Looking for an adventure where you can explore Chaffee and then fall asleep in your tent? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Chaffee with tent camping. You're sure to find the perfect tent campsite for your Missouri camping adventure.
Turkey 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.
$18 / night
Private property sunken into the Shawnee National Forest.
$20 - $125 / night
Apple 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.
This 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 :)
$35 - $50 / night
Backpackers 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.
Ranger
There are currently 25 equestrian camp sites in this park in a different area than the normal RV and Tent campground. The campground is being upgraded this year in which I belive they are adding 50 amp full service to many of the electric only sites. There is currently walk in only unless you are reserving a horse camp. There are fantastic hiking trails and equestrian trails here and you would think you are in the mountains here. The geology is much like the Missouri area near the other bank of the Mississippi river. I have tent camped here and camped in a pop-up camper in the fall both times. Hiking is the best activity here unless you ride horses and that is great here too. This one and Wolf Creek on Lake Shelbyville are the best parks in Illinois for horse trails.
Traveler
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.
TravelerTent sites with no electricity or water. Clean toilets and a covered pavilion for getting out of the rain when needed.
ScoutTent 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!
Scout
Camper area is well cared for but tent camping needed to be mowed desperately. Lots of bug spray required. the area is very hilly and narrow to drive through. Over all very nice place to camp!
Guide
Sam A Baker has a large selection of sites. Perfect for tent camping or Campers of any size. Great trail selection, many moderate trails, but there are many options for those with young children as well.
GuideThis is a very basic campground with some shade. No hookups, really good for tent camping. The new picnic shelter is beautiful and there is seating around a fire pit. This forest does a great job of keeping restrooms very clean.
Guide
I actually didn't end up camping here because it looked like a rock site. I maybe saw two tents, everyone else in big RV's. If you are doing tent camping I would look elsewhere. I might've missed an area that was more tent friendly but I didn't see it. I would do primitive with a tent probably.
TravelerSmall lake. Has tent camping or cabins. All roads are gravel. We have stayed in the cabins. It was a double bed and also had a set of bunks. So plenty of room. Lake has sandy beaches. Small playset I the water for kids.
GuideWe typically camp just at the end of season and have this is our favorite place to camp. We always tent camp with minimal supplies. It is has always been clean and even during peak season I felt there was plenty of space between campsites.
Guide
Great views and lots of waterfront sites. Stayed with family members who have a camper, some sites are on a hill so it makes it difficult to park an RV of camper. Tent sites around too. Lots of boats and fishing.
Traveler
There are a lot of hiking trails and we really enjoyed them all! The tent camping accommodations were less than stellar, simply because of the “outhouses “. There was a ton of wildlife though and it was really neat to listen to all the different species throughout the night. Overall the grounds are quite nice.
Scout
Not a lot of tent sites, but enough. Nice wooded primitive sites with easy access to water and toilets. Had my pups with, and no problems at all. Nice trails for different hiking skill sets. Only issue I found at all was firewood is surprisingly difficult to come by.
GuideCamped here for a weekend and was not disappointed! There are multiple easy to get to "primitive" campsites for tent camping but all are within an easy walk of the outhouse, water hydrant, and parking lot. There are several easy hikes within a short drive to other areas of the park. The park also has a 6 mile hike-in campsite for backpacking and a lot of electrical hookups for RV camping. The trails are over cliffs and through gorgeous boulders.
LegendThis is a great little state park that has plenty of options whether you enjoy tent camping or enjoying your Rv. Some of the144-151 sites can be pretty tight to get into because there are so many trees so double check the pictures on the reservation website to make sure you can get yours in. Ours is 40’ and it was pretty hard to get in but we managed. Nice shower facilities and laundry as well as river access within walking distance
GuideIf you are looking for a beautiful RV or tent site on the water, look here. There is a massive lake, perfect for a quiet day on the water. We kayaked out to an island and did some fishing. We didn’t catch anything, but it was relaxing. Campground was oddly quiet, especially after dark... we were the only site with a fire going.
Hiking, biking and equestrian trails. Boat and jet ski rentals in season.
TravelerMy group and I camped in two of the basic sites in Asher Creek campground and we couldn’t get enough of the front-row lake view! The sites closest to the lake are very level, and everyone in the campground is only a short walk from the cleanest park restrooms I’ve ever seen. If you’re like me and are just doing basic tent camping, I’d recommend a pop-up canopy for the table area since there is not a lot of tree cover in those sites. Overall, an excellent place to camp!
GuideMy brother and I camped here in September on a weekday. We were the only tent campers, so it was nice and peaceful. The sites are large and include a cooking grate. It was easy to find firewood with out having to go very far, becareful there is a good amount of poison ivy. The only trail I hiked was Happy Hollow. A large portion of it is an equestrian trail, so the path was very wide. The veiws on the trail were amazing.
GuideSo first of all- I think it’s fair to state before I leave a review that my husband and I prefer primitive and private camping. The fewer people we see while we’re out, the better. We live in a city so when we camp, we want the opposite. If you enjoy RV camping or don’t mind not so Private spots, this is a decent spot to spend the night. If you like primitive/private camping- il fill you in below!
