Best Tent Camping near Eminence, MO

Recent Tent Reviews near Eminence, Missouri

539 Reviews of 31 Eminence Campgrounds

• M

  Marty

  Guide

  

  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.

• B

  Barrett C.

  Traveler

  

  May. 19, 2020

  Timbuktu Campground — Echo Bluff State Park

  Wild Horses

  Was a great secluded tent camp site. Liked that they had wagons to help haul our gear to the site. Family of 7 so we have plenty of stuff to haul. Was a really fun time. Spent lots of it in the water and got to see some wild horses so that was exciting.

• A

  Alicia N.

  Scout

  

  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!

• N

  N I.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 12, 2021

  Big Spring Campground — Ozark National Scenic Riverway

  Memories of Days Gone By

  The people of Missouri gave a wonderful gift to the people of the United States.  A gift I did not know about or had never heard of till we made the decision to camp in Missouri.

  Big Springs was Missouri's first state park.  The CCC did a lot of construction on the park and so much of the buildings are still there.  In much need of repair and I do hope the federal government will restore.  Big Spring is off of Missouri Highway 160.  Turn onto State Route 103 to Big Spring.  The spring has a wheelchair accessible pathway that will lead right to the spring.

  The campground is large and open.  Tent sites along with with RV sites but the RV sites are small and very close together.  Some RV sites had electric but no water or sewer.  There is a dump site.  During the summer I think I would get a reservation for the RV sites if you need electric.  If you have the ability to generate your own electric stay in the open tent site area.  The tent site area is large and open to the sun.  Big Springs has flush toilets and hot showers.

  There are picnic areas with tables and grills scattered throughout the park along with two group shelters.

  The Ranger programs are well worth checking out.  Take advantage.

  The Current River makes a wonderful backdrop for nature lovers.  You have the options of hiking, biking, fishing, camping, floating, kayaking, and all sorts of boating with a ramp in the park.

  Have Fun - Stay Safe

  Leave No Trace

  Better Than When You Found It

• 

  J K.

  Legend

  

  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

• 

  Dave

  Guide

  

  May. 2, 2023

  Four Creeks Ranch Campground

  Looked OK

  Shelly seemed like a very nice person via text. She just wasn't there when we arrived, and we had a hard time determining property boundaries, tent site locations, etc. on our own. Unfortunately, the tent site we did find was pretty washed out, and we ended up leaving and camping elsewhere. If you have an RV/trailer, ATV's, etc. this place is probably a hoot. Best of luck.

• 

  Dave B.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 17, 2019

  Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

  A drive to the shut ins

  We have stayed in cabins and tent camped. Beautiful spot, but can be very heavily populated

• 

  Denni G.

  Traveler

  

  May. 9, 2024

  Timbuktu Campground — Echo Bluff State Park

  Great tent camping!

  Love tent camping! Secluded and shaded. I want a few years back and it was lovely can’t wait to see if there have been updates!

• 

  Marissa H.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 11, 2020

  Timbuktu Campground — Echo Bluff State Park

  Wonderful Swimming Hole

  This is a really nice spot for tent camping - even though it’s clearly geared towards RV camping. Make sure to book a walk-in campsite if you’re tent camping, otherwise you’ll be in the lot with the RVs (no trees, no privacy etc see first picture). You’ll have to carry your gear to your site, but not too far. Each walk in site is fairly isolated and separate from the other site by trees. Each site has a wood tent pad, picnic table, and fire ring with grate. If you want you could even go to the lodge (walking distance) for a meal and skip the cooking! Book your spot in advance as it seems like they fill up quickly.

• 

  Crystal E.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 29, 2021

  Montauk State Park Campground

  Beautiful

  Love the area. Tent sites are close to water, great fishing. Clean facilities and friendly staff!

• 

  Wes U.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 26, 2021

  Alley Spring Campground — Ozark National Scenic Riverway

  Great!

  Quite tent sites with restrooms in each loop and new shower house. Spring, mill, and the trails around the spring are a must!

• A

  Amy J.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 5, 2021

  Big Spring Campground — Ozark National Scenic Riverway

  Oh-Ozarks

  We enjoyed clean well-maintained bathrooms. Men’s showers were hot and the women’s were cold! The grass was mown well, so it was easier to tent camp. Staff was very helpful and accommodating. Scenery was spectacular.

• 

  Mark B.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 31, 2018

  Sam A. Baker State Park Campground

  Clean Sites, perfect for family.

  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.

• 

  Shona H.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 17, 2018

  Red Bluff Campground

  Small and Inviting, Peaceful

  Smaller campsite located in Mark Twain National Forest. RV hook ups and tent sites. Views in the bluff area or stay across from Huzzah Creek for easy access to swimming.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 4, 2016

  Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

  Johnsons Shut-Ins is a special place

  Johnson Shut-Ins State Park is an amazing park that combines the comforts of an RV park with the rustic side of walk-in tent sites. It is the best maintained park in the Northeastern part of the Ozark's. It has a store in the middle of the campground. The sites all have concrete pull-ins and the bathrooms and shower houses are all brand new, modern, and clean.

  The sites are spread a part giving plenty of room to campers. There are several tent sites that you can walk into to get away from the concrete. There is a gear cart to help you get everything back from your car to your site.

  This is a place where you could spend several days and have a lot of fun. This is the premiere campground in that area of the Ozark's.

  The staff is also very helpful and friendly.

