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Sam A. Baker State Park Campground combines equestrian trails with established camping facilities just southeast of Greenville, Missouri. The park accommodates horses on designated trails throughout the 5,323-acre property, with access points connecting to both the Big Creek and St. Francis River. While the campground doesn't feature dedicated horse corrals, many sites can accommodate horse trailers with advance notice. Riders frequently access the Mudlick Mountain Trail and Shut-Ins Trail systems directly from the camping areas. The park maintains clean, level campsites with electric hookups available at most locations, though water access is limited to central fill stations.
Trail connectivity throughout the park provides excellent riding opportunities for equestrians seeking varying terrain. The equestrian trails wind through forested hills and cross several creek beds, with trail loops ranging from 2 to 8 miles in length. Horses must remain on designated bridle paths and cannot access swimming areas or general use hiking trails. Riders report excellent trail maintenance with clear markings and reasonable footing even after rainfall. Horse owners must bring their own portable corrals or highline equipment as no permanent tie facilities exist. Vault toilets accessible from horseback are positioned at major trail intersections, and trailer parking is available near the equestrian trailheads with sufficient room for turning larger rigs.
"We enjoyed our 1.5 mile hike to get to the river access to float. We brought our own flotation devices and really enjoyed every aspect of the seclusion."
"There are 2 huge campgrounds (around 100 sites each!) and a nice paved bike path connecting them."
from $15 - $52 / night
Check Availability"They offer trail rides on their horses. Dog friendly. Connected to ozark trail."
"The "Zoo" is for the younger and rowdier crowd, and is located north of HWY 8, away from the family-friendly sites, and has later quiet hours and is known for its party-like atmosphere. "
from $11 - $65 / night
Check Availability"Johnson Shut-Ins State Park is located on the Black River in Missouri, just south of St. Louis. This makes it a popular location on hot summer days, especially weekends."
"It is located on the Black River, and the water flowing through the shut-ins is crystal clear and cool."
from $15 - $80 / night
Check Availability"It’s an affordable place and family/pet friendly and the have horse stables there for your use if needed."
"Now I opt for a site as far away from the stage as possible and do not bring my children here lol. Nice facilities, no real complaints. I bet weekdays are a lot more serene."
from $12 / night
Check Availability"this campground is totally off the beaten path. a great place to relax and unwind. this is also a good place if your new to off grid camping and want to test your gear before you say bye to society. the"
"She just wasn't there when we arrived, and we had a hard time determining property boundaries, tent site locations, etc. on our own."
from $15 - $30 / night
Check Availability"So, as one of Missouri’s atv parks, this can be a load one. But, you can camp at campground 2, and you’re dealing with a MUCH more classic camping scenario."
"A great spot with a minute walk to a very well kept shower house and bathroom. We really liked this spot at CG#1."
from $15 - $52 / night
Check Availability"We took a last-minute trip on a beautiful weekend in June 2020 to get outside (responsibly) during the pandemic. Two Rivers campground did not disappoint!"
"Be sure to visit the nearby springs and sites of the recreational area. The springs are so deep blue and dramatic against the rocky cliffs."
from $10 - $45 / night
Check Availability"OZARK TRAIL: I backpacked 50 miles during spring break on the Ozark Trail between Council Bluff Lake and Johnson Shutins State park."
RangerNice park with a large camp sites with premiere off-road vehicle area. The park also features four lakes, two swimming beaches, equestrian trails, a hiking and bicycling trail and picnic sites, as well as two campgrounds capable of accommodating campers with ORV or horse trailers.
GuideWe enjoyed our 1.5 mile hike to get to the river access to float. We brought our own flotation devices and really enjoyed every aspect of the seclusion. They have equestrian trails as well and we got to see horses while floating too. The water was crystal clear and we even found quartz in some rocks in the water.
RangerSo, as one of Missouri’s atv parks, this can be a load one. But, you can camp at campground 2, and you’re dealing with a MUCH more classic camping scenario. The park is big enough you don’t hear the small engine vehicles over here.
