Best Tent Camping near Macon, MO

We stayed at Camp Takimina on our first shakedown trip with our Popup camper.  It was amazing.  It was about 5-10 minutes from I-70, super easy to get to. The camp was quiet, private, and peaceful.  There are no hookups, but water was right next to us near the parking lot, and the picnic tables near the lodge were shaded most of the day.  Portapotties were clean and well stocked.  We brought our dog and two children and the had an absolutely fabulous time!  We hiked a lot in the woods, played in the creek, and had plenty of time and space to figure out our new to us popup camper.  There aren't actual spots for to park in, it is just a big gravel lot with a couple designated areas for campers if the lot is full (it wasn't full at all).  We reserved Arrow Hill also, which is a huge site right next to the parking lot, so we had a campfire ring to cook on.  Most of the firepits have benches that surround them, which was very handy not to have to move chairs around all the time.  The tent sites were huge- easily would fit multiple tents at each site, and we will absolutely be back to tent camp, and with the popup too!

Basic tent site, potable water was right near our site. Bathrooms were clean. There were some families staying nearby but overall was a quiet stay.

I stayed one night for an activity at the state park the following day. The shower houses had individual, private, large, and very clean facilities. It was not crowded at all. Campground #2 was the smaller of the two campgrounds. The spots seemed more fitting for RV’s vs tent but there were a couple of tents. I slept in my van so it wasn’t an issue for me. I may reconsider visiting this park for tent camping.

When I stayed at Pershing it felt like an RV park. There were very few tent sites and the bathrooms were not very clean. There is a bad odor coming from the pit toilets like they have not been pumped all summer, the odor permeated through the back part of the campground.

It does have showers and an amphitheater with a few trails and some play ground equipment. On a positive note the grounds were mowed and clean.

Honestly, Long Branch State Park is 40 miles away and is a 5 star park.

We spent last night camping at Indian Camp Creek park and it’s a great mix between primitive camping with limited connection and camping at an RV parking lot. We took our 4 year old daughter tent camping for the first time and this was a great location. Although there’s only 8 individual tent spots available, it seems as though there’s always a spot available and each site is secluded by a group of trees. Each spacious site is equipped with a nice sized firepit, a concrete pad with a picnic table and a soft flat level space for a tent. One restroom with no running water is well kept and trash was picked up in the morning.

The park is loaded with activities. Great hiking trails, a huge kids playground, a pond with trails, and a full frisbee golf course. There’s a nice creek that runs through the front of the park you can cool off and float on a tube. The park is incredibly clean and well maintained. You could easily spend a weekend doing various activities without getting bored.

You can reserve a site online, but it has to be 4 days in advance otherwise it’s first come, first serve. There’s also the option for group camping, although we never checked it out.

All in all, it’s a great site, about 15 minutes away from wentzville. If you are looking for extreme primitive, or a place to park your camper, this is not your place.

The rain was a pain but didn't ruin Mark Twain! Though I grew up outside of St. Louis, I'd never been to this campground or to Mark Twain Lake.  Really enjoyed exploring the area and the campground was nice.  Showers were a short walk and campsites had a decent amount of privacy.  The Loop we were on was really better suited to motor homes and we were tent camping.  We had two tents and had to set them up in kind of a odd location near the loop road. Some sites were better then others but I wouldn't come back to this exact site to pitch a tent. If you have a camper though, its great. 

You are right on the lake here, though it's a bluff so when you get to the edge, there is a steep drop off. It's very pretty and my kids are 9 and 11 so I wasn't worried but if there were much younger I'd be concerned about letting them wander toward the lake as they could slip and fall in.  Since part of the reason I take the kids camping is to be able to let them explore, I'd go to another area with younger kiddos. 

That being said, there was a trail that you could take for about 10 minutes that took you down to water level and is decent for swimming.

We took a day trip to Hannibal, which is a fun little town. Took in the Mark Twain Museum and took a riverboat cruise. On another day, we rented a pontoon boat to explore the lake, which I'd recommend as well. 

Once you get the to the campground, you are at least 30 minutes from any store, gas station, etc, to stock up.  

We were there mostly during the week and it was very quiet.  As it got closer to the weekend, it started to really fill up and get more lively. Mostly families and such so didn't mind but just a heads up. 

In the end, lovely area, really well maintained campground and would recommend.

Mostly concrete pads, most are pretty level. Lots of wildlife, clean shower housees, great camp hosts, firewood and ice available for purchase. Great lake nearby with beach, marina with small store, picnic area. Walking trails throughout. Macon and Bevier are close by. Very nice place to camp.

I’ve camped here in a tent as well as a travel trailer and it’s great either way! Nice camping spots, generally a very quiet campground. The campsites are a bit of a hike from the lake but there is lots to do when you get there. Paddle boats, a beach, several playgrounds for kids, fishing, a marina and a great restaurant. There are several different trails you can hike or bike.
A great and affordable place to stay in north Missouri.

