Best Dog-Friendly Camping near La Russell, MO

Of all the KOAs I have visited I was very eager to check out this one.  Close to Springfield and not to far from the turn off to Wilson Creek Battlefield this one just kinda made sense for a visit.  

When I ventured to check it out I quickly noticed that the site spacing was not the best when it came to the RVs, it looked claustrophobic.   When it came to the tent sites I felt a bit more like I could breathe and stretch out.   Kind of strange that this was the case as usually the RV section at a KOA is more accommodating, in my own personal experiences.   

The staff was very friendly and helpful and the overall amenities were pretty inclusive.   Some of course obvious upgrades coming at additional charges while others were standard.

In true KOA fashion there is WIFI, which I personally always welcome because I work remotely and sometimes do not have the best of signal.    Additionally they had standard features such as a dog park area, playground for the kiddos and a pool, although the pool is not open year round like some.   

A few things that were a bit less common however, they had a pet play room which was pretty cool and though I don't travel with my pets found it to be a very friendly touch.    I also noticed that in addition to snacks you could pick up in the store they also had pizza during certain times if you were not wanting to use your own kitchen or the common space camp kitchens.

I was pretty impressed overall but with all the good there were those claustrophobic rv sites I just couldn't get past and the pricing of a KOA always hurts the pockets a bit more even with them being nice and the common kitchen area I was attempting to use and had a few issues, this could have been just when I was visiting so I don't want to completely hold that against them but it was having issued.

TIPS:

* Visit Wilson's Creek Battlefield to explore, learn and hike.  When you come to this KOA it obviously does not have any hiking, but the battlefield offers a lengthy system of trails .* Bass Pro's home is Springfield, MO so you will not only find the largest Bass Pro there but also a unique museum of all animals which is quite spectacular.

My wife and our children stayed here in the summer while we traveled for work and we were extremely pleased with both the grounds and the staff. They have great amenities and clean facilities as well as washers and dryers. They were so accommodating. The only drawback is a train close by. They have a small gated dog park and I huge open field. They have a seasonal swimming pool, kids playground, game room and few more things to keep the kids busy. Good WiFi and a shop that sells/makes/delivers pizza to your campsite. We will be visiting again in the future definitely.

We overnighted here on the way to Hot Springs, AR.  Convenient to Interstate 49, but virtually no traffic noise and none while inside the van.  We arrived after the office had closed - there was a prominent note on the door as to which site to use.   Electrical hookup was fine - we did not use water or cable.  There were about a dozen other  campers - most appeared to be long termers.  The CG was VERY quiet - very peaceful.  They have an off-leash dog park area which our dogs loved and used it 3-4 times the nite we were there.  The bathrooms were toasty warm and VERY clean.  Lavatory hot water got warm quickly, plenty of soap and towels.  The office has various items for sale, from snacks to RV gear.  Would not hesitate to stay again - in fact, may do so next week on our return trip.

Kimmy’s is amazing!  Always friendly and clean. Lots of activities for any outdoor adventures. Hiking kayaking swimming and lots of laughs come with Kimmy’s crew. They go out of their way to make your stay wonderful! If the pond on site is not big enough Stockton Lake is just minutes away or maybe you enjoy kayaking the Sac River is very close as well. Shuttle service is right up the road if needed. Keep your eyes peeled you may just find a message rock or two. We frequent Kimmy’s several times each summer and by far our absolute favorite campground in Missouri. And they are pet friendly too!

After reading a couple of reviews on this new campground (CG), we called about availability and got someone at Lambert’s Cafe who was not much help. We arrived at this new RV park addition to Lambert’s Cafe from I-57 with no issues. Coming in from I-57, we followed the signs for Lamberts and J.T. RV Park on the left side of the road. The entrance to the RV area is the second entrance into Lambert’s main parking lot. You follow the signage back to the CG which sits off to the right and behind Lambert's. This CG is first-come-first-serve. There’s a sign at the kiosk that states sites 6, 7, 8, 9, 27, 28, 29, 30,& 31 are for stays of one week or longer. We selected and parked in site 25 with FHUs, and then went back to the kiosk and paid our$40. The sites are narrow and very close to each other but this was on a Sunday and the park was fairly empty. There were about five transients overnight along with the four long-termers so having someone next to you was not an issue. There is no fire pit, picnic table, cable, or WiFI. One of the long-termers told me there’s a plan to put in a shower house, restrooms, and other amenities. We do not know if this is factual as we did not see any camp-host type of person during our stay. The CG is in an industrial area and we heard backing beeps at about 2:00 AM for a few minutes but other than that it was not bad for this type of area near a main road. We noticed a long-term resident taking their dog out and not picking up after the pet, which seemed to be common based on the'land mines' we noted while walking our dogs around. There is a dump station here that is a $10 fee if not staying in the CG. Lambert's Cafe is within easy walking distance. We had good water pressure at 50 psi and 4 bars on Verizon. This place is pretty much a parking lot with no trees so no problem with satellite. We got a good variety of OTA stations as well. This CG was a little on the pricey side for what you get unless maybe you are a huge Lambert’s Cafe fan. No surprises at this new RV Park as the sites are pretty much level and the roads easy to navigate. However, this place worked for an overnighter.