Best Tent Camping near Mark Twain Lake in Missouri
Searching for a tent camping spot near Mark Twain Lake? Find the best tent camping sites near Mark Twain Lake. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Best Tent Sites Near Mark Twain Lake, MO (13)
1. Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area
Monroe City, Missouri4 Reviews•2 Photos•57 SavesVisit the Missouri Department of Conservation's website for more information.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Group
2. Vandalia Community Lake
Perry, Missouri2 Reviews•6 Photos•8 SavesVisit the Missouri Department of Conservation's website for more information.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Picnic Table
- Toilets
3. Dupont Reservation Conservation Area
Ashburn, Missouri2 Reviews•16 Photos•17 SavesVisit the Missouri Department of Conservation's website for more information.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Toilets
4. Slate and Wild Roses
Holliday, Missouri1 Review•32 Photos•25 SavesHello there! We (Christina & Brian) are excited to share our 80 acres with you! At the moment we offer only dispersed camping. We want to keep it as "Organic" as possible! So, there will only be 1 main gravel road, that is mostly covered in gravel at the moment. NO concrete or asphalt areas. Heavy rains will in-hinder on how far you can travel in. Either way, we can assist you, unless you are an RV. If you like, we have a large metal wagon that you can hand pull or pull by our truck. You are welcome to bring your UTV, but only to move your equipment and guests back and forth to our site or your vehicle. We are willing to show you around before you set up camp. If you are coming in at dark, we can suggest a campsite, then you can move in the daylight if you like. FIREWOOD: We have more than you can handle as this land has been harvested for timber prior to our purchase. We also encourage you to take some as long you use it up while in Missouri. More info at website DontMoveFirewood dot org We do NOT have amenities on site as of yet. We will provide bottled water at no cost. We highly encourage that you unplug while you are here, but not required. We do want you to have your phone with you for safety and capturing moments while you are here. We do have cell service here! We are close to many places: * 1/2 mile to Casey's General Store * Mark Twain State Park: 30 min * Long Branch State Park: 40 min * Thomas Hill Reservoir: 40 min * Finger Lakes State Park OHV/ motorcross: 40 min * Amish Community (Clark): 30 min * Casey's Gas Station: 3 min * Dollar General: 4 min * Walmart Supercenter: 17 min
If you are bold and want to enjoy nature nudist style, that is welcomed, but ONLY at your campsite and maybe a larger area for an additional fee once you arrive. This place is NOT a nudist camp, but it is private enough that you can be comfortable in your area. We thank you for taking the time to read our post. If you have any questions, feel free to get hold of us at anytime.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
$25 - $30 / night
5. John Spalding Rec Ar
Be the first to review!Monroe City, Missouri•2 SavesOverview
Visitors at John Spalding are in the perfect location for recreation on Mark Twain Lake. The day-use area is the only facility within reach of the sandy public beach. It's also directly connected to the Joanna Trail, a 32-mile multi-purpose trail for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Tour the birthplace of world-famous humorist and writer, Mark Twain and explore the region that inspired his most beloved stories, such as "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."
Recreation
Swim and enjoy the beach all day, or take a boat out for water skiing and fishing. For hikers and bikers, the lengthy Joanna Trail lines the northern banks of the lake.
Facilities
The day-use area is equipped with a swimming beach, showers and picnic shelters. Shelters have electric hookups.
Natural Features
The Salt River of north-central Missouri feeds Mark Twain Lake, the regions largest body of water, spanning 18,000 acres. A variety of recreation areas surround the lake, including the Mark Twain State Park.
Nearby Attractions
Visit Mark Twain's birthplace in Florida, Missouri or his boyhood home in Hannibal. The David C. Berti Shooting Range is below the dam and M.W. Boudreaux Visitor Center is above the dam.
- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Tents
- Group
- Picnic Table
$30 / night
6. Spillway Recreation Area
Be the first to review!Mark Twain Lake, Missouri•3 SavesOverview
Missouris Spillway Recreation Area is tucked in a cove near the Wappapello Dam on Wappapello Lake. The area provides plenty of recreation for day-use visitors, including boating, fishing or playing volleyball by the lakeshore.
Natural Features:
Wappapello Lake has a seemingly endless string of secluded coves hugged by a winding, wooded shoreline. The public recreation area spans 45,000 acres in the southeastern Ozark foothills.
Recreation:
Boating and fishing are the most popular activities with largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, white bass and channel catfish, among other species.
