Best Tent Camping near Chesterfield, MO

Tent campers seeking outdoor experiences near Chesterfield, Missouri have several established options within a short drive. Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park offers tent camping with concrete pads, picnic tables, and fire rings approximately 30 minutes west of St. Louis. Klondike Park in Augusta provides walk-in tent sites around a former quarry turned lake, with both open and wooded sites available for primitive tent camping.

Most tent sites in the area include basic amenities like picnic tables and fire rings, though facilities vary by season. At Babler State Park, tent campers should note that water and shower facilities close during winter months (November-March), with only vault toilets available. A camper noted that "some sites say it's for tent but it's just a dropping slope. You might as well pitch on the concrete." Klondike Park offers walk-in tent sites requiring campers to carry gear from parking areas to their campsite, with some sites providing hammock stands. Wildlife is active in these areas, with one visitor warning about "tons of ticks" at Klondike Park.

Areas farther from St. Louis provide more primitive backcountry tent camping experiences. Little Lost Creek Conservation Area offers free primitive tent camping with no amenities - no water, vault toilets, or firewood for sale. "Bring everything, including a cat hole shovel, and pack everything out," advised one camper. William R. Logan Conservation Area provides basic tent camping with primitive fire rings near a lake, featuring both open sites and more secluded wooded options. Tent campers frequently use these conservation areas as bases for hiking, with Little Lost Creek offering valley trails leading to the actual creek. Most primitive tent camping areas in conservation lands close during various hunting seasons, requiring campers to check schedules before planning trips.

Best Tent Sites Near Chesterfield, Missouri (12)

    1. Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park Campground

    27 Reviews
    Wildwood, MO
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (636) 458-3813

    "We loved our stay at Babler, aside from the snow & wind - the park is great! Review below ⬇️

    ⛺️ S I T E R E V I E W ⛺️

    📍 Dr. Edmund A."

    "Nice state park close to St Louis. Good, if short, trails. The campground is used a lot by RV and campers, not so much by tenters. Lots of campsites had electric."

    2. Klondike Park

    14 Reviews
    Augusta, MO
    14 miles
    Website

    $10 - $65 / night

    "There is hiking trails which was wonderful. There is a winery nearby. My campsite was amazing, it was clean and wasn't too far from the restrooms. There is picnic tables and fire rings."

    "A few drive up sites and lots of hike in spots around a quarry turned lake. Beautiful and clean setting. We stayed in site 24. There were picnic tables and a fire pit at our site."

    3. St. Charles County Klondike Park

    5 Reviews
    Augusta, MO
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (636) 949-7535

    "It is a tough, but short, climb from the trail. You may have to walk up the hill - challenge made :-) . This is a St. Charles County Park and it is well maintained."

    "The campground is located in a gym of a park located along the Missouri River. Reservations are required and the sites are in high demand. Tent camping only. There is water available in the park."

    4. Old Cove

    1 Review
    Robertsville, MO
    25 miles
    Website

    $50 - $75 / night

    5. Indian Camp Creek Park

    Be the first to review!
    Foristell, MO
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (636) 949-7535

    6. McCully Heritage Project

    5 Reviews
    Kampsville, IL
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (618) 653-4687

    $20 - $100 / night

    "Super inexpensive for the space that you get. Free firewood. We have only stayed at the largest site as it has good fishing and a place for us to launch our paddleboards and kayaks."

    "Great for tent camping and hiking."

    7. Little Lost Creek Conservation Area

    1 Review
    Warrenton, MO
    37 miles
    Website
    +1 (636) 456-3368

    "There are single campsites on both the north and south ends of the conservation area, and none of them have any amenities- no water, no vault toilet or outhouse, no firewood for sale."

    8. William R. Logan Conservation Area

    2 Reviews
    Silex, MO
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (636) 441-4554

    "Plenty of tent spots with tree cover and fire pits. Lighting bugs came out at night."

