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Best Tent Camping near Schell City, MO

254 Reviews

Tent campgrounds around Schell City, Missouri offer primarily primitive experiences with limited amenities. Prairie State Park Campground, located approximately 25 miles southwest near Liberal, provides one of the few established tent camping areas in the region. This park features basic facilities including vault toilets, trash collection, and potable water access, though amenities remain minimal compared to larger state parks.

Campers should prepare for self-sufficient camping experiences at most sites. Prairie State Park has only about four primitive tent sites, with some offering paved pads while others are gravel or dirt surfaces. The sites accommodate up to 20 people per site but lack hookups, showers, or electrical connections. Water is available at a central location near the maintenance area, not at individual campsites. Most tent areas feature picnic tables and fire rings, with fires permitted in designated areas only. Vault toilets serve the campground, but no shower facilities exist.

The camping experience in this region centers around natural immersion rather than conveniences. At Prairie State Park, tent campers can observe free-roaming bison herds across the preserved prairie landscape, creating a unique camping backdrop. The campground sits in a wooded hollow at the edge of the prairie, offering both shaded sites and more open areas. Sites backing up to a curved stream provide additional privacy but may have more insects. A camper noted, "The land is stunning and open and takes you back to a bygone era of this country. The sunrises here over the prairie are gorgeous." Visitors should be prepared for wildlife encounters, including ticks, which multiple reviewers mention as prevalent throughout the park, especially during warmer months.

Best Tent Sites Near Schell City, Missouri (12)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Schell City, MO

254 Reviews of 12 Schell City Campgrounds

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 19, 2024

    Crabtree Cove

    Free Off Season Camping (review of Loop B only)

    Camped in Loop B on Oct 4, 2023. Camping was free at this Corp of Engineer campground since off season began on Oct 1st. The Loop B campground has several RV/tent sites arranged in sub-loops in an open field; some trees for shade. Sites are close to each other; no privacy between sites. Sites appear to be level. Each site has a metal fire ring, table and lamp pole. The loop road is paved and the sites were gravel. There were no hookups in Loop B. The water station was shut off, but the vault toilet, which wasn't very clean, was open. No camp host on duty during our stay. There is access to Stockton Lake from the loop road. There was nothing special about this campground, but has good lake access for boats.  Otherwise this campgrund is suitable for an overnight stay.

  • H
    May. 31, 2022

    Prairie State Park Campground

    Primitive accomodations but beautiful land!

    The tiny campground is located in a wooded hollow at the edge of the prairie and has 4 primitive sites, no electric or water at sites, no showers and one vault toilet only. You can drive up the hill to the maintenance area to get water and there is a sign for this. 2 sites have paved pads and the others are gravel/dirt. The 2 outer gravel sites back up to a curved stream that runs along the perimeter of the campground but are lower and more shaded and more prone to hovering clouds of bugs. They are all have a picnic table and fire ring and are relatively private and well distanced. Since you have to drive through this stream to get to the campground beware when there has been heavy rain as it may not be accessible. The center paved sites are more open and grassy and get more wind but also don’t have as much shade. I think I stayed in site 4 and it was great for my solar panel. I did have steady cell service with AT&T while here.

    Since it’s pretty primitive you will likely have the place to yourself, but be prepared to have guests of the state park driving through all day to check it out. Lots of deer around, beautiful to see but this also means ticks! There is also significant poison ivy along the roads but there are signs warning about that. Best to keep to the maintained roads and paths. As far as dogs, they are not allowed on any of the trails because of the bison but they can walk the entire main gravel road of the state park (no shade). Nature center was closed due to covid when I was there but looks interesting. There were a couple bison about 20 feet from the center when I was there. My parents visited once and ended up on the road for about an hour while an entire herd of bison meandered across the road around their vehicle! The bison roam free here, although the small campground area has fences and/or cow grates to keep them out. The land is stunning and open and takes you back to a bygone era of this country. The sunrises here over the prairie are gorgeous.

