Best Tent Camping near Mansfield, MO

Tent camping options in the Missouri Ozarks near Mansfield include primitive sites with varying levels of amenities and access. Swan Creek offers free dispersed camping with creek access, while Busiek provides reservable tent sites with picnic tables and fire rings approximately 45 minutes from Springfield. Rippee Conservation Area features a small collection of free campsites along Bryant Creek with basic amenities.

Most tent campsites in the Mansfield area are primitive with limited facilities. Rippee Conservation Area provides only four campsites but includes fire pits, grills, and access to fishing. Many locations like Swan Creek require walk-in or hike-in access rather than drive-up convenience. Conservation areas typically include vault toilets but lack drinking water, requiring campers to pack in their own supplies. Busiek camping requires permits that must be obtained in person at the Missouri Department of Conservation office. Seasonal conditions can affect accessibility, particularly after heavy rains when creek crossings may become difficult.

These tent campsites offer natural surroundings with minimal development, appealing to those seeking quiet outdoor experiences. The dispersed camping at Swan Creek provides good opportunities for creek access and equestrian camping in a less developed setting. Busiek features scenic hiking trails that provide access to more remote tent sites and swimming holes, though insect protection is essential during warmer months. Wildlife viewing opportunities are abundant across these conservation areas. A visitor commented, "It's a beautiful spot on Bryant creek, and it's about as nice as you can expect from a free campground." Campers report mixed experiences with cell service throughout the region, with some locations offering adequate connectivity while others provide a complete digital detox.

Best Tent Sites Near Mansfield, Missouri (9)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Mansfield, MO

3 Photos of 9 Mansfield Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Mansfield, MO

311 Reviews of 9 Mansfield Campgrounds


  • Abby M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 26, 2020

    Drury-Mincy Conservation Area

    Gem in Missouri

    Lovely spot in Missouri. Passing through to Tennessee and found this gem of a spot with 2 vault toilets, trash and it’s free! Arrived at sunset in a Wednesday and only 2 other campers. There’s about 6 spots to pull in with a camper/ RV then at least 6 tent spots. Most spots have a fire ring and picnic table. 2-3 bars of LTE with AT&T. Little bit of road noise but no issues sleeping in my van. Everyone we came across was kind. No electric or water so come prepared. Closest town for supplies is around 25 minutes. Would definitely stay here again!

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 30, 2021

    Cobb Ridge

    Oasis in the Woods

    Open:  year round

    Reservations:  877-444-6777 or recreation.gov

                               Reservations must be made at least 3 days in advance

    Fees:  $15.00 single with electric

                $10.00 single no electric

                $45.00 group site

                Passes honored

    Bear Aware.  Beautiful fence around campground with the road and pads all paved.  Nice.  Complete campground is well maintained.  Camp host on duty, no gate house.  Sites are very large and spaced out well.  Some pull thrus.  Picnic table, fire ring, toilets, showers, water, trash.  There are nearly 80 miles of inter connected loops that go from easy to hard terrian, winding in and out of forested hollers and along ridge tops.  ATV must be 50 inches wide or less.

    LNT

    BTYFI

    Travel safe

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 15, 2021

    Drury-Mincy Conservation Area

    Great Deal, Needs some Tender Loving Care

    FREE

    FCFS 

    Sites: 13 

    This is a dispersed campground with picnic table, fire ring and sitting on the top of the mountain giving a great view. NO WATER but there are two pit toilets. When it comes to the toilets I guess you could say

    "any port in the storm" but they could use some TLC. There is also a trash dumpster but trash."  Come on people there is a trash dumpster USE IT. Pads are grass and the road is gravel. The site is situated along side the highway. 

    LNT  

    BTYFI 

    Travel safe

  • Josh C.
    May. 20, 2019

    Paddy Creek Recreation Area

    Great for solitude

    $5 recommendation donation for the night. Stayed at this campground as a halfway point hiking the Big Piney Trail loop. Typical primitive campground with toilets, bear-proof trash cans, and camp sites with fire rings and picnic tables, but not much else. Didn’t see any water faucets near our site.