    9. Countryside Escape

    2 Reviews
    Edwardsville, IL
    40 miles

    $15 - $16 / night

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Chesterfield, MO

26 Photos of 12 Chesterfield Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Chesterfield, MO

421 Reviews of 12 Chesterfield Campgrounds


  • Jessica B.
    Apr. 4, 2022

    Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park Campground

    Our 1st Trip In Our Camper!

    We loved our stay at Babler, aside from the snow & wind - the park is great! Review below ⬇️

    ⛺️ S I T E R E V I E W ⛺️

    📍 Dr. Edmund A. Babler State Park Wildwood, MO

    💰 $12-$21/night

    🗓 Feb 19-21, 2022

    Site 48 ⚡️💧

    🦮 Pets Welcome (on leash at all times)

    ➕Concrete Pads, Quiet, Close to Interstate 40, Paved Roads, Easy to Access, Gated Overnight with access code

    ➖Small/Close Sites, No Water in Off Season, Only Vault Toilets - No Showers in Off Season

    📶 AT&T Service 4 out of 5

    🚮 Dump Station located behind bathhouse. NO WATER during off season!

    🚻AMENITIES •Playground •Hiking, Biking & Equestrian Trails •Wood & Ice •Interpretive Programs •Visitor Center •Special Use Area •Laundry, Flush Toilets & Showers ON SEASON ONLY!

    🏕SITES Reservable 12 Months-FCFS in off season 72 Reservable 8 Accessible sites Basic - Electric Concrete Back In Lantern Hook, Picnic Table & Fire Ring

    ⏰ HOURS/DATES April - October 7:am - 9:pm Nov - March 7:am - 6:pm

    🔺Park Office 8:30am - 4:pm M-F

    🔺Visitor Center April - Oct 9:am - 4:30pm W - Sun Nov - March 9:am - 4:pm - Sat-Sun Dec - Feb CLOSED

  • k
    Jun. 28, 2016

    Klondike Park

    Klondlike county

    Really nice place when you get into the woods. There is hiking trails which was wonderful. There is a winery nearby. My campsite was amazing, it was clean and wasn't too far from the restrooms. There is picnic tables and fire rings. I usually bring my own firewood because i believe in the leave no trace rule. I would definitly come back to this site

  • R
    Jun. 30, 2024

    Cherokee Lakes Campground

    Secluded and spacious tent camping sites

    I spent a night here camping while on a road trip. The check-in was quick and easy. The host showed me the tent campsites, which are secluded and private from the RV sites. The sites are outfitted with a picnic table and brick fire rings. Some have water spickets. There's a central covered picnic area. Lots of shade and tall trees. You'll want to check them for dead limbs before setting up your site. I didn't ask if hammock camping is allowed. There are at least two sites that would work nicely for a hammock. A portable toilet is available to keep the area sanitary for urgent needs; the flush toilets, laundry, and fitness center at the main entrance are also available for a longer walk or short drive.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2020

    Daniel Boone Conservation Area

    Quiet and out of the way

    There are 10 or so primitive tent sites and an area that will accommodate about a dozen RV’s. There are no services here and no hook ups, but it’s free. The primitive tent sites are spread out along the main road through the conservation area, which means that in the daytime you will get road noise and dust, but its pretty quiet at night. Only a couple have picnic tables, but all seemed to have at least a level spot for the tent and a fire ring. I noticed some sites had a bit of trash in the fire rings, probably from day use or partiers. There is no trash service, so plan to pack out your trash. The best site (already taken, too bad) was set on the edge of the woods next to a fishing pond. The campers that were there let me take some pics of their site since it was so pretty. The only downside to that site was its proximity to the RV lot and their generators. There are some nice hiking trails here to explore.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2020

