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Best Tent Camping near Louisiana, MO

359 Reviews

Tent campsites near Louisiana, Missouri include several primitive conservation areas along the Mississippi River. Dupont Reservation Conservation Area offers free primitive tent camping with sites positioned directly on the riverbank, while Vandalia Community Lake provides a more secluded tent camping experience about 30 miles southwest of Louisiana. Both locations maintain basic tent sites with minimal amenities suited for self-sufficient campers.

Most conservation area tent sites feature simple fire rings but limited other facilities. Dupont Reservation has approximately 10-12 primitive tent sites with gravel parking spots and only two picnic tables in the entire campground. A vault toilet is located at the far end of the campground loop near the boat ramp. Vandalia Community Lake offers tent sites with picnic tables and fire rings, including one reviewer who noted, "Our camp fire ring was shaped like a heart!" Campers should be prepared for seasonal flooding at riverside locations, particularly at Dupont where the Mississippi River regularly overflows its banks.

Walk-in tent sites at William R. Logan Conservation Area provide more secluded options with tree cover and fire pits. The main camping area contains 8-10 primitive sites in an open circle configuration, plus additional walk-in tent sites along a lollipop loop in the wooded section behind the main area. A recent review noted that Little Lost Creek Conservation Area offers "great hiking, choose your site carefully" with tent-only sites that include primitive fire rings and picnic tables. Tent campers should be aware of potential noise disruptions at several locations - Dupont Reservation backs up to wetlands with an active train track, while Logan Conservation Area contains an active shooting range that can be busy during peak times. Most conservation areas require campers to pack out all trash and bring their own water, as potable sources are not available at most tent camping locations.

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Best Tent Sites Near Louisiana, Missouri (12)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Louisiana, MO

4 Photos of 12 Louisiana Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Louisiana, MO

359 Reviews of 12 Louisiana Campgrounds

  • R
    Jun. 30, 2024

    Cherokee Lakes Campground

    Secluded and spacious tent camping sites

    I spent a night here camping while on a road trip. The check-in was quick and easy. The host showed me the tent campsites, which are secluded and private from the RV sites. The sites are outfitted with a picnic table and brick fire rings. Some have water spickets. There's a central covered picnic area. Lots of shade and tall trees. You'll want to check them for dead limbs before setting up your site. I didn't ask if hammock camping is allowed. There are at least two sites that would work nicely for a hammock. A portable toilet is available to keep the area sanitary for urgent needs; the flush toilets, laundry, and fitness center at the main entrance are also available for a longer walk or short drive.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2020

    Daniel Boone Conservation Area

    Quiet and out of the way

    There are 10 or so primitive tent sites and an area that will accommodate about a dozen RV’s. There are no services here and no hook ups, but it’s free. The primitive tent sites are spread out along the main road through the conservation area, which means that in the daytime you will get road noise and dust, but its pretty quiet at night. Only a couple have picnic tables, but all seemed to have at least a level spot for the tent and a fire ring. I noticed some sites had a bit of trash in the fire rings, probably from day use or partiers. There is no trash service, so plan to pack out your trash. The best site (already taken, too bad) was set on the edge of the woods next to a fishing pond. The campers that were there let me take some pics of their site since it was so pretty. The only downside to that site was its proximity to the RV lot and their generators. There are some nice hiking trails here to explore.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2021

    Dupont Reservation Conservation Area

    Right on the River

    This is a free primitive campground on the Mississippi River. Most sites have some sort of fire ring and a gravel spot to pull a vehicle in. I only saw two picnic tables in the whole campground(maybe 10-12 sites total). The clean but basic vault toilet is at the far end of the campground loop near the boat ramp. Pretty much every site has great views of the Mighty Mississippi(depending on where your neighbors set up their site), which means you can watch boat traffic from your site and maybe feel a little like Huck Finn. A few notes of caution: this area WILL flood if the river floods; it WILL be buggy in the summer as the campground backs to a large wetlands area; on the other side of the wetlands is an active train track, so you may have train noise as well as barge noise on the river.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2020

    Little Lost Creek Conservation Area

    Great hiking, choose your site carefully

    There are single campsites on both the north and south ends of the conservation area, and none of them have any amenities- no water, no vault toilet or outhouse, no firewood for sale. But what the sites are lacking is made up for with scenery and hiking, and it is free. The conservation area is closed to camping during various hunting seasons(I ran into a hunter scoping out his turkey hunting spot for the following week’s hunt). There is a great hike down into a valley with the actual Lost Creek at the bottom, completely worth the hard hike back up out of the valley. The campsite has room for a couple tents(no RV’s here), some great trees for hammocks, a primitive fire ring, and a picnic table. Since you are right next to the parking lot, you will see some traffic during the day with hikers, birders, and others, and there is no privacy for your campsite. Bring everything, including a cat hole shovel, and pack everything out.