Pine Ridge Natural Trail, a 3/4-mile double loop, starts at the Spillway Recreation Area and provides an excellent way to explore the beautiful woodlands.
Facilities:
This day use area includes two large picnic shelters, 8 picnic sites, a volleyball court, playground, horseshoe pits and bank fishing.
Nearby Attractions:
The extensive 33-mile Ozark Trail, starts just south of Sam A. Baker State Park and winds along the west side of the St. Francis River and Wappapello Lake.
- Pets
- Electric Hookups
- Reservable
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Group
8. William R. Logan Conservation Area
Silex, Missouri2 Reviews•8 Photos•18 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
10. Rudolf Bennitt Conservation Area
Higbee, Missouri1 Review•5 Photos•6 SavesVisit the Missouri Department of Conservation's website for more information.
- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Equestrian
- Dispersed
- Toilets
Recent Tent Reviews in Mark Twain Lake
328 Reviews of 13 Mark Twain Lake Campgrounds
Bradley R.
Traveler
Coyote — Mark Twain State Park
Great off-season camping
We visited twice in the off-season we loved the campground so much. It’s quiet and secluded. Very clean and beautiful.
Linda H.
Guide
Rudolf Bennitt Conservation Area
Forest and Lake Dry camping
Heavily forested with a lake. Trails and camping areas in woods are setup for equestrian with good trails for hikers, bikers and horses. Camping at lake is open gravel or grass. Nice fishing lake with docks, boat ramp and vault toilet and the only one provided. Parked lakeside. Quite night with one fishing boat late morning. Get a brochure with park map at entrance as roads pass through park and private property.
- RRoger M.Traveler
Driftwood Campground & RV Park
Nice campground.
Clean bathrooms, friendly staff, nice park across street for walking dog. Very cool old metal playground equipment.
Julia V.Guide
Finger Lakes State Park Campground
Had everything we needed
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.
MickandKarla W.
Legend
Cottonwoods RV Park & Campground
Very Nice Campground
Check-in was quick and easy and we proceeded to pull through site 83 with FHUs. The gravel pad was very long and we had plenty of room for our 40’ rig and F450. The utilities were in the middle of the pad and water pressure was decent at about 40 psi. As we were on the end of a row, we had a lot of front yard space. The sites here are very close together, but long-term guests kept their sites nice and well organized, and overall this CG was very clean. There are mature trees so satellite placement could be challenging. We were able to place our Starlink in the yard area for a good shot to the north sky. We got 4 bars on Verizon and their WiFi worked well for a campground of this size. At the office, they have a nice store and gift shop with one of the best selections of camping shirts etc. that we have seen.
Laur H.Traveler
Lazy Day Campground
Great experience
Stayed one night in a campervan. Would definitely recommend! We arrived a little late - right at sunset - but the friendly and helpful staff had already texted us all the info we needed for arrival. It was very quiet. Level spaces. Very dark, unlit walk to the bath house, so bring a light! Bathhouse was clean and well kept. Would recommend!
- ccarla R.Guide
Danville Conservation Area
Watch out for ticks
Lovely wooded spot. There are about 6-8 sites. Can back in a camper. Outhouse building. Only had one other camper. Shaded, wooded. We had a lovely night but woke up covered in ticks! Lots of ticks here. We ride our motorcycles here to tent camp. Sites are close. Fire rings , no picnic tables.
- JJames W.Traveler
Driftwood Campground & RV Park
Nice family owned csmpground
At one time this campground was a KOA campground so if you are familiar with KOA, you know the basic layout. We stayed here in our tent and while the tent area was closed for receding new grass the owner let us stay in a grassy area under the trees near the office. It was a great stsy and the restrooms and pool were nice and clean. We enjoyed ourselves and cooled off in the hot weather.
Beyond All
Scout
Frank Russell
Great refurbished campground with large concrete full hookup sites.
Nice new concrete sites with fire pit, full hookup. Great trails and fishing lake, with concrete sidewalk and benches around it to make fishing easily accessible.
Amanda B.Traveler
Vandalia Community Lake
Peaceful!
Gorgeous little lake. Vault toilets. Our camp fire ring was shaped like a heart! Probably not on purpose but we liked it. Very quiet. Lots of fishing. And we actually saw the cat!