  • Rebecca L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 18, 2025

    Damsite

    Another amazing COE campground

    Another wonderful Corps of Engineers campground on Pomme De Terre Lake. There are basic campsites and campsites with full hookups. The campsites are spacious and overlook the lake. This is such a beautiful, well maintained campground. Every campsite is level and has a picnic table and fire ring. During the off season ( Oct 1 - Nov.30 & March 14th - Apr 14 ) all campsites ( electric and primitive ) are only $10. ( limited amenities) From Jan 5th - March 14th campsites are free at Damsite Park. However, there is no electric or water available at that time.
    Please check the Pomme De Terre USACE website for changes and regular season rates. 50% off all rates with America the beautiful/senior access pass at all Corps of Engineers campgrounds.
    I highly recommend this campground. 4g LTE and great cell signal.

  • D
    Jul. 1, 2022

    Raccoon Ridge — Harry S Truman State Park

    Shaded, Quiet and close to the lake!

    Site 36 with 30A & 120V. Public Water Spigot about 50’ away. No Sewer or Water connections at Raccoon Ridge. Plenty of dead kindling and wood around to burn. Asphalt drive with concrete pad. Picnic table, fire/grill ring, hook post w/ recycle bag attached. BEST Site is 38 which puts trailer door parallel with a 180 lake view. Heavy wooded with shared paths to lake or cove. Marina is within 1 mile by water or 15 minutes by car. Ice, Beer and necessities at Puddle Jumpers Bait Store about 10 minute drive. Hosts were great and did cleaning daily. Showers and Dump Station at top of hill few hundred yards away. Let shower water run about 3 minutes before the warm water kicks in. Swim beach is on other side of cove or about a 5 min drive. Dump Station has 4 Waste Holes, two Non-potable water spigots/hoses and one Fresh Potable Water hose and both sides have slight incline on dump tank side. Downtown Warsaw is about 15 minutes away with tourist antique shoppes, bars, ice cream shoppes and the historic Joe Dice Suspension Bridge. The Truman Dam is about same distance away. T-Mobile service with 2-3 bars, no WIFI; but HotSpot worked for ROKU. Keep food and bait inside as raccoons rule at night. Be CAUTIOUS of Red Ticks that are VERY tiny… you’ll want plenty of DEET! Flies were biting like crazy, some mosquitoes and LOTS of May Flies. You’ll see Bald Eagles, raccoons. deer, squirrels, chipmunks, hawks, turtles and FISHING near wooded edge of cove is Bass and Crappie haven!!! Also Geocaching near by!!!

    We will return and hopefully get site 38!

  • Joe G.
    Jun. 29, 2022

    COE Harry S Truman Reservoir Long Shoal Park

    Great Place

    Just got back after 2 days there.  Sites are spaced a good distance apart, nice clean lots with fire ring, picnic table and 30 amp.  The flush restrooms are cleaned everyday and very nice.  I picked site 69 which overlooks the lake and was less than 30 yards from water edge.  Site very from 100% sun to 100% shade so you have a lot to choose from.  Highly recommend it to anyone will will be back soon.

  • Lea B.
    Aug. 16, 2020

    COE Stockton Lake Hawker Point

    Private and Nearly Perfect

    Just got home from a weekend stay at site C19 at Hawker Point COE Park. This particular site was just up the hill from the lake and completely private. The walk to the lake was about 50 yards and a little steep but we managed to carry two kayaks down and up without too much trouble (and we are a middle-aged couple), and it was totally worth the effort because it was as if we had our own private cove.

    The site is very spacious and shaded with plenty of trees for our hammocks and clothesline. Lots of level places for tents. The park attendants were very friendly and helpful.

    C19 has no electricity or water and the closest vault toilet is a good walk down the road. The shower houses were driving distance away. We have a shower tent, so that wasn’t an issue for us.

    We drove through the rest of this park to check out A and B campground loops. A loop consists of full hookup sites and many sit right on the water. Little shade and crowded, but if you like to play on the lake all day these might be for you. B loop had pretty wooded sites but many were not close to the water. C loop is where it’s at!

  • Abby H.
    May. 18, 2023

    Pittsburg Area Campground — Pomme de Terre State Park

    First Weekend

    My boyfriend and I stayed here for one night at the beginning of may for our first camping trip together. It was at one of 2 basic tent sites. Ours was just a short walk on a (likely camper-made trail) down to the water. The water seemed clean enough to swim but there was a lot of floating moss and seaweed right along the shore. So we opted to just fish even though we were unsuccessful. There were plenty of trees to hang out hammock, a grill grate over the fire, and a decent amount of shade. There were two flat sites for a tent. We chose one that was slightly more on a slope because it was less rocky. Spotted a few poison ivy plants and 2-3 brown recluses but we’re in their habitat so that is to be expected. Not ideal but not unexpected lol we definitely plan to return!