  • Sam H.
    Jun. 13, 2023

    Ray Behrens

    Likely our new regular spot

    The whole park doesn't match the awesomeness of site 97 and the few around it, but the end of this loop is almost perfect. Great shade, almost no slope to pads, all power options, great water pressure, and a sewer hookup. Plenty of rocked lounging or tent space with each site. Good size fire pits, lantern post, and an aluminum picnic table on a concrete pad. All the sites have enough empty space in between that most campgrounds would have stuck another site in-between. Restroom/shower house very close by and it's regularly cleaned. 2 trails to lakeside access are close by too.

  • Chuck H.
    Jul. 9, 2018

    Badger — Mark Twain State Park

    Badger Loop

    A group of us stayed on the Badger loop. Each has gravel pads with electric, picnic table, lantern pole and fire ring. Plenty of buffer between sites and quiet. Clean showers, park programs for kids and friendly camp host. We enjoyed driving over to Mark Twain’s birth place and shrine and antiquing in Perry.

  • Josh S.
    Jul. 8, 2019

    Puma — Mark Twain State Park

    Ranger Review: GCI Outdoor Master Cook Station at Mark Twain State Park

    Campground Review:

    Mark Twain state Park is an absolute blast. approximately 30 minutes from Hannibal MO this park sits on Mark Twain Lake. Several hiking trails in the area will get you in touch with nature and an abundance of deer. Large playgrounds in the camping area's as well as visitor center areas. All loops in this park have electric and basic sites. No water hookups aside from host sites. Best part is all shower houses fairly new. We never located any vault toilets but found all three loops had their own shower house.

    Park has a boat ramp with ample parking and if you have better luck than I did a fish cleaning station. While having a boat ramp close may be a deterrent it was rare to have much boat noise with the tall trees surrounding these large private sites. 

    We stayed in site 76 in puma loop which was a sloping site but it was massive. The lots on either side of ours were similar in layout but much more level. 76 also has a path to the waterfront which we utilized daily.

    It rained on us for most of our stay we found Mark twain state park to be well worth the trip. 

    Product Review:

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time- today I am testing the GCI Outdoors Master Cook Station. 

    While looking at GCIOutdoors.com for the right item for my family to try out we were amazed at the function of their site.  We were able to compare multiple items flawlessly and despite  much debate locate an item we believed may reduce our overall need to pack everything including the kitchen sink. The cook station didn't immediately jump off the page for my wife. She had her heart set on a new rocker chair of which GCI Outdoors has an amazing selection. However, I was able to win her over after pointing out the endless options the Master Cook Station (AKA My Kitchen) Offers.

    My Kitchen provides functionality as a table, a cook top, a drying rack, food storage, and does so taking up the same amount of space as a folding chair. Our first night in camp the dreaded dinner bell began ringing and my loving wife walked over to our new kitchen. After cooking, plating, and eating from this beast she looked at me and said, "Never again will I doubt your decision making about anything." (or at least thats how I remember it.) She actual was really impressed how this cook station had taking the stress out of meal time. With a built in sink we were able to cook, eat, and clean from a singular location and when done we could either fold it up and tuck it away or use it for evening activities. 

    As a pop up camper space is always limited and at a premium. The GCI Outdoor Master Cook Station not only met our expectations it surpassed them. This swiss army table will be a must have among all of our friends and the high quality of this product tells me that we will get to show it off for quite some time.

  • Hannah W.
    Jul. 15, 2021

    Cuivre River State Park Campground

    Beautiful campground and warm showers

    The campsites and grounds are well-maintained. However, the campsites did not have designated gravel tent pads. Given that we had to set up in/right after a rain, our tarp was sitting in grass and mud. I never knew how much I appreciated a designated gravel tent pad until then. Having never camped here, we had reserved site 25 and had the whole loop to ourselves (it was a Monday night, though). Our site, though, was the smallest in the loop, tucked away in the weeds, and the only area to pitch our tent was on a slight slope. After walking the loop, I noticed that sites 26 and 29, offered more room and were better maintained. We probably could’ve changed sites had we not arrived so late and in the rain.

