Cape Girardeau camping options span both Missouri and Illinois sides of the Mississippi River, with sites ranging from riverside views to wooded settings. Campgrounds in the region typically experience hot summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F and mild winters, though occasional flooding can affect riverfront camping areas during spring. Many campgrounds near Cape Girardeau remain open year-round with varying levels of winter services.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Trail of Tears State Park Campground offers access to both Lake Boutin for freshwater fishing and Mississippi River access points. "Great short term camping. There is a lot of history and nearby Cape Girardeau is a very neat city to visit," notes a camper at Trail of Tears State Park Campground.
Hiking trails: Multiple hiking options exist at Trail of Tears State Park with varying difficulty levels. "Great for hiking! If you want an easy hike it's available but there are an abundance of intermediate trail and a beautiful quarry! Be sure to pay attention to trails because lack of trail markers," shares one visitor.
Barge watching: The Mississippi River provides unique entertainment for campers. "One of the best camping views of the mississippi river! The campsite overlooks the mighty mississippi river and oh what a view it is, watching tugboats move barges up and down," explains a reviewer at Trail of Tears.
Water recreation: Horseshoe Lake in nearby Illinois offers kayaking opportunities in a scenic cypress tree setting. "Gray lake for kayaking. About 30 minutes from Cape Girardeau," notes a visitor at Horseshoe Lake Alexander County.
What campers like
Level concrete sites: The Landing Point RV Park provides well-maintained spaces for RVs. "Large sites with level concrete. Staff is helpful and friendly," mentions one reviewer at The Landing Point RV Park.
Clean facilities: Perryville RV Resort earns praise for its upkeep. "The park is clean and well maintained. They put in a new swimming pool in this past summer. I did not try it but it looked nice. The staff is friendly and helpful," shares a camper at Perryville RV Resort By Rjourney.
Natural lake settings: Cypress trees create distinctive camping backdrops at some locations. "Gorgeous place big beautiful cypress and tupelo trees. Shaded spots and laid back atmosphere. The park workers do a amazing job at upkeep," notes a visitor to Horseshoe Lake.
Pet-friendly accommodations: Many campgrounds welcome pets with dedicated areas. "We love our time here. Such a clean campground!! There are a ton of big trees and it is really shady," reports a camper about Perryville Campground, while another notes it "has a trail to a hike around lake. Playground was fun and safe. Lake for fishing."
What you should know
Noise considerations: Railroad tracks and highway proximity affect some campgrounds. "There will be a train that comes through in the middle of the night, but other people have never been an issue for us," warns a camper at Trail of Tears State Park. Another notes: "Lots of trains, day and night with train horn blaring due to road crossing at campground. Lots of river barge noise."
Campsite spacing: Site proximity varies widely between parks. "Sites that back to the river very close to each other. We stepped out our door onto the neighbors stinky slinky. Insufficient space to deploy awning," reports a camper at Trail of Tears.
Internet connectivity: Internet quality differs significantly between campgrounds. Cypress Creek RV Park stands out for connectivity according to one visitor at Cypress Creek RV Park: "It does have the best internet we have had in 3 months. Love the trees and nice level sites."
Utility placement: RVers should check hookup locations before setup. "Electrical utility connection is on passenger side of campsite #6. Sewer connection was high above ground so drainage was up hill," notes a reviewer at Trail of Tears.
Tips for camping with families
Recreational amenities: Some campgrounds offer specific family-friendly features. "The pool is better than most hotels and the giant trampoline looked like it would be my daughters favorite thing if she were with us," shares a reviewer at Perryville Campground.
Water activities: Local swimming options provide summer relief. "Also a great sand beach water feature nearby at lake bouton. Some average length trails and a nice short trail for the littles," mentions a camper at Trail of Tears.
Open play spaces: Many campgrounds provide room for children to play. "There is a big grassy area in the middle of the loop of wanting to play games and run around," notes a visitor at The Landing Point RV Park.
Limited facilities at some locations: Not all campgrounds offer extensive amenities. "Good campground not much for kids has a out dated swing set not in great shape that's the only reason for not 5 stars," reports a reviewer at The Landing Point RV Park.
Tips from RVers
Overnight convenience: Several campgrounds serve well as stopover locations during longer trips. "Nice place to pull off I-55 and rest, or stay if you are in the area for sports or other events," advises a camper at Cape Camping & RV Park.
Leveling requirements: Be prepared for uneven sites at some locations. "Site 6 not level side-to-side," warns a reviewer about Trail of Tears State Park.
Hookup variations: Availability of services differs between campgrounds. "Electric and water. Great short term camping," notes a visitor to Trail of Tears, while Hinton RV Park offers "nice level gravel sites" with "full hookups."
Seasonal considerations: RV camping near Cape Girardeau, Missouri can include weather challenges. "Sites are not well demarcated and grass lots," explains a camper at Horseshoe Lake, adding that "electric was not working at some sites and one post had hookups for two sites. No sewer, there is a dump station down the road."
