SaveApple Creek Conservation Area is located in northeast Cape Girardeau County, three miles east of New Wells on Route CC. The Missouri Department of Conservation created Apple Creek Conservation Area in 1986 with the purchase of 2,100 acres from several landowners. Steep hills and narrow valleys characterize this area, and approximately 2.5 miles of Apple Creek stream frontage forms its northern border. The Conservation Department has created watering ponds and planted food plots and agricultural crops within the forest to provide additional food sources for wildlife.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Equestrian
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Trash
7. Backpack Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
3 Reviews•10 Photos•2 SavesBackpackers enjoying their commune with nature will appreciate the solitude of the individual campsites in the Class C Backpack campground. Located a half-mile from the Turkey Ridge primitive campground parking lot, these woodland sites have cooking grills, toilets and showers. Water and trash receptacles are available at the Turkey Ridge parking lot. You're reminded to be careful with your fires and to pack out what you pack in.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Trash
- Drinking Water
8. Dutchman Lake Camp
3 Reviews•6 Photos•44 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Dispersed
9. Mandolin Grove
1 Review- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Tent Cabin
10. Wanderers End Sanctuary Forest Farm
1 Review•69 Photos•1 SaveThis is also a Silvopasture Forest Farm so expect rewilded critters scampering around. All pets must be leashed at all times. All children are to be instructed to never chase a critter. We'd love to invite them to our daily feeding time to offer them a chance to get closer. They may even see Stormy, our rewilded bunny.
We only have one outhouse in the woods next to tent campgrounds about 100 meters away so if you can, bring your own buckets with toilet seat lids theyre cheap and we have a hungry methane digester you can dump it in. We need volunteers to help us build a bigger bathroom and bathhouse. Let us know if you wanna help. We are just starting out so there are a few construction sites with materials we are using to build with to recycle into other needed raw materials. So our apologies for the mess, but it really is us having an abundance of building materials and not enough people to help us build. If you wanna help Check out our EcoJunk Division :)
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
$35 - $50 / night
Showing results 1-10 of 18 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews In Benton
310 Reviews of 18 Benton Campgrounds
GB N.
ScoutDD Hwy Campground
October tent camping
Tent camping back away from the RVs & we were the only people. Gorgeous river to view just a few steps away & the night sky view was fantastic. LOVED the bathroom & shower facilities!
- JJohn R.
Legend
Asher Creek Campground — Lake Wappapello State Park
Small campground with large sites.
Beautiful small campground with large sites. Restroom was emaculate. Clean park with a boat launch. Electric only spots and dispersed. Water and dump are on site.
- PPatricia S.
Traveler
General Watkins Conservation Area
Maybe not a travel destination, but certainly a good waypoint.
We opted for this site on our way west as a stopover because it was free and not a parking lot. 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. A couple of guys fished at night until about nine. There was only one other couple camping. Very quiet and peaceful. There was a portable toilet but we didn't investigate.
The cool thing was that the loop trail was forested by hundreds of paw paw trees. It must have been just past the season and we saw only a couple of decaying ones, but the entire trail smelled of apple cider vinegar and was quite pleasant.
If you consider this waypoint, two things:
1. The last mile is good, but very dusty, gravel road.
2. No cell coverage in the parking lot for T-Mobile, some coverage on loop trail.
Jonathan H.Scout
Dutchman Lake Camp
Weeke d at the lake
Great little spot right off the interstate. Lots of nice scenery and decent fishing.
CeciliaScoutPine Hills
Very nice
Very quiet and secluded. Campsites are roomy and some firewood is supplied.
- JJohn R.Legend
Trail Of Tears State Park
Train Lovers.
Large park with not many large RV sites. Lots of tent and dispersed camping. Disappointing store. Equestrian area. Beach and boat launch.
Scott B.
Ranger
Hilltop Campground
Nice stop
Stopped here for the night driving through the area. Nice campground, clean, safe, and right off the interstate.
- JJames W.Traveler
Asher Creek Campground — Lake Wappapello State Park
Quiet by the lake
Tent camped here during the week in June and the campground was only about 1/3 full. Quiet and the restrooms and showers were very clean.
- EEric W.Scout
Shawnee Forest Campground
Great place to camp!
We stayed 4 days and had a great time. The camp was clean and well maintained. The staff are very friendly and helpful and was more than happy to offer places to visit in the area, places to eat and provide assistance as needed. The trails are paved so we had a nice area to walk (twice around the lake from our site was 3 miles). :) We plan to visit again!
Matthew Z.TravelerDutchman Lake Camp
Road trip break
Beautiful spot with easy access and not far off the highway
Brian F.ScoutShawnee Forest Campground
Great and clean!
Great little stop, everything is clean and a fresh shower was refreshing.
Bonnie M.