    Firewood is available for $5. We saw a nice playground at the entrance. There were plenty of showers (water was nice and hot!) and flush toilets in the bathhouse. The bathhouse could use some TLC, but the warm water made up for it. There are laundry facilities, though we didn’t use them.

  • C
    Sep. 19, 2021

    Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area

    Free is a good price

    Campground consists of open grassy areas with picnic tables and fire grates. Very nice lake, but some industrial type structures interfere with the view from the campground. The campground slopes toward the lake, so finding level ground is a challenge. We stayed Saturday night and there were several open spots. The rules about quiet time are not enforced and some idjit ran his loud generator until 1 am. We ended up moving away from him at 11:30.

Guide to Louisiana

Tent campsites near Louisiana, Missouri include several free primitive sites within conservation areas across Pike and Lincoln counties. Most locations offer basic accommodations with vault toilets and fire rings, though amenities vary widely. The region features a mix of riverfront, lakeside, and wooded camping options within 30-40 miles of Louisiana, with seasonal considerations affecting site conditions throughout the year.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area provides free rowboats and canoes for anglers who bring their own life preservers. A camper noted, "They had rowboats and canoes you could paddle around in. You just needed your own life jacket. The boats were free."

Hiking trails: Little Lost Creek Conservation Area offers challenging terrain with significant elevation changes. "There is a great hike down into a valley with the actual Lost Creek at the bottom, completely worth the hard hike back up out of the valley," reports one visitor.

Birdwatching: Conservation areas attract various bird species, particularly along the Mississippi River flyway. At McCully Heritage Project, campers can access "neat look out points" that provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities according to reviewers.

What campers like

Waterfront access: The campgrounds along the Mississippi River offer direct water views. A Dupont Reservation visitor shared, "The campsites are large and pretty well maintained. Not many tables are available. The one I used was wobbly, but held up."

Peace and quiet: Vandalia Community Lake consistently receives praise for its tranquil setting. "Gorgeous little lake. Vault toilets. Very quiet. Lots of fishing," notes a recent camper.

Budget-friendly options: Most conservation areas offer free camping. At Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area, campers appreciate that it's "always mowed" and has "free potable water and dump station behind ranger station."

What you should know

Limited facilities: Most conservation areas lack running water or modern restrooms. A camper at William R. Logan Conservation Area explained, "The only vault toilet was closed and a porta potty was set next to that."

Seasonal closures: Conservation areas may close during hunting seasons. Little Lost Creek "is closed to camping during various hunting seasons," according to a reviewer who "ran into a hunter scoping out his turkey hunting spot."

Wildlife encounters: Prepare for insects and local wildlife. Vandalia Community Lake campers report: "Lots of bugs in the afternoon and at night" and mention "a stray cat that stalks your food."

Uneven terrain: Finding level ground can be challenging at some sites. One Hunnewell Lake camper noted, "The campground slopes toward the lake, so finding level ground is a challenge."

Tips for camping with families

Safety considerations: Some conservation areas have hazards requiring extra vigilance with children. At William R. Logan, parents should note "there is an active shooting range in the middle of the conservation area."

Kid-friendly amenities: McCully Heritage Project offers recreational facilities for children. "We had a picnic and the kids got to play on the playground equipment," reports one visitor.

Noise factors: Expect varied noise levels depending on location. Some campers report quiet nights while others note: "The rules about quiet time are not enforced and some idjit ran his loud generator until 1 am."

Tips from RVers

Site limitations: Most conservation areas around Louisiana primarily accommodate tent camping with few RV amenities. Marshall I. Diggs Conservation Area has a "very small parking lot that is supposed to be a designated camping area, not ideal unless car camping."

Generator regulations: RVers should follow etiquette when running generators. At Hunnewell Lake, "Generators are ok just make sure they are not too loud and try to if possible running them only when needed."

Leveling challenges: Bring leveling blocks for uneven terrain. One camper advises, "Sites are close together. Some spots more shaded than others," making site selection important for larger vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Louisiana, MO is Dupont Reservation Conservation Area with a 4-star rating from 3 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Louisiana, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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