  • M
    May. 6, 2022

    Twin Bridges Canoe Campground

    Early season, limited services

    Tent camped here with a group of private boat paddlers from all over the country. Campground operations had not really started for the season. I arrived after dark and could not find the tent campsites. Nearly drove into deep mud on gravel road past RV sites. Fortunately had just enough cell signal to access their website. Found a campground map three layers deep on reservation page and located my group. 

    Tent sites were well-located along the river with basic tables and fire rings. I never found the store to be open so paid camping fee at bar and cafe at entrance. Great breakfast. $25/night for tents.  Grass had not been mowed and was deep in tent area. RV sites appear to be a work in progress with much erosion around the new pads and access road. What may have been a shower house had key code locks but there was never anyone to ask. Bathrooms near the entrance lacked tp in some stalls. All one afternoon and evening a group of kids with gas weed trimmers  noisely worked on a slope adjacent to the RV area. 

    This campground should improve over time a the management appears to be developing the grounds.

  • Napunani
    Dec. 1, 2023

    Bennett Spring State Park Campground

    Fishing Paradise

    PROS 

    Senior discount 

    Check-in via text was easy and fast 

    Beautifully maintained state park 

    Quiet during week 

    Pull-thru Site 102 level, concrete pad surrounded by grass 

    Site sufficient length for trailer and tow vehicle 

    Metal frame plastic plank picnic table metal fire ring with cooking grate 

    Dark sky friendly except for campsites 101-106 

    Trash dumpsters throughout campground 1 

    Firewood for sale $5 at entrance gate house 

    Huge park store! 

    CONS. 

    1 toilet and 1 shower for 48 campsites in Campground 1. Both door locks did not work. There were lines for the one toilet most of the time!!!

    $6.50 Reservation Fee 

    Site 102 had a wonderful view of the entrance gatehouse that had blaring lights all night, the one lane dump station and a dumpster 

    Campground 101-106 sites slammed together; our campfire ring was 15 feet from neighbors sewer outlet 

    Site 102 campfire ring was 2 feet from site unmovable picnic table 

    No privacy from any other sites 

    No security overnight gate closures 

    Would not recommend Park restaurant

  • Joe J.
    Sep. 9, 2021

    Fishermans Paradise

    Off the beaten path

    For starters the RV park is about 1/4 down a 1 lane gravel road so if you’re pulling a big rig you better hope you don’t meet another vehicle. All the 50 amp full hookup sites seem to be in use by permanent residents. The 30 amp sites are not on level ground. No water or sewer connections for the 30 amp sites. The road also gets a little steep and winding to the 30 amp sites. Nice small lakes make for a nice view once you get into the valley.

  • Kura O.
    Jul. 14, 2020

    Paddy Creek Recreation Area

    Quiet, easy camping

    Nice long weekend in a relatively primitive campsite. Vault toilets were a plus, but no water source that we saw. Access to swimming, fishing, and hiking trails. We were surprised with how many sites were taken up, but there were still quite a few available. Arrive early for a good spot (We stayed in spot 20 which had its own path to the river). Would definitely camp here again.

    There isn't much in the 20 miles before you get to the campgrounds, but there is firewood for sale (self-serve) 10-15 minutes before.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2020

    Beaver Creek (MO)

    Great Shaded Soft Tent Sites!!

    When it comes to this location I liked the overall spacing of sites and the shaded tent area.  This was so appealing when I pulled in.  At first I had eyed just a site by the water but when I saw these they were a bit further away but seemed to be just what I was looking for in the midst of the heat.

    Many people come to this area to put a kayak in the water and enjoy, and while I wanted to do that it seemed a bit crowded for my liking as a novice.   You wouldn't expect that from the water but I get turned around easily and I didn't want to be out there in the way.   Instead I enjoyed the other activities and just being at camp itself.