    Little Lost Creek Conservation Area

    Great hiking, choose your site carefully

    There are single campsites on both the north and south ends of the conservation area, and none of them have any amenities- no water, no vault toilet or outhouse, no firewood for sale. But what the sites are lacking is made up for with scenery and hiking, and it is free. The conservation area is closed to camping during various hunting seasons(I ran into a hunter scoping out his turkey hunting spot for the following week’s hunt). There is a great hike down into a valley with the actual Lost Creek at the bottom, completely worth the hard hike back up out of the valley. The campsite has room for a couple tents(no RV’s here), some great trees for hammocks, a primitive fire ring, and a picnic table. Since you are right next to the parking lot, you will see some traffic during the day with hikers, birders, and others, and there is no privacy for your campsite. Bring everything, including a cat hole shovel, and pack everything out.

  • April D.
    Oct. 28, 2018

    Meramec State Park Campground

    Cozy night

    Meramec is a campground centrally located in the Meramec caverns. It is a flat area, soft ground, and open space to camp. Not a lot of privacy from neighbors but it is cozy and everything is close by. Bathrooms could be updated but they are well maintained. Host is kind and halloween trick or treating is the best time to come. Lots of playgrounds and space to play yard games. No trails but it is along a short trail that leads to a cave and the river.

  • Hannah W.
    Jul. 15, 2021

    Cuivre River State Park Campground

    Beautiful campground and warm showers

    The campsites and grounds are well-maintained. However, the campsites did not have designated gravel tent pads. Given that we had to set up in/right after a rain, our tarp was sitting in grass and mud. I never knew how much I appreciated a designated gravel tent pad until then. Having never camped here, we had reserved site 25 and had the whole loop to ourselves (it was a Monday night, though). Our site, though, was the smallest in the loop, tucked away in the weeds, and the only area to pitch our tent was on a slight slope. After walking the loop, I noticed that sites 26 and 29, offered more room and were better maintained. We probably could’ve changed sites had we not arrived so late and in the rain.

    Firewood is available for $5. We saw a nice playground at the entrance. There were plenty of showers (water was nice and hot!) and flush toilets in the bathhouse. The bathhouse could use some TLC, but the warm water made up for it. There are laundry facilities, though we didn’t use them.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2016

    Horseshoe Lake State Park Campground

    Horseshoe Lake Recreation Area

    Nice little campground close to down town St Louis (when the leaves are down I bet you can see the Arch). Campsites are nice and flat with the standard picnic tables and fire rings. No showers, but decent toilets. The nice thing is the campground is staffed by rangers in the day, and at night they sometimes take a security swing through the campground. Nice lake for fishing and boating.

  • Maria E.
    Jul. 18, 2021

    Cuivre River State Park Campground

    Immersed in Nature

    Campground is beautiful and very woodsy. We saw bunnies hopping around and when we first arrived to our site a deer was grazing nearby, such a bonus! No electricity but water was conveniently located right across from our site to do dishes and whatnot. Staking the tent wasn’t difficult at all. Our site was fairly spacious and a not super close to others which we liked. The sites by the vault toilet looked closer together so I could see that being a cool spot for multiple families or friend groups. Don’t leave anything out at night or raccoons will scavenge, we accidentally left our trash bag hanging (ugh!) but that was our fault. We stayed only one night passing through on a road trip but would stay again if we end up in the area.


Guide to Chesterfield

Camping sites near Chesterfield, Missouri range across rolling hills, limestone bluffs, and river valley terrain between 400-600 feet elevation. The region's humid continental climate creates distinct camping seasons with summer highs around 90°F and winter lows often below freezing. Fall camping offers the most comfortable temperatures while spring typically brings more rainfall to conservation areas and county parks.

What to do

Hiking technical trails: Little Lost Creek Conservation Area offers free primitive camping with challenging valley trails. "There is a great hike down into a valley with the actual Lost Creek at the bottom, completely worth the hard hike back up out of the valley," notes one camper who appreciated the scenic payoff despite the strenuous climb.