We do tent camping and Saw there were walk-in sites and hike in sites at this campground. Usually walk-in sites are pretty private and dispersed well - atleast where we’ve been before. The 14 “primitive” camping sites were right next to eachothwr with little to no privacy at all. Good tree cover for shade but otherwise you’re basically setting up your tent and area in an open field. That was a little disappointing to us because it wasn’t what we thought we would find. The RV spots also seem super close together but again- we like things spread out so maybe it would be an OK place for some.
The vault toilets near the tent sites were...as clean as vault toilets get! And we did not use tje shower facilities so can’t speak on that.
If we had been just the 2 of us, we would’ve hiked in to do our camping along one of the hiking paths but we were meeting two other friends and were unsure if they would want to hike miles to a spot so we opted for the tent spots just after the RV campground. If you want more privacy for an evening of camping, you’ll need to come with your gear packed up decently enough to hike it out atleast a mile onto the trails. There is camping allowed along the trails as long as you are 100 ft from the trail so that was an option, but in certain spots along the trail it’s challenging to find a clearing (hammocks would be great along the trail). There is also an official primitive camping site halfway through the 12 mile loop of the Red Ceder Trail. We day hiked almost the whole loop but made a Weird little detour so we didn’t get to check these spots out.
We were hoping to find a campsite that- as get as difficulty of accessibility level- was in between a 6 mile hike and the tent spots in the field but there isn’t any official spot like that even tho there’s tons of space and potential for it. Rant over about the campground. Let’s talk about the hiking! The hiking was truly awesome and felt like it balanced out my disappointment with the campground. Doing the whole 12 mile loop of tje Red Cedar Trail was a challenge for us! We really enjoyed it. In some spots, the trail markers are a little confusing, but overall it’s decently marked and the map is somewhat helpful just to kindve know vaguely where you are. The 2nd day, we went back and did about half rhe loop and also checked out the more popular section of the trails back there that include Giant City Nature Trail, Devils Stand Table, and a few others. Very cool rock formations. Pretty busy in the weekend over there but the test of the trails away from that area with those big landmarks was completely deserted and there are some super cool rock formations not on the map at all.
Over all, this was a fun 4 days. We would return and plan on hiking out into the trails to camp for our evenings. If you like privacy around your campfire at night, I can’t recommend the campground.
Guide
This camp site has RV hook-ups and tent camping. There are trees throughout the campground if you're looking to set up a hammock. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table and is a mix of grass and light gravel. Pit toilets, no showers. Water spigots throughout the camp ground. Keep an eye out for snakes though! I nearly stepped on a copper head in the outhouse! Camp sites are a 2 minute walk to the St. Francois River. Great hiking along the river and good fishing, swimming and kayaking in the river! Also not to far from the Castor River Shut-ins if you're looking to pack two rivers into one trip. We just celebrated my husband's birthday here last weekend, though we have been a few times before. Always a blast!
Scout
Visited crab orchard campground for the first time ever for labor day weekend. We had a pretty good size spot with a few trees where we hung our hammocks! We did a tent site right on the water. It was absolutely gorgeous. Very quiet area too. Quiet time starts at 10 or 11pm but actually you don't hear anything after 830pm. Very friendly. Bathrooms and shower were decent for what it was. It was nice to have it then not. Only 1 spider in the shower otherwise clean and good water. If you hate bugs I reccomend bringing an electric bug zapper as there is ALOT. Esp being by the water. Also keep in mind there's many spiders if you pick a spot with trees. But they're only out from 2am-5am.
Traveler
Huzzah offers “Everything” ! From tents to amazing large group houses, Huzzah can accommodate whatever your family or group are looking for.
Amenities are to long to list, but with canoeing, rafting, tube rentals to horseback riding, you will surely be pleased.
The family store offers everything you would expect and more.
Huzzah Bobs cooks up an amazing breakfast buffet, or you may want to include a BBQ dinner in your package to eliminate the hassle of cooking after a long day floating on the river.
Tent campsites are Huge! I can’t review the water and electric sites “we are tent campers”, but they appear more than adequate.
My husband have been going there for over 25 yrs, some of my fondest family memories are at Huzzah.
Now our children are married with children of their own, and our family tradition continues on through another generation. Our daughter and her family even travel all the way from Canada tor a Huzzah adventure.
You truly will not be disappointed! The crystal clear waters will definitely take your breath away!
GuideThis campground has it all - spacious sites with many right on the water. Gravel lots were level and plenty big for our 38' Class A motorhome + Jeep. We stayed at site B8, which had a massive yard right and on the lake. The interior sites had full hookups (but were still just a short walk to the water), while the exterior (lake-side) sites had water and 50A electric. It is a FCFS place. We were there the first week of April and arrived by 10am and had no problems securing a spot. There is a swimming beach (though it was closed till Memorial Day - and too cold anyway!), some older but functional and clean shower houses. There was a pile of firewood waiting for us and they allow for picking up downed branches for fires. It was a quiet, lovely place with great sunsets over the water, as well as herons, geese, turtles, and deer. The hosts were extremely helpful and accommodating. We have AT&T and had full bars (we also have a booster, which may have contributed to a strong signal). Also, we were amazed by the inexpensive pricing - I believe the prices are going up a little later this season, but at the time we were there (Apr 2023) prices were $25/FHU and $20 W/E. And of course even less for tent camping.