    A bit more about the options for water recreation.   They do have rentals and a shuttle service to accommodate you returning following a paddle, that seemed very reasonably priced.

    Camp was very nice with lush green grass, access to fire rings and picnic tables.    It wasn't to loud although you could hear the sounds of campers around you pretty easily.    

    They also had cabin options here, I didn't explore them this time around but they looked nice and the placement wasn't to close to one another.  The RV area was well spaced and had great areas for leveling out with ease, shade coverings for the exposed sites and similar amenities to the tent camping.


Guide to Mansfield

Tent campsites near Mansfield, Missouri offer rustic experiences in the heart of the Ozarks with varying levels of accessibility. The region features elevations between 1,300 and 1,700 feet, creating significant changes in terrain across relatively short distances. Many campsites become difficult to access after spring rains when creeks rise and unpaved roads deteriorate.

What to do

Creek swimming opportunities: At Busiek, trails lead to several swimming holes ideal during summer months. A camper noted, "Be wary of the water level, this can impact any hiking you might be looking to do, so be ready."

Target practice: Busiek features a designated shooting range approximately 0.5 miles from the camping area. One visitor mentioned, "Decent place to shoot and walk the pupps."

Paddling access: Drury-Mincy Conservation Area provides access points for kayaking and canoeing. According to a visitor, "About 2 miles down Gunnison road and just past the conservation department buildings is a road that leads along a stream with several swimming holes."

What campers like

Solitude and quiet: Aufderklamm Farm offers secluded sites with lake views. One camper shared, "The campsite is lake view, and I took my kayak into a private lake cove. Spaces are huge."

Affordability: Many conservation areas provide free or low-cost camping options. A reviewer at Drury-Mincy noted, "I always love a good FREE campground and when I stumbled upon this one I was very happy."

Cell service availability: Some areas maintain surprising connectivity despite remote locations. A camper at Drury-Mincy reported, "I have Google Fi and Verizon and both had pretty decent signal and fully supported streaming a movie."

What you should know

Access challenges: Road conditions can significantly impact campsite accessibility. At Sycamore Loop Dispersed, a camper warned, "The gate to go down towards this campsite was locked."

Permit requirements: Some areas require permits obtained in person. For Busiek, a reviewer clarified, "Camping is by permit only, and permits can not be obtained online or by phone, you have to go in person to the Missouri department of conservation office."

Site conditions: Many primitive campsites change seasonally. At Sycamore Loop, a camper observed, "Ok place to camp, pretty secluded, old campground but most spots no longer seemed camp friendly, as new tree growth has taken over."

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly locations: Rippee Conservation Area provides a manageable camping experience for children. A visitor stated, "A very great family friendly campground. A really quit and nice place."

Bring insect protection: Warmer months require thorough preparation for insects. At Busiek, a camper advised, "Absolutely beautiful hiking trails and amazing off grid camping for family. Just make sure to bring the bug spray and tikis bc there are tons of bugs."

Limited facilities: Most camping areas have minimal amenities. At Rippee Conservation Area, a camper noted, "Has great fishing, nice and peaceful and not well known not many campsites, I believe only four but it does have firepits and grills."

Tips from RVers

Access roads: Many conservation area roads aren't suitable for larger vehicles. At Drury-Mincy Conservation Area, a camper observed, "The short 'road' from the street to the campground is pretty steep and graveled and several cars have struggled to make it up though I haven't seen any fail yet."

Limited designated sites: RV-suitable spaces are scarce at primitive tent campsites near Mansfield. A visitor to Drury-Mincy noted, "There's about 6 spots to pull in with a camper/RV then at least 6 tent spots. Most spots have a fire ring and picnic table."

Self-sufficiency required: No hookups exist at most conservation areas. A camper at Drury-Mincy advised, "No electric or water so come prepared. Closest town for supplies is around 25 minutes."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mansfield, MO is Rippee Conservation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Mansfield, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.