Long Branch State Park is amazing. It is clean, modern, and all of the amenities of an RV Park. Sounds great if you like to RV or haul a camper, but this park is awesome if you prefer less amenities and like to camp in your tent. For Tent campers there are walk-in campsites that let you pitch your tent right near the beach.

If you have your own boat or prefer a kayak or canoe the lake is big and beautiful. You can even rent kayaks and canoes at the park. They have ice cream and fun for everyone. I interviewed the camp host, Nelma, she had a great one minute video telling all about the park.

So, at first glance, small corps of engineers lake and stock Missouri state parks campground. But, we came back and there’s some unique stuff. A small trail that winds through tall grass prairie is great for kids and a cool perspective not much found in state. Also, there’s a sweet backpacking loop on a peninsula that is super rare north of the Missouri River. Quiet, and a great stop off hwy 36.

Nice campground, mainly tenting but Eva are welcome. Grass sites, fire pit and picnic tables. Lake with free paddle boats(do need life preservers) and fish hatchery across the street. Free potable water and dump station behind ranger station. Generators are ok just make sure they are not too loud and try to if possible running them only when needed

This park is one of my favorite nearby spots to take the kayak out and just float. Paddling through these channels is such a dreamy experience. Kayaks and canoes are available to rent as well. I have yet to camp out here but I'd love to crawl out of my tent and spend dawn out on these waters.

Thousand Hills SP was great. Huge swim beach, lots of trails, pavilions, playground equipment and beautiful views. Park has a full service marina where you can rent kayaks or fill your boat with gas. It also has a restaurant. Restaurant was not a little more upscale. I wouldn’t show up in flip flops and swim trunks. If you don’t have a RV or tent there are cabins to rent as well.

Nice calm lake great for swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and small motored boats. There are several trails, picnic areas, and play areas for kids. Campground 2 is small and quite with clean shower/bathrooms. Camground 2 Site 58 is a joined drive with no tent space, however you get an isolated area, and has an uneven pad for camper. It has a large patio and picnic table. Campground 1 is much larger with several great sites.

We pulled in at the end of a long day, hoping only for a place to sleep, and were happily able to secure a quiet spot for the night. The camp host was helpful and friendly. The bathrooms and showers were clean. We camped in a van. Other campsites contained small RVs and tents. Probably not a good location for larger RVs. This looks to be a good place for families to fish, ride mountain bikes, and enjoy the ATV trails.

Finger Lakes is one of few places in Missouri for campers to also be able to enjoy riding their ATVs. Helmets for riders and flags for vehicles are required for riding, and there is a variety of terrain for hours of fun. Camping is generally quiet with ample space to relax in your lawn chairs, cook and dine outdoors, and fellowship with others. Most camping sites have at least some shade.

This campground is very nice and offers lots of options,including two different types of electrical sites, basic sites, and walk-in basic sites, they do also have a number of family sites. They offer s firewood vending machine and ice for sale by the camp host. The marina is very nicely set up for handicapped accessible fishing from the fishing dock. Unfortunately the marina store was not open when we visited. We were too early in the year. The swimming beach looks very nice, although it was too cold to use when we were there. Some of the camping sites are more tent friendly than others. Some of them look like it would only be good if you were in a pop-up or a trailer.

Long branch SP located in north central Missouri is a fantastic state park. The campground is well situated on the banks of long branch lake. The walk in sites are 50 feet from the lake and are level. The park has a swimming beach along with boat ramps and as we were told great fishing. The majority of the camp sites have lake views and are far enough from the highway that it is quiet at night. There are several hiking trails, from a prairie hike to a forest hike. The facilities are updated and clean. Talking with the park ranger, this park does fill on up quickly and reservation are recommended.

I've passed through Missouri numerous times, and their parks are always top notch. Clean and well maintained. As with most "green" places in the spring and summer, the ticks are outrageous. This time was no exception, use spray to keep the buggers off!

This one was easy in/out, plenty of room between campsites. Most sites looked level, but some are a bit wacky. We had a wacky one, and the host was nice, and quick to reposition us to a better spot.

The walk-in campgrounds (it's about a 50 foot walk from the parking lot to each site) at Long Branch are located off in their own little area at the shore of the lake that offers some pretty good isolation. Although we went at a time when the water was still shut off, there are bathrooms and water available via a very short walk from the walk-in sites April 1-Oct 31. The sites are each very spacious with flat areas and material already laid out for pitching a tent and plenty of trees for throwing up a hammock. Although firewood was stated to be available year round from the vending machine, it was locked up when we went through, but there is a convenience store right across the highway from the lake that sells wood bundles and anything else you might need.

We really enjoyed our time here and we'll definitely be coming back in the warmer months to enjoy some swimming and boating.