Jon B.Guide
Backpack Campsites - Long Branch State Park
Awesome Backpacking Campsite
This was my first time out on Bee Trace Trail and I had a great time. Both the hike into the campsite and out the next morning were pretty easy; the back half of the brown loop, specifically the stretch between the backpack camping site and the kayak camping sites, was sometimes frustratingly difficult to follow. I had to pull out my phone several times to get reoriented. That being said, that stretch isn't very long and the rest of the trail presented zero issues for navigation.
The campsite for backpacking is located at the very tip of the peninsula and it's a great spot. There is a camper-made fire ring here, but the regulations(and posted signs) state no fires, so I would be cautious with what you choose to do. The kayak sites are a little more developed, with picnic tables, trash hooks, and iron fire pits/grills, but I'm not sure how they feel about backpackers using those. On the day(s) I went through, I saw only two other people on the blue loop and nobody on the brown. However, I saw tons of boats out on the lake going by and they all had full view of the campsite(I think it would be pretty clear even once the trees are full); something to be aware of if you're looking for a super isolated camp. There is plenty of space to pitch a tent and many trees to choose from for hanging a hammock.
If you're looking to get your feet wet with backpacking(as I was), this is a great spot to do it. If you're a seasoned backpacker and are just looking for a quick out-and-back, I think you would be equally pleased.
- Jon B.Guide
Long Branch State Park Campground
Great Walk-In Campgrounds
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.
NapunaniLegend
Ray Behrens
Great Value with ATB Pass
PROS
Senior discount
Site 32 level asphalt pad surrounded with grass and river rocks
Moveable aluminum table
Metal fire ring with cooking grate
One hook lantern pole
Site 19 very near toilets and a dumpster
Friendly and helpful gate personnel
4 bars TMOBILE
CONS
Some road noise in the distance
Electric box at rear of site pad
Sewer connection 6 inches above ground
Poor planning to demolish all but one campground toilet/shower facilities at the same time
No overnight gate closure
Don't Miss
Rustic Oak Cabin Restaurant
Mark Twain Memorial Shrine in Mark Twain State Park. Free entrance
Ride the Mark Twain Riverboat in Hannibal
Downtown Hannibal nice variety of stores and shops
Dam Visitor Center very nice--fairly new
- kkaylee S.Scout
Indian Creek Campground
Great Way to spend time with family!
so family friendly, very well service, cheap, and most importantly everyone enjoyed time there
- LLindsey P.Traveler
Siloam Springs State Park Campground
Hidden Gem of Illinois...
This site was so much better than what I was expecting! My friend, Kari, her 3 Doodles, my Beagle, and I camped out the first night in the group section, because there's hardly anyone there and we got there too late in the day to actually start hiking. In the morning, we loaded up our packs, put the little packs on the dogs (they have to carry their own food and water), and headed up the Red Oak Backpacking Trail. I don't know if we started at the beginning or not, but we parked by a little wooden bridge and the hill to start off our adventure kinda kicked my ass a little bit. After we made it up the initial incline, the landscape was beautiful and varied from flat areas to valleys and some creeks (which I was very thankful for after a few hours in 90° and 25 lbs on my back). We ended up setting up camp at a spot we thought was nice just before it got dark, because we didn't know where or how much further the primitive hike-in campsites were. The next day, we figured it out, but we wouldn't have made it there before dark. Towards the end, there were stairs built into the earth that were way too difficult to manage when your legs are jelly and your pack is heavy, so it was almost easier trying to take the side of the stairs and make your own little path, so just a heads up there. We had so much fun the whole time and I can't wait to go back for some snow camping later this year (they are open year round)!!!
- JJonny P.Traveler
Dupont Reservation Conservation Area
Lovely camground along the banks of the Mighty Miss
It’s actually the Ted Shanks Conservation Area. Dupont is a bit further north, no camping there that we saw.
. All sites fronting the river, shaded by trees. Mix of campers, fishermen and hunters. A few trains at night but not many. Vault toilets. No tables, no fire rings.
Jeremy G.GuideLazy Day Campground
Wonderful level sites
Great staff, wonderful level sites. Bathroom on site. Pool during season. Partially shaded. Dog walk area. Pet friendly.
Nick W.Guide
Yogi Bears Jellystone Park at Pine Lakes
Family orientated
Came when all the water activities were closed for the season. Cannot wait to come back! Facilities very clean and family oriented. Very fun for kids.