Mountain biking: Klondike Park features technical mountain bike sections within the park grounds. "One other really cool thing about Klondike is there are several technical mountain bike sections that are located in the park. Bring your mountain bike and have a go!" recommends a regular visitor.

Fishing opportunities: William R. Logan Conservation Area provides camping access near stocked lakes. "Plenty of tent spots with tree cover and fire pits. Lighting bugs came out at night," reports a camper who enjoyed the peaceful setting alongside fishing opportunities.

What campers like

Proximity to Missouri wine country: St. Charles County Klondike Park serves as a base for exploring local wineries. "This Campground places you in the heart of Missouri Wine Country and there's a perfect base for visiting the wineries and restaurants along highway 94," notes one visitor highlighting the cultural attractions beyond nature.

Bikepacking access: Klondike Park offers convenient Katy Trail connections. "I have bike-packed along the Katy and this is an excellent spot for an overnight(s) stay. It is a tough, but short, climb from the trail. You may have to walk up the hill - challenge made," shares a cyclist who appreciates the strategic location.

Multiple terrain types: Camping options include both wooded sites and former quarry landscapes. "Beautiful Park with Multiple Terrains. Campsites were great. Stayed at a walk-in site for a night and enjoyed it...Trails are beautiful and perfect for families wanting to just come to a park for a day and hikers," explains a tent camper.

What you should know

Winter facility limitations: Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park restricts services seasonally. "Not having water available except at the camp host, and no open restrooms and showers until after April 1, regardless of when the last freeze is was inconvenient for a spring break trip," reports a March visitor who encountered unexpected limitations.

Site selection challenges: Some campgrounds require careful site selection for level tent placement. "All had the standard pininic tables and fire rings, and the campground has a decent and clean shower house. You might end up pitching your tent on a parking pad as many tent sites don't have level grassy spots for your tent," advises a camper.

Wildlife considerations: Multiple campers mention active wildlife including raccoons. "I would say the only issue is the raccoons. They dont give a darn who you are. They will walk right up to, smile, and take your chips. Scandalous!" warns a regular visitor to Babler State Park.

Tips for camping with families

Best tent camping near Chesterfield for kids: McCully Heritage Project offers family-friendly amenities. "A small and not crowded place to camp with all you need and hospitality. Great for tent camping and hiking," reports a visitor who found the uncrowded setting ideal for family outings.

Playground access: McCully Heritage Project includes play equipment. "I just love the bridge across the pond. We had a picnic and the kids got to play on the playground equipment," mentions a day visitor whose children enjoyed the recreational facilities.

Group camping options: Old Cove offers specialized group sites for families traveling together. "If you are looking for a place for a group to go and have a fun float trip, this is it. They are only open on weekends and by reservation. They only offer group campsites...You get a nice open area with a pavillion, picnic tables, and a firering," explains a group leader who organized a family outing.

Tips from RVers

Site spacing considerations: Tent and RV sites often share areas with varying privacy levels. "Babler is located off I-64 in the chesterfield area about 30 minutes from Saint Louis. There are many spots to choose from. Basic and electric/water sites. Tent and Rv set ups are mixed," reports a camper noting the integration of different camping styles.

Shower and bathroom quality: William R. Logan Conservation Area offers minimal facilities for RVers seeking a more primitive experience. "Free primitive campground near a lake in William Logan. No frills camping at about 8-10 sites near the main entrance off Route RA...The only vault toilet was closed and a porta potty was set next to that," explains a visitor who found the facilities more suited to tent camping than RVs.

Access road challenges: Some campgrounds have difficult navigation for larger vehicles. "The signage is not great and the visitor center was closed (presumably due to COVID concerns) so there was no one to ask directions. We ended up dragging our camper through the whole park before we found the road to the campgrounds," warns an RVer about navigation challenges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Chesterfield, MO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Chesterfield, MO is Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 27 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Chesterfield, MO?

TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Chesterfield, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.