Guide
Wanderers End Sanctuary Forest Farm
So happy we found them such a fun place
We had so much fun playing in the creek learning about as Aztec and their gardening methods. Very adorable , baby goats and baby chicks that were just all over and loving living. ❤️ My family and friends found out that I was going there and she was more than happy to help us be accommodated for so many people. I kept adding and she was like no problem. Thank you so much for making it easy and affordable. We will definitely be back to visit. I feel that we have actually found some true lifelong friends. Thank you Ivy
- Bonnie M.Guide
Castor River Campground
Sketchy crowd of long term residents
Way to crowded tiny sites
- FFrank G.Traveler
Sulphur Springs Dispersed
Beautiful River site for parking or dispersed
We stopped here chasing the 2024 eclipse. Easy to find. No cost. About 20 parking spaces, a vault toilet, and a boat launch. Open for solar panels, but tree cover around the lot. Only about 5 parking spaces are not on a slant. Places in the trees for tents. Absolutely beautiful views up and down the river. A single fire pit on the river’s edge. No road noise to speak of because it is way in the distance and rare at night. Fireflies and owls into the night. Mist on the water in the morning: just beautiful. T mobile service has 3 of 4 bars. There is no apparent Verizon service.
- MMARY K.Ranger
Fern Lake Campground and RV Park
Friendly, well kept, just off I24
This is a convenient and pleasant campground, just off exit 3 on I24 in Paducah. The staff was friendly and walked us to our site and showed us the hookups. He gave us a lovely spot in the shade by the little lake. Have not used the showers yet so can't comment on that. We stayed on a Sunday night. The park was about half full. Seems to be a nice quiet family place.
They are across the street from a Mexican restaurant. There is a liquor store next door. Other businesses nearby.
Noise from the nearby traffic may bother some, but we didn't mind it and it was not loud enough to hear inside our RV.
It is a good place for us to stop on our way from MN to visit friends in FL. Also convenient for visiting the National Quilting Museum. We will stop here again.
- JJ A.Guide
Dutchman Lake Camp
Beautiful Verizon works well
Beautiful little spots as you come in. Quiet and easy to get too.
Tonya B.GuideShawnee Forest Campground
Great Place!
Stayed here on the way to and from Florida (home in Minnesota). Very nice campground. Well maintained, big sites for our 40ft fifth wheel, great sunrise/sunset views, and the bathrooms are very clean and well lite. The gentleman/host that greeted us at the office upon arrival was polite and helpful. Will definitely stay again!
Jake C.Legend
Willow Springs Campground
New to the Dyrt!
Jake from the Dyrt here! We're excited to have this campground on the Dyrt and ready for you to book, check them out and make sure to leave a review!
Logan W.Guide
Giant City State Park
Great trails and well kept campsites
We stayed at Giant City in February on a very cold weekend. It was still a fantastic trip! The campsites, fire pits and pit toilets were well maintained. The shorter trails in the park were beautiful even in the winter. The Lodge also had excellent food and a very cozy feel. Definitely visit the Lodge!!
David F.Guide
Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
Southern Illinois getaway
Great campground away from roads and noise. Goreville is small local town with grocery store and service station for supplies. South LOOP sites 1-23 are first come sites. NORTH LOOP SITES 24 - 59 Reservable at https://camp.exploremoreil.com/ Some 50 amp sites (4, 6, 18, 32, 36, 38, 47, 48) rest have 30 amp. See map in photos. WATER potable at Dump Station also 5 hydrants scattered amongst camp sites. TENT and Equestrian camps take road to the south west of lake.
Jennifer N.GuideFern Lake Campground and RV Park
Easy booking, pretty lake front
Fern Lake was super easy to book and very inexpensive. The host was easy to access and was happy to show us to our site since it was dark when we arrived. We stayed on site 51 which had a fire pit (we brought our own wood) and very pretty view of the lake. The bathhouse was very close to walk to and the showers and bathrooms were fine. Like most small campgrounds, it was pretty outdated but had the basics. One bummer was that the electrical outlets were not functioning in the bathrooms so I had to leave them with a wet head assuming I could dry my hair in the van, but unfortunately the electric pedestal was not compatible with our 30amp plug. Our inverter doesn’t like the heavy power suck of a blow dryer so I was counting on plugging in. :( Being in the 30’s I was looking forward to dry hair. Oh well.
Stuart O.GuideTurkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park
Quiet in November
We do most of our RV travel in the early spring and late fall. Ferne Clyffe does not take reservations after November 1, so its first come first served. Payment is deposited in a kiosk near the black water dump site. This was not well explained on the signage or websites, but, at least in mid-November, there were enough experienced campers around to explain things.
Otherwise, Ferne Clyffe is gorgeous. Great for star-gazing. Lots of mature oak and sycamore trees that I'm sure provide nice shade in summer. In mid-November, there's lots of deer hunters, which means it gets quiet early in the evening. Spaces are of moderate size on the interior, and are more spread out on the perimteter.