Anne W.GuideIndian Creek Campground
Very nice sites and good bathrooms
Beautiful wooded sites, a bit close together and not a ton of privacy but we weren’t bothered by our neighbors at all. The bathrooms are very clean and nice, they have a dish washing sink and good showers. Our site had an electric hook up.
- Toni S.Guide
Lazy Day Campground
Simply Fabulous
We discovered this gym. On our way home. Just needed to stay overnight, but will definitely be back. The little details make it very homey. Sites are well laid out and easy to maneuver. Full hook ups or tent sites are available to meet the needs of the camper. Clean facility and family friendly.
- Dane J.Guide
Danville Conservation Area
Nice free spot
Far enough away from the highway to be silent. Toilet available. Fire pits. T-Mobile service is good.
- Jose B.Guide
Graham Cave State Park Campground
Great place quiet clean
I was on my way to St. Louis MO. And need a place for the night. This is just few miles from hwy 70 east to reserve and pay on the phone. I t was nice they I put my tent instead of sleeping on the car. Recommended
- Jeremy G.Guide
Lazy Day Campground
Super clean and convenient
Excellent grounds. Very very clean and well kept. Hosts/owners are extremely responsive and helpful. Sights have some trees. Walking paths, dog walk area, fire pits, bathhouse. I would visit again.
- MickandKarla W.Legend
Mark Twain Cave & Campground
Accommodating Staff
Coming into Hannibal, the RV GPS wanted to take us around town up to I-72. Had we been on our toes, we could have turned right at the“campground sign,” making our trip a bit easier and shorter. We came into the campground(CG) and resort area with some other campers. There was plenty of parking, and we checked in at the gift shop where you can purchase cave entry tickets. Our friends had come in the day before and told us that our reserved site E-05 was long enough for our new 40’ 2” Brinkley Model G, but we would need to park our F-450 elsewhere. Our friend suggested F-17, which was an easy back-in. F-17 was available, and was actually cheaper, so we saved$6 on the back-in site. The office folks here were very nice and accommodating, as we had expected to arrive the day prior with our friends, but due to loading up our new rig, we arrived a day late. The nice people at the office helped us work out this situation plus changed our campsite when we arrived. We proceeded to F-17 and settled down for our first camping night in our Brinkley. The F area back-ins are fairly new, with few trees to block the satellite. The older pull-throughs have mature trees and a lot of shade, so satellite would be spotty depending on the site. The water and electric are towards the back of the site, with the sewer in the middle. The water pressure was good. We got one bar on Verizon, and the CG WiFi worked better than average for a CG this size, but we were here for just an overnight from Monday to Tuesday. We were told that this private CG fills up on the weekends.
- JJD N.Scout
Lazy Day Campground
Nice campground
Stayed there for a week. The owners are very friendly. Very well kept campground. Enjoyed the pool.
- James K.Scout
Shelbina Lake City Park
A great place!
Very nice shower house fishing is great and it's right off a golf course
- MMonique C.Guide
Lazy Day Campground
Wonderful place!
Great customer service! Sites were nice and pool was great! Small campground but worth staying. Very nice
Guide to Mark Twain Lake
Tent camping near Mark Twain Lake in Missouri offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying a variety of amenities and activities.
Local Attractions to Explore
- The Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area features a picturesque lake with free paddle boats available for use, perfect for a day on the water.
- At Vandalia Community Lake, you can enjoy fishing in a serene setting, making it a great spot for anglers looking to catch some local fish.
- The Dupont Reservation Conservation Area offers stunning views of the Mississippi River, ideal for those who appreciate scenic landscapes and wildlife.
Activities for Tent Campers
- Campers at Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area can enjoy hiking and exploring the surrounding conservation area, with opportunities for wildlife viewing.
- Slate and Wild Roses provides a unique experience with its 80 wild acres to explore, perfect for bushwhacking and discovering nature.
- Fishing enthusiasts will find plenty of opportunities at Vandalia Community Lake, where the peaceful environment enhances the fishing experience.
Features That Enhance Your Stay
- Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area offers free camping with amenities like picnic tables, fire pits, and clean pit toilets, ensuring a comfortable stay.
- At Marshall I. Diggs Conservation Area, you can enjoy a free camping experience with basic facilities, making it a great choice for budget-conscious campers.
- Dupont Reservation Conservation Area features vault toilets and a mix of shaded and open sites, providing a balance of comfort and nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mark Twain Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mark Twain Lake is Hunnewell Lake Conservation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Mark Twain Lake?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Mark Twain Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.