The campground 2 sites are set up for horses, something I know almost nothing about, but they make the sites larger to accommodate equestrian needs and that’s nice. Hiking, MTB, and horse trails are separate from the atv trails. There’s even a nice 11 mile long paved trail that has some hills but will work for kids/strollers/etc.
There are a number of more interesting parks in the area for what I think of as a true camping experience, but this is a good one if you’re also on the pokemon plan (gotta camp ‘em all). If you like atv/utv/dirt bike stuff, man, campground one is for you, and it looks like a blast, read up on the lead mine tailing warnings.
GuideIf you want to see the wild horses of Shannon County, this is the place to stay. Right on the Jack's Fork, so beautiful. New bathrooms, but everything else is primitive. Equestrian sites down the road in both directions. $10 a night!
RangerI only rated this a 3 because of location. Its located next to odd Monsanto property but great vineyards. I know. Weird. Anyway great multi use if you enjoy hiking, mountain biking ATV and horses. My husband and I went to check out cave vineyard which is exactly what it sounds like and is not to be missed. The facilities at this campground were top notch and the the sites were huge! Missouri always does a great job and its a great place to camp. A few minutes drive from the popular st. Genevieve.
LegendJohnson Shut-Ins State Park is located on the Black River in Missouri, just south of St. Louis. This makes it a popular location on hot summer days, especially weekends. If you plan to go, make a reservation by calling toll free 877-ICampMO (877-422-6766). This is a State Park with about 80 walk-in, basic, electric, sewer/electric/water and equestrian campsites. Some of the sites have wooden platforms. The park also has a small store located in the center of the campground. Swimming is popular at the park. The “shut-ins” are rock formations where the river is limited by hard rock that it is cutting through. In these shut-ins, the river cascades over and around smooth-worn rock, creating a natural water park. There is also hiking and rock climbing.
GuideI’ve camped at both campgrounds offered at St. Joe. In the fall of 2018, we stayed at CG#1, the spot has a nice gravel tent pad with border, picnic table, and a fire pit. The spot also offered a concrete section for a camper and cars. We had a pop-up and one tent and it was very spacious. A great spot with a minute walk to a very well kept shower house and bathroom. We really liked this spot at CG#1.
CG#2 is located about 2-3 away from the main campground, this includes the shower house and main bathrooms. There is no shower house at CG#2. I stayed at CG#2 about a week ago. Very similar in design to the sites at CG#1, it also offers amenities for those with horses. We had a spot with electric and no water, water is located close by the vault toilets. The site has a gravel parking area rather than the concrete one at CG#1. We had two tents, two cars, and five people, just as spacious. If you want more seclusion and don’t really care about being right next to the showers, I would suggest CG#2.
Also, there was a trail located right by our spot at CG#2, it’s a good hike!!
Two clean and well kept swimming areas, great trails, good camp sites, and great bathrooms/showers!
RangerCampground Review
I was very excited to finally get to check out Sam A. Baker State Park as I had heard great things about beautiful land. The drive to the park was very pretty indeed, my husband and I enjoyed the view on the way in. My first impression upon entering the park was that this place is huge! There are 2 huge campgrounds (around 100 sites each!) and a nice paved bike path connecting them. There is also a visitor’s center were you pay for your campsite, a camp store that sells all kinds of things, a small restaurant, equestrian campsites, cabins, and an equestrian trail. We set up our tent in a basic site with no electricity, which was nice that it put us a little bit away from RVs and campers. The sites are very close together and even on one of the hottest weekends of the year the campgrounds were full! They do allow advanced reservations and I would definitely recommend them in the summer. The basic site cost $13/night and was close to a shower house with flushing toilets and a water spigot. Since it was such a hot weekend, Saturday morning we decided to the 4 mile float the campground offers. They depart at 10am or 11 am from the boat ramp at campground 1. They have a bus that picks you up at the end at either 2pm or 4pm. We paid $40 for our canoe for the afternoon. It was nice to float a different river, but the St. Francois (at least near Sam A. Baker) was pretty murky and you couldn’t see your feet in about knee-deep water. There were also tons of trees down in the water, making it a more technical trip at some points and even requiring us to get out and portage our canoe for about 25 yards. Although the price for the float was decent, the distance was very short (without stops, it would take about 1.5-2 hours). I think next time I would choose to just play and relax in the river near the campground rather than do that float again. The park also has some backcountry trails with backcountry campsites and is near the Ozark Trail. My husband and I really wanted to explore the trails and see if it connected to the Ozark Trail, but because of the heat the weekend we were there we didn’t get a chance to. Most of the trails are shared use, meaning foot and horse, which is never great for the hikers on foot. We wanted to be able to see the true condition for ourselves, but I guess that will have to wait until next time!