  • Wendy M.
    Oct. 25, 2020

    Prairie State Park Campground

    Primitive fun

    This campsite is not for those who want amenities. There are 4 SPACIOUS sites and they are what I would call primitive. No hookups/ no electricity/ no running water. Good for star gazing. Two sites have a paved pad and two do not...depends what you’re looking for. There are quite a few trails ranging from 1.5-4.5 miles—- total of 14 miles of trails. The nature center is small but they have two bison, a coyote, and many other learning opportunities inside. Speaking of bison and coyotes... you’ll hear the coyotes all night howling and barking...the bison are roaming around which you will be able to see where they’ve been by the scat droppings around the road and trail system. Definitely something to see if you’ve never seen the plains before.

  • Laura H.
    Sep. 17, 2020

    Cedar Ridge Campground—Stockton Lake

    Tent Camping

    Beautiful views from many of the sites. I noticed several of the tent sites do not have level areas for your tent. T01 site does not have close parking unless you are able to park in the handcap parking. It is a quite park in the evening. Camp host is polite and shower house is kept clean. Vault toilet by the boat ramp is sketchy (where tent camping is located). Will stay here again.

Guide to Schell City

Tent camping near Schell City, Missouri tends toward primitive experiences with limited facilities. The region sits at approximately 850 feet elevation within the Osage Plains, characterized by rolling grasslands interspersed with woodlands and small waterways. Summer temperatures typically range from 85-95°F with high humidity, while spring and fall offer milder conditions with temperatures between 60-75°F.

What to do

Bison viewing trails: Prairie State Park Campground offers multiple hiking trails ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 miles where visitors can observe free-roaming bison. "If you are interested in bison sightings, this is the park for you," notes Deborah C. "My parents visited once and ended up on the road for about an hour while an entire herd of bison meandered across the road around their vehicle!"

Fishing access: Bledsoe Ferry provides shoreline fishing opportunities along Truman Lake. This small camping area is drive-in accessible and allows pets, making it convenient for fishing-focused camping trips. According to Sarra W., it's "a great place for the family."

Prairie hiking: Hermitage State Park Campground features open grassland trails and lake shore paths. "Great state park and campground," says Jason C., who appreciated the "peaceful and easy lake access." The park's wide-open spaces provide excellent opportunities for nature observation and photography.

What campers like

Secluded sites: Prairie State Park's four primitive sites are well-spaced for privacy. "The 2 outer gravel sites back up to a curved stream that runs along the perimeter of the campground," writes one camper. "They are all relatively private and well distanced."

Wildlife encounters: Prairie State Park Campground offers unique wildlife viewing opportunities beyond bison. "Lots of deer around, beautiful to see," notes one reviewer, while another mentions "coyote calls, birding, and wide open spaces make this a memorable place to visit."

Stargazing conditions: The minimal light pollution in the region creates excellent stargazing opportunities. "Good for star gazing," says Wendy M. about Prairie State Park. The campsite's primitive nature means fewer artificial lights to interfere with night sky viewing.

What you should know

Limited facilities: Most campgrounds near Schell City offer only basic amenities. At Prairie State Park, "The tiny campground is located in a wooded hollow at the edge of the prairie and has 4 primitive sites, no electric or water at sites, no showers and one vault toilet only."

Insects present: Farrington City Park and other area campgrounds require insect preparation. "Lots of ticks. Good clean campground," reports one Prairie State Park camper. Another notes, "We also got some ticks, so be careful!" Tick repellent is essential during warm months.

Water access considerations: Water availability varies significantly between campgrounds. At Prairie State Park, "You can drive up the hill to the maintenance area to get water and there is a sign for this." Pack water containers for sites without direct water access.

Tips for camping with families

Bike-friendly options: Hermitage State Park offers excellent cycling opportunities for children. "This campground is very wide open and great for family camping," says Bryan C., adding it's "perfect for bike riding as well."

Frequently Asked Questions

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