- TTori P.Scout
Shawnee Forest Campground
Suburb Camping
Came to this campsite with my boyfriend and I as well as our two dogs. We were in spot 51, we have a large 8 person tent and need water & electricity so we rent out RV spots instead of the typical tent spots. When we arrived after our 15 hour drive, someone decided to park in our site. Once they moved we were able to start putting up our tent which was on a hill so we were slanted throughout the night. A family rented out the entire rest of the cul-de-sac, which isn’t the parks fault, but they claimed the pavilion and surrounding area. I would call this more of “suburb camping” because there are hardly any trees for privacy, large open fields of grass, and you are 2 minutes from the highway, food, and gas stations. It is only a single bathroom with toilet, sink, and shower instead of any stalls. They provide WiFi that did not work for us, we had better connection with our cellular data. No garbages anywhere in the campsite, thankfully we had our own garbage bags and tossed it in the dumpster before we left. It was fine to crash for one night, but I wouldn’t want to stay here for an extended period of time.
- kkenneth B.Guide
Shawnee Forest Campground
Quiet, Peacefull, Friendly
This was one of the best I have stayed out. I met some nice people, Manager helped me get my electric set up, (user error), Facilities clean and very nice, roads and park well taken care of..
Klayton W.ScoutShawnee Forest Campground
Close to home, will be back
Easy access, very clean facilities and lots to do and see nearby, friendly service. The constant interstate noise is a bit annoying
Matthew L.Scout
Little Grassy Lake Campground
Great location, good facilities, a little cramped
We loved the location of this campground. It's really close to Giant City State Park and other local attractions. It's not even too far from Cave-in-Rock State Park and Garden of the Gods. I agree with the other reviewer who said this is a great base camp for exploring the area.
The restrooms and showers are pretty centrally located. They were clean but basic. No complaints, but not exactly a standout in that regard.
The sites are kind of close together in my opinion, and most don't have trees or other dividing features between them. Not so great if you want privacy, but fantastic if you like a sense of community.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. Boat rentals are available on site, along with other items in a small general store at the camp office.
We're planning to come back in April of 2024 for the eclipse. Hoping for clear skies and a great view!
- Thomas J. T.Traveler
Fort Massac State Park
Nice state park on the OHIO RIVER
Nice little park on the side of a small town in metropolis, Illinois
Guide to Benton
Camping near Benton, MO, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
What to do
- Hiking: Explore the trails at Sam A. Baker State Park Campground. One reviewer said, "There is plenty to do from hiking to horseback riding," highlighting the variety of trails available.
- Water Activities: Enjoy the Saint Francis River and Big Creek. One camper mentioned, "The big creek is spring-fed and ice cold," making it perfect for a refreshing dip.
- Wildlife Watching: Keep an eye out for deer and other wildlife. A visitor shared, "We even had a deer run through our campsite while we sat fireside!"
What campers like
- Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. One review noted, "Bathrooms were clean, roads were well maintained," which is a big plus for many.
- Quiet Atmosphere: Many enjoy the peacefulness of the campgrounds. A camper remarked, "We like Campground 2 on the gravel side because it’s nice and quiet."
- Friendly Staff: Camp hosts are often highlighted for their helpfulness. One visitor said, "The camp host was nice and the river was also very nice," showing that the staff contributes to a positive experience.
What you should know
- Tight Campsites: Some campgrounds have close quarters. A camper at Trail of Tears State Park Campground mentioned, "Sites that back to the river are very close to each other."
- Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have full amenities. One review stated, "The campground is a little rundown, but still nice," indicating that some facilities may need updates.
- Train Noise: If you camp near the river, be prepared for train sounds. A visitor noted, "There are lots of trains, day and night," which might be a concern for light sleepers.
Tips for camping with families
- Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with shallow water areas. One family shared, "The water is slow and shallow enough in tons of places for littles," making it safe for younger kids.
- Rentals Available: If you forget gear, some campgrounds offer rentals. A camper mentioned, "When you’re absent-minded like me and forget the bikes, you can rent them there."
- Nature Centers: Check out nature centers for educational activities. One reviewer said, "We like Campground 2 because it’s close to the nature center," which can be a fun stop for kids.
Tips from RVers
- Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. One camper at Shawnee Forest Campground noted, "Well maintained, big sites for our 40ft fifth wheel."
- Electric Hookups: Look for campgrounds with electric hookups if you need them. A visitor mentioned, "The electric/water sites were much better than the 'tent' sites."
- Road Conditions: Be aware of road conditions leading to campgrounds. One RV traveler said, "The road getting there does vary in surfaces but our van made it fine," indicating that some roads may be rough.
Camping near Benton, MO, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to check the specific campground details and reviews to find the best fit for your adventure!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Benton, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Benton, MO is Turkey Ridge Campground — Ferne Clyffe State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 16 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Benton, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 18 tent camping locations near Benton, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.