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Product Review: Snapbuds
As a Dyrt Ranger, I get the honor of reviewing products from time to time. This trip I got to highlight Snapbuds. They are a magnetic earbud cord organization system. If that sounds complicated, they are. They are a series of magnets that you clip around your earbud cords so that when you wrap up the cord it stays in place. This is to prevent the inexplicable phenomenon that is setting down your earbuds perfectly coiled, not touching them, then finding them in a yarn ball like knot the next day. They certainly do help with that problem. However, I have noticed since I am now coiling my earbuds the same way each time, they get twisted up after a few uses. The set up process is not entirely intuitive. You lay your earbuds on the provided guide and tape them down. Then you snap the buds in the locations of the wrap you want to achieve. Once the buds are placed, they are not supposed to be able to be moved, but you can pry them back open with a fingernail or slide them down with a bit of force. I found that the indicated placement to wrap around your hand or phone was not where they should line up for my hand or phone once I placed them. This required me to remove or slid each bud. Since they are magnets, if your cords are slightly twisted and the buds line up so the poles of the magnet don’t attract, you have to flip them and it doesn’t look as nice. Also, the magnet will be attracted to anything metal, so when using these at my desk, I have to be careful around my laptop. The buds do add a little weight to your earbuds, but it’s not bad. I did find that wearing the earbuds with snapbuds on them while running was a little annoying, since you have magnets hitting you in the chest with each stride. After each use you have to careful wrap the cord to match up. All in all, I don’t feel like this a worthwhile solution to the problem. At $10 per set, I feel like I would just rather continue to coil the cord at my leisure and keep them in place with an old hair clip.
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GuideJust spent the weekend with my family at Sam A Baker (SAB). We stayed at campground 2. Spot 145 and had plenty of shade and space. There are two traditional camps and one equestrian. The park is crowded but that’s because of how great it is. Lots of paved walk/bike trails around the park. If you forget your bike no problem you can rent one for $5 a day! The visitors center was neat. The general store has everything you need and a restaurant attached where you can get breakfast, lunch and dinner. We spent some time on the gravel bar which was a short walk from our campsite. The water on Big Creek was clear, shallow, and not too cold. I would recommend this state park to any family looking to camp.
Sam A. Baker State Park serves as a central hub for equestrian camping near Greenville, Missouri, with the 5,323-acre property located in a rugged section of the eastern Ozarks. The park sits at elevations ranging from 500-900 feet and features dense oak-hickory forest interspersed with limestone outcroppings. Water from both the St. Francis River and Big Creek keeps the trails and camping areas well-hydrated, creating sometimes muddy conditions after rainfall.
Swimming spots: Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park offers unique water recreation in naturally carved river channels. "Beautiful camp sites and a beautiful river to paddle around on. This park usually isn't very crowded which is really nice. It is very tranquil and perfect for a weekend get away," writes Charlotte B. The shut-ins feature water-worn volcanic rock formations creating natural waterslides and pools.