• 

  Scott M.

  Traveler

  

  May. 21, 2018

  Taum Sauk Mountain State Park Campground

  Camping within the trees

  I like this camp site because you are within the trees the whole time. It is tent camping only. Where we camped, the ground was covered in moss. That made for very soft sleeping, except for the few large rocks spread over the area. We had room for two portable canopies and about 35 cub scouts and family members.

• A

  Ashley W.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 1, 2019

  Greer Crossing

  Love love love this area!

  The eleven point river is a Hidden Gem. I love the campsite and the cleanliness of the bathrooms. I love the shaded tent campsites and easy access to firewood, boat dock and open area perfect for large family gatherings

• B

  Barbie B.

  Guide

  

  May. 23, 2019

  Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

  Nice park with a lot to do in the park and the surrounding area.

  The campsites are very nice. I don't mind the concrete pads they have for camping and parking. We have a camper but used cots when we tent camped so concrete was not a problem for us.

  The kids loved the shut ins. We didn't even make it all the way to the back as it was a very long walk. We also visited some of the historical sites in the area.

• B

  Bill J.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 7, 2019

  Ozarks Mountain Springs RV Park

  Best campground on road trip!

  This campground was wonderful! We needed a tent site for one night and we ended up getting a whole grove of trees to ourselves! It was a Saturday night and there was an open mic night and bbq. The atmosphere was light and fun and the people rocked! Very clean bathrooms and showers. The rates were very very affordable too! 10/10!!!

• 

  J K.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 6, 2019

  Timbuktu Campground — Echo Bluff State Park

  Missouri’s newest state park has it all!

  This place literally has everything you can want from walk in tent sites to an entire lodge with all the amenities. Campsites are all well manicured and offer everything from basic sites to full RV hook ups. The only negative is that we have experienced are that you need to reserve your side months in advance because this campground is so popular. And the only other negative is that all of the campsites are out in the open with no shade. But other than that it’s easy to see why the state park is a perfect representation of how much pride Missouri takes in its conservation and park system.

• S

  Shelby B.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 20, 2018

  Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

  Perfect for any experience

  There are hookup sites as well as a primitive loop for tent camping. The cart provided was great to walk our gear down the trail to our site, and there was a flat deck for us to camp on (which was great on our rainy weekend). The store was nice, and we got some great ice cream on the way out. We drove in, but the people next to us backpacked from another campsite. Absolutely a great experience.

• 

  Danielle Y.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 9, 2018

  Alley Spring Campground — Ozark National Scenic Riverway

  Simple and spacious!

  This campground is very large thus always having availability for tent camping! They have ranger presentations on weekend evenings about the local wildlife and rivers and springs-Jacks Fork & Current River that are very informative! Great place to bring family and an equally reasonable price!! Offers group camping too! Harvey Kayak and Canoe rentals is right around the corner and will pick you up right at your campsite! I highly recommend this campground. They also have RV hookups and a private beach!

• R

  Rebecca

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 22, 2021

  Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

  Late Fall Tent Camp

  We tent camped in loop 3 in late November for one night. The bathroom and showers were still on in this camping area. The spots are slightly close together but still very wooded. Not a lot of people camping at this time of the year even on a Saturday. Camp hosts were fabulous. The sites aren’t really set up for tents. More for Trailers. We had to get creative to find a spot to put up the tent in order to stake it down. Large parking pads, fire rings, and picnic tables at each camp site.

• 

  J K.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 6, 2019

  Sam A. Baker State Park Campground

  All that you need!

  This 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

• 

  Aimee T.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 6, 2018

  Akers Group Campground — Ozark National Scenic Riverway

  Awesome primitive site with river access

  We camp here every year. My ONLY complaint is that they never seem to cut the grass close to when we come. It's not terrible, just a weedy and a little longer than I'd like it to be for tent camping. We stay at group site three which is HUGE, and nice and level. There's a great big fire ring and lots of wood available for gathering. There's a very short path from the site to the current river, which is beautiful. There is a pretty basic outhouse up a short trail for camper use.

• C

  Cindy P.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 16, 2023

  Timbuktu Campground — Echo Bluff State Park

  Absolutely perfect!

  First, the park hosts were so friendly, helpful and hard working. They kept everything spotless! Bathrooms and showers were a 10. Grounds were a 10. Location and surroundings were gorgeous. Sites were spacious and there’s not a “bad” site in the whole park. It was Peaceful and quiet at night. We walked through the walk in tent camping area and it was amazing. Sites were big, private and spread out through the woods with wooden platforms. Path through the area was gravel and very well maintained. The Betty Lea Lodge was close and had an awesome store and gift shop. We will definitely be back!

• 

  Lynn G.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 1, 2017

  Taum Sauk Mountain State Park Campground

  Lovely area, great overlook on highest peak

  Very simple campground lets you feel close to the lovely nature here. The trail options are either a short loop or a loooong out and back along the famous Ozark Trail. Not much else to do (no water activites) so if you’re not planning to hike a lot or just hang out/grill, you might want to plan some time off site.

  Yay: Trails through all kinds of forests, waterways and waterfalls. Educational displays.

  Nay: TENT CAMPING ONLY!!! My friend had been turned away on a previous trip! (There are some other parks nearby if you are in an RV.) Fills up fast.

  Surprise: Hike the tallest mountain in MO, not a long hike. Endless green rolling vistas! Also had deer at our tent.