RangerCampground Review
Huzzah Valley Resort (HVR) is not a typical campground. It’s a place built for and specializing in float trips. If you are picturing serenely paddling down a pristine river in a canoe listening to the sounds of birds and insects, you are in the wrong place, at least on a Saturday during the summer. This is more like a float trip with frat parties floating on by you, complete with loud music, floating cooler, floating beer pong tables, loads of drunk people and of course the antics of these drunk people. Not really the best place to take your kids on those summertime Saturdays. I knew this going into the weekend. Really, with campsite prices from $12.79 (for the family camping area) to $16.00 (for the loud area with no quiet hours, nicknamed the Zoo) per person, per night most people not looking for this experience are weeded out by price alone. All that being said party-barge type float trips are pretty much a rite of passage in Missouri.
My Husband and I went on this trip with a group of friends that are not as experienced campers as we are and opted to stay in a cabin. This was about $90 per person for the weekend. Our cabin sleeps 8 people with 1 queen bed in a room, 2 queen beds in a loft, and a double sofa sleeper. It included a kitchenette, full bathroom, fire ring, BBQ grill, picnic table. Aside from a microwave and a full size fridge, the cabin didn’t really offer any other amenities. We brought our own sheets and campstove. It was nice to be able to set up a crockpot before we got on the river and have dinner ready when we got back though. The cabin was reasonably sized and not a bad experience.
It was nice on Sunday morning to just get to enjoy our coffee as we watched hundreds of hungover people in the campground try to take down tents.
We floated from Scotia to Ozark Outdoors, which is a very pretty 5 mile float in the Huzzah. This meant we had to be bussed from HVR to the put in and from the take out back to HVR. The river was packed!! There were people as far as the eye could see and the raft/canoe/kayak traffic never broke up during our whole time on the river. Since it was not a holiday weekend, we were a little surprised by how crowded it was. This didn't stop is from having a great time though! We floated in a raft and a kayak and both experiences were very good.
The campsite offered tent sites as well as sites with full hookups for RVs. Each campsite has a fire grate and picnic table. There is a camp store on site that sells everything you could possibly forget, from matches to fishing poles to beer.
Product Review
As a Ranger for the Dyrt I get to try out products from time to time. One this trip I tested out Nature’s Coffee Kettle, which is billed as top quality coffee that you can take anywhere. They give you a reusable kettle bag and a filter bag of coffee. You can purchase refill packs to use in the same kettle bag. Kettle bags get up to 4 uses. You place the filter pack at the top of the bag, pour some boiling water over it and let it sit for a few minutes, then you pour the remaining water over the filter and wait a few more minutes for it to brew through the filter bag and drip into the bottom portion of the bag. Once it is done, you can pour yourself a cup of hot joe.
The coffee is very good. Even though the brewing process is a little complex (adding 1 cup of water, waiting a few minutes, adding 3 more cups, waiting more), it isn’t that difficult. The closable pour spout is nice to keep your coffee hot while you drink your first cup. The bag is a little flimsy and I was afraid the kettle would fall over while brewing, but it held up. The kettle and bag are lightweight and can fold down pretty small. These are definitely much easier to use than an old school percolator, and take up less space. I feel like car camping is where these will shine. Although you do still have to pack a pot to boil the water.
They are even practical enough that I might try to take them backpacking at some point. I can’t imagine they will replace Starbucks Vias as my go-to coffee for backpacking though. It is still bigger, creates more trash, and you have to make 4 cups at once even though it is tastier.
Pros:
Cons:
Legend
Large park with not many large RV sites. Lots of tent and dispersed camping. Disappointing store. Equestrian area. Beach and boat launch.
RangerBe ready for strong emotions here among the natural beauty. The museum should be visited first, followed by peaceful walks on the many trails. There are two campgrounds, one for tents and one with electricity/hookups (tents welcome there too). The latter is open all year so you can enjoy XC skiing.
Yay: With a wheelchair or stroller there is a lot you can do. Beautiful views and very thorough history information.
Nay: there is a two night minimum stay rule. There’s a train very close to the campground. Bugs!
Surprise: There’s also a separate scout camp area, which is how we heard about the campground.
Scout
While they cater mainly to RV's, they do allow pitching tents. Angela was super friendly and helpful in selecting a site best for pitching a tent. It was moderately busy with RVs. The bathrooms were very clean and grounds generally well kept. It's quiet at night but it is near the highway and a relatively slow main road, so you will get some traffic noise, especially if your not in a motor home. All in, it was a great quick stop for us as we travel north.
Tent camping near Chaffee, Missouri, offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy outdoor activities. With options ranging from serene lakes to rustic settings, there's something for every camper.
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