Riverside hiking: Shawnee Creek Backcountry Camping provides access to wilderness trails alongside Jack's Fork River. "If you want to see the wild horses of Shannon County, this is the place to stay. Right on the Jack's Fork, so beautiful," notes Delanie J. The area contains primitive camping with newly renovated vault toilets for just $10 per night.
Fishing access: Two Rivers Backcountry Camping sits at the confluence of two spring-fed streams, offering exceptional fishing opportunities. "We loved our waterfront campsite. We had a section of the river to ourselves and it was a large private spot," reports Jade G. The spring-fed waters maintain consistent temperatures year-round, supporting diverse fish populations including smallmouth bass.
Clear water access: Huzzah Valley provides direct access to crystal-clear waterways. "The crystal clear waters will definitely take your breath away!" notes Jan B. The campground maintains several entry points to the river with gradual slopes suitable for all ages and swimming abilities.
Spacious sites: Campgrounds throughout the Greenville area typically provide generous spacing between sites. At Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, "The walk-in sites are on platforms and are spaced for privacy," according to Chad K. Many sites include raised tent platforms to keep campers dry during wet weather.
Natural shade: Trees provide essential shade during hot Missouri summers. "My group and I stayed in Campground 1 and we were so pleased with how well-kept our sites were. Even during the last weekend of September, it was hot out, so we were glad there were plenty of trees around," writes Madelyn H. about Sam A. Baker State Park. Most established campgrounds maintain mature oak and hickory trees throughout camping areas.
Seasonal crowds: Summer weekends bring significant crowds, particularly at water recreation sites. At Two Rivers, one camper noted "We were able to get a first come first served site around 4:30p on a Friday - it was one of two remaining sites so we likely lucked out." Arriving midweek or making reservations months in advance is recommended during peak season.
Cell service limitations: Many campgrounds have limited or no mobile phone reception. "No cell service," reports Hayden H. at Bearcat Getaway. This affects ability to make last-minute changes to reservations or access digital maps, so download offline maps before arrival.
River conditions: Water levels fluctuate significantly based on rainfall. "We spent four days at the park with friends during the higher rain and very, high river. I have never seen the river through the park so high to the top of the banks," writes John K. about Sam A. Baker State Park. Check river gauges online before planning water activities, especially in spring.
Water safety preparation: Rivers in the region can have strong currents. At Bluff View Campground, "Great swimming and fishing. Marina is great and have boat rentals available. We love it there and go back every year," notes Scott M. Life jackets are recommended for all children near water, regardless of swimming ability.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Morning and evening hours provide the best wildlife spotting. "A friend and I even spotted a baby eastern spiny softshell turtle while crossing Big Creek!" shares Madelyn H. about Sam A. Baker. Bringing binoculars and wildlife identification guides enhances the experience.
Educational activities: Several campgrounds offer ranger-led programs. At Johnson's Shut-Ins, Mara F. mentions "the park also has some backcountry trails with backcountry campsites" where children can learn about geology and natural history. Many parks provide junior ranger programs during summer months with activity booklets available at visitor centers.
Site selection considerations: Many campgrounds offer various hookup options. "We had a spot with electric and no water, water is located close by the vault toilets," explains Olivia S. about St. Joe State Park Campground. Most RV sites throughout the region feature 30-amp service with limited 50-amp availability.
Road access challenges: Four Creeks Ranch Campground and similar rural sites have unmaintained access roads. "This campground is totally off the beaten path," writes one camper. RVers should call ahead to confirm road conditions, particularly after rainfall when dirt roads may become impassable for larger rigs.
Dump station availability: Not all campgrounds offer full sewer hookups or dump stations. When staying at Bearcat Getaway, Hayden H. notes "Great campsites, elec available no dump and community water only." Plan accordingly by arriving with empty holding tanks and conserving water during your stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Greenville, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Greenville, MO is Sam A. Baker State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 49 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Greenville, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 14 equestrian camping locations near Greenville, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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