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Best Tent Camping near Dora, MO

281 Reviews

Tent campsites near Dora, Missouri include several options for primitive camping on public lands. McCormack Lake Recreation Area offers free tent camping with basic amenities, while Rippee Conservation Area provides a few tent sites along Bryant Creek. Swan Creek also offers free dispersed tent camping with minimal facilities and is located within a reasonable drive from the Dora area.

Tent sites at McCormack Lake feature dirt pads with some gravel and include picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Most tent camping areas in this region lack potable water, so campers should bring sufficient supplies. Access to McCormack Lake and Swan Creek requires driving on forest roads that may be challenging during wet weather. Rippee Conservation Area includes four tent sites with fire pits and grills but limited other facilities. Vault toilets are available at most established camping areas, though Swan Creek notably lacks toilet facilities and trash service.

Primitive tent campgrounds in this region provide varying levels of seclusion and natural settings. McCormack Lake offers waterfront tent sites with fishing opportunities, though reviews indicate water quality can vary seasonally. The tent camping areas at Swan Creek attract hikers and those seeking quiet natural surroundings away from developed areas. Rippee Conservation Area features tent sites along Bryant Creek with good fishing and swimming opportunities. A camper described Rippee as "a beautiful spot on the Bryant creek" that is "about as nice as you can expect from a free campground." Many tent sites throughout the region offer adequate shade, though summer temperatures can be high, making creek-side locations particularly desirable for tent campers seeking relief from the heat.

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Best Tent Sites Near Dora, Missouri (13)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Dora, MO

4 Photos of 13 Dora Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Dora, MO

281 Reviews of 13 Dora Campgrounds

  • Renee H.
    Mar. 26, 2024

    Dam - Quarry

    Clean campground, nice location

    Average space between sites. Level paved sites with gravel picnic area including picnic table, fire ring, lantern hanger. Some sites had covered picnic area. Limited shade, most sites don’t have trees. Good access to sites. Clean and private bathrooms. Each room had its own lockable bathroom with toilet, sink and shower. Garbage cans were outside of bathrooms, as well as dumpsters near the registration building. Friendly staff upon check in. Campground was patrolled regularly. No laundry or recycling. Nearby road with little road noise. Verizon cell signal was excellent. There is a dump station and potable fill station. No store or food for purchase on site. No hiking in campground, but multiple trails nearby. Boat ramp at campground and lots of wading fly fishing in river. Fish hatchery across from campground.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 30, 2021

    Cobb Ridge

    Oasis in the Woods

    Open:  year round

    Reservations:  877-444-6777 or recreation.gov

                               Reservations must be made at least 3 days in advance

    Fees:  $15.00 single with electric

                $10.00 single no electric

                $45.00 group site

                Passes honored

    Bear Aware.  Beautiful fence around campground with the road and pads all paved.  Nice.  Complete campground is well maintained.  Camp host on duty, no gate house.  Sites are very large and spaced out well.  Some pull thrus.  Picnic table, fire ring, toilets, showers, water, trash.  There are nearly 80 miles of inter connected loops that go from easy to hard terrian, winding in and out of forested hollers and along ridge tops.  ATV must be 50 inches wide or less.

    LNT

    BTYFI

    Travel safe

  • A
    Nov. 4, 2024

    Alley Spring Campground — Ozark National Scenic Riverway

    Small sites with little privacy - campground fine, but not great

    I'd seen a lot of great reviews for this campground, so I had high expectations when we arrived for a night in early November. We reserved a spot in the 900 loop, just to be safe - a few of the camping loops allow reservations, and the rest are walk in. The loop was very open, spaces all fully visible to each other. The bathrooms were locked for the season after 10/15. 

    Since things were pretty empty, we moved to the 500 loop, which was more tree covered, near the river, and next to the shower house, which was the one park bath open for the winter. Bathrooms and showers were clean, though no camp host was present the night we stayed. 

    We were the only people on the 500 loop, so it was fine, but again - sites VERY close together. Some picnic tables were less than 20 feet apart. The 600 loop was the only heavily occupied loop when were there, filled with campers, presumably because of the electric access. 

    This is a NPS campground, so its amenities tend to be fewer than many MO state parks. I have other parks in this area that have more scenic and private tent camping. Just on the other side of the river is the Alley spring and mill, which are lovely - and ironically, some of the picnic sites are more spacious than these tent sites. I wish we could camp on that side!

  • M
    May. 6, 2022

    Twin Bridges Canoe Campground

    Early season, limited services

    Tent camped here with a group of private boat paddlers from all over the country. Campground operations had not really started for the season. I arrived after dark and could not find the tent campsites. Nearly drove into deep mud on gravel road past RV sites. Fortunately had just enough cell signal to access their website. Found a campground map three layers deep on reservation page and located my group. 

