Best Campgrounds near Defiance, MO

Beautiful area next to a man-made lake. Concrete pads with full hookups, as well as dirt pads with full hookups.

Campground is quiet and has big campsites.  The campground is close to Lincoln Lake for kayaking.

The campground has oddly shaped campsites causing a crowded feel.  The campground is also loud on the weekends especially if there are races at the nearby Bonne Terre drag strip.

St. Francois is a nice park tucked in the forest off of Hwy 67.  It's a quaint park that tends to fill up fast depending on time of year.  The sites are a bit more snug together than I would prefer.  There are some nice hiking options within the park.  It was exceptionally quiet when I stayed both times.

lots of disrepair, expensive for what you actually get, fast moving golf carts and side X sides, Kids driving golf carts, rude employees, filthy, gross bath/locker rooms in the Lodge, derelict campers onsite near the entrance, overflowing, smelly garbage dumpsters near the gate (Like 10 of them), terrible gravel roads with huge potholes and uneven RV sites. Our hookups worked but they were in need of updating, poor wifi signal, and just kind of needs to invest in its infrastructure and appearance. The miniature golf was tore up from neglect and although they have a teen center it was not open which left a lot of teenagers just slumming around out of boredom. Camp sites all had firepits that were decent and the fishing lake was beautiful. Could be a really nice park if the investment was made.

$70 per night, plus $20 pet fee and $5 reservation fee. Stayed two nights passing through to visit Gateway Arch National Park. Casino is pretty old looking on the outside. Park is not staffed, you get a gate code in your email to access the park. Spots are concrete and gravel, very urban camping. There are trains every 15-30 minutes all day long. Casino has a metro stop that takes you into St Louis over the river. First time paying a pet fee for a overnight stay. Not very busy in November, maybe 25% of spots full in the half of the park that is open. Utilities are set up weird on all sites - Water and electric are at the very rear of the site by the sewer, so you will need a decent sized hose to reach if your water intake is in the front of your camper.

Had a great fishing trip and swimming trip

We stayed one night on our way through Missouri. It’s only about ten minutes south of I-44. The campground was only about half full, so it was nice and quiet. All sites have a concrete pad for the RV and for the picnic table. Includes water and electric. Playground, laundry room, and dump station. Hiking trails available from the campground and cave tours on weekends. We stayed at site #65 which is close to the entrance/restrooms and has no campsite on either side.

I stayed from 9/4/24-9/8/24. I stayed in the primitive campground. It was very quiet and peaceful. My site was close to the camp host and the shower house. Shower house was nice with 4 separate showers with locking doors. Water pressure was great and they were clean. There is a handicap shower unit as well that had a bench and hooks and a shelf to keep your things dry. The bathrooms were separate from the showers with 4 locking stalls. These too were kept clean and toilet paper was always full. Four sinks and mirrors and one outlet close to the sinks for hairdryer etc. The grounds were clean and grass was nicely cut. My campsite had a picnic table a campfire with grill grate and a light post to hang a lantern. The camp host were very friendly and drove around often on golf carts to make sure ppl were ok or needed anything. There was a place to fill your bottled water containers. The checkin office sold ice, campfire wood and a variety of ice creams, stickers and t shirts and sweatshirts. The park has trailheads to hike and an equestrian area. River access for swimming and fishing. There is a separate area with electrical sites and also handicap sites in the electrical and primitive campgrounds. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and will be returning often.

The management and owner of this place do not care about their business or their customers. We had a terrible accident at this campground over the summer where a tree crushed and totaled our camper van, thankfully none of our family was harmed. KOA immediately wiped their hands of this telling us they have nothing to do with it and we needed to deal with our insurance. They did not even feel the need to refund our stay. I would NEVER stay here again and suggest if you do, hopefully you have really good insurance.

Great place for the price. The staff is very helpful and welcoming! We will be visiting again in the future!

We stayed one night in campsite 65. Onondaga Cave is amazing with the new lighting; it just reopened July 4, 2024. The river is still fantastic fun, especially for our grandkids ages 9 and 12.

Avoid campsite 65 when it rains. We had over an inch of standing water on the concrete pad when we arrived. 18 hours after it stopped raining, we still had some water on the concrete pad.

Other than the water, Onondaga Cave SP has been one of my favorite places to camp in Missouri for more than 20 years.

Well maintained and well managed park. Staff on duty at all hours is awesome! We called ahead but didn't need a reservation. It is a city park and had that feel... not many trees for shade but the lake was pretty and the playground was good for the kiddos. Five minutes from food and stores. 30 minutes from downtown Saint Louis. I'll

I’m just happy there are a lot of people here. Half the place is full but there’s just an underlying sketchy vibe. Gateway arch is a 20min walk and baseball stadium just 15min beyond that. Hard to beat that convenience. Just want to feel a tad safer.

Nice rv park. Lots to do. The golf carts are genius. We used all weekend and had a great time. Played in the waterhole, played on the lake w/paddleboats and kayaks. Nice campsites and showerhouse. The bar and store were beautiful. Arcade, pool,games for kids and adults. Loved it

Great spot in a beautiful area close to St. Louis. No power but access to drinking water and waste water dump for just 8$.

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.