    Tent sites were well-located along the river with basic tables and fire rings. I never found the store to be open so paid camping fee at bar and cafe at entrance. Great breakfast. $25/night for tents.  Grass had not been mowed and was deep in tent area. RV sites appear to be a work in progress with much erosion around the new pads and access road. What may have been a shower house had key code locks but there was never anyone to ask. Bathrooms near the entrance lacked tp in some stalls. All one afternoon and evening a group of kids with gas weed trimmers  noisely worked on a slope adjacent to the RV area. 

    This campground should improve over time a the management appears to be developing the grounds.

  • Wayne P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 21, 2020

    Lakeview - Bull Shoals Lake

    Wonderful camping

    Great site to camp. Concrete pads and asphalt driveway. Good road around campsites. Pads are very level. Sites have a lot of space between them with many Oak shade trees. Covered picnic table. The table was newer aluminum and clean. Camping at it’s best. Good water and electric hook up. Dump station has two stalls and is in great shape.

  • M
    May. 27, 2024

    Alley Spring Campground — Ozark National Scenic Riverway

    Needs tent pads

    Pretty campground with river access and accessible restrooms. Showers were a little far from our loop. I wish the sites had tent pads as it was hard to find a flat spot to place the tent and several holes in the terrain. There is NO cell signal, so I highly recommend you take a weather radio. I wish we had.

  • Joe J.
    Sep. 9, 2021

    Fishermans Paradise

    Off the beaten path

    For starters the RV park is about 1/4 down a 1 lane gravel road so if you’re pulling a big rig you better hope you don’t meet another vehicle. All the 50 amp full hookup sites seem to be in use by permanent residents. The 30 amp sites are not on level ground. No water or sewer connections for the 30 amp sites. The road also gets a little steep and winding to the 30 amp sites. Nice small lakes make for a nice view once you get into the valley.

  • J K.
    Aug. 6, 2019

    Alley Spring Campground — Ozark National Scenic Riverway

    Great campground close to eminence

    This is a great campground that is just outside of eminence and has just about everything that you need from spacious tree covered tent sites to full RV sites as well. Easy access to both the jacks for river and Alley spring Because flooding destroyed the old restroom a new one has been built in its place with a full shower house as well. If you want a nice peaceful campground that is in the heart of the Ozarks scenic River Ways you will definitely want to check this place out

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2020

    Beaver Creek (MO)

    Great Shaded Soft Tent Sites!!

    When it comes to this location I liked the overall spacing of sites and the shaded tent area.  This was so appealing when I pulled in.  At first I had eyed just a site by the water but when I saw these they were a bit further away but seemed to be just what I was looking for in the midst of the heat.

    Many people come to this area to put a kayak in the water and enjoy, and while I wanted to do that it seemed a bit crowded for my liking as a novice.   You wouldn't expect that from the water but I get turned around easily and I didn't want to be out there in the way.   Instead I enjoyed the other activities and just being at camp itself.

    A bit more about the options for water recreation.   They do have rentals and a shuttle service to accommodate you returning following a paddle, that seemed very reasonably priced.

    Camp was very nice with lush green grass, access to fire rings and picnic tables.    It wasn't to loud although you could hear the sounds of campers around you pretty easily.    

    They also had cabin options here, I didn't explore them this time around but they looked nice and the placement wasn't to close to one another.  The RV area was well spaced and had great areas for leveling out with ease, shade coverings for the exposed sites and similar amenities to the tent camping.

Guide to Dora

Tent camping near Dora, Missouri offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying a variety of scenic locations and amenities.

Tips for tent camping near Dora

  • For a peaceful experience, consider the Rippee Conservation Area, where you can enjoy quiet surroundings and the option to have campfires.
  • If you're looking for a free option, Swan Creek provides great dispersed camping with easy access to a creek, perfect for a refreshing dip.
  • Be prepared for a more rustic experience at Sycamore Loop Dispersed, where you can find secluded spots but should bring your own supplies as amenities are limited.

Tent campers should check out Rymers Backcountry Camping

  • Located along the North Fork River, Rymers Backcountry Camping offers stunning views and a great swimming hole, making it a fantastic spot for families.
  • This campground allows pets, so you can bring your furry friends along to enjoy the beautiful scenery at Rymers Backcountry Camping.
  • With vault toilets available, Rymers Backcountry Camping provides a balance of comfort and wilderness for your camping adventure.

Local activities for tent campers

  • Fishing enthusiasts will appreciate the opportunities at Noblett Lake, where you can enjoy a peaceful day by the water.
  • For those who enjoy hiking, the trails around McCormack Lake Rec Area offer beautiful views and a chance to explore the local wildlife.
  • If you're up for a bit of adventure, Rush Campground is a great starting point for canoeing on the Buffalo River, perfect for a day of fun on the water.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Dora, MO is Noblett Lake with a 3-star rating from 3 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Dora, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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