Searching for the best camping near Mark Twain National Forest, MO? Mark Twain National Forest is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Mark Twain National Forest, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
$56 - $65 / night
"Family operated and located in the Ozark Mountains with beautiful scenery nearby to explore."
"If you’re traveling through southern Missouri and looking for a park to stay in, this is a great choice! Right off the interstate and easy to get in to."
"Big Creek is very nice setting with all the amenities, including Wifi and Laundry facility. Great little pool in middle of park. Spots were clean and easy to back into or pull through."
"Nice, clean, quiet campground. Spacious lots. Clean pool (on the small side). Duck races were fun. Cell service was good and wifi was iffy. Would definitely stay again in the area."
$40 - $60 / night
"Hosts were so attentive and helpful-the grounds were so green and view of the woods and pond was so relaxing- bathrooms were clean with hot water and flush toilets and the horse stalls were conveinent"
$20 - $120 / night
$10 - $90 / night
"Friendly staff"
"Dean an Erma are wonderful people that I enjoy talking to and being around. They have totally changed the campground!"
"Mostly full-timers but even though they have 18 people on the waiting list for a full time spot still they reserve several pull throughs for short term guests. "
"This was right on the highway, but no road noise. Check in was super easy, full hook ups and easy in and out. Looks like they changed the name to Silver Springs RV park. Enjoyed the pool."
"This is really the gem of Missouri state parks. Rv sites are all full 30/50 amp with water and sewer. All spots have plenty of room but are back in. The pads are perfectly level and are concrete."
"Make sure to book a walk-in campsite if you’re tent camping, otherwise you’ll be in the lot with the RVs (no trees, no privacy etc see first picture)."
ScoutLocation is great. The campground is on the basic side, with gravel and dirt everywhere. Not an issue, if that's what you're expecting.
We were in site 45 and our friends in site 46. These are both 30 amp sites, no sewer, and we both have 50 amp service. This shouldn't be a problem, assuming we're pulling less than 30 amps. With 1 AC running, were only pulling less than 15 amps, but still having multiple electrical issues the whole weekend. Both sites ended up having to run our generators most of the time we were here. The staff did come out and take a look at the pedestals, and even replaced the breaker on ours. We were told that because we were at the end of the line, and we had big rigs, that it was causing issues. However, it shouldn't be causing an issue if we weren't pulling more than 30 amps, which we weren't. (On a normal 30 amp service, our rig will run 2 ac units without issue.) Multiple times, we were receiving less than 100 volts, which shut our Bulldog EPO off.
We went to check at the office as we left for the dump station location. I was told that they could dump for you for $20 or, you could back into a full hook up site and dump for a $5 fee. We have been full time since November and this is the 1st time I've encountered needing to pay to dump when full hokkups weren't available. I double checked the website and couldn't find anything that mentioned a fee to dump.
The staff did credit us 1 night stay and we didn't end up having to pay to dump.
Long story short, definitely paid for the location to the river. We backed up onto the water and let down our ramp/patio for a nice view.
GuideWe stayed at this campground 1 night on our way between COVID-19 quarantine locations. We found the park easy to navigate (no tight turns). Large semi paved spaces (I say semi paved because the concrete pads were crumbling at least in our spot). Good separation between sites with picnic tables, no shade but they do have a dog park. Hookups were easy to reach and appeared to be in good repair. Decent water pressure. Many of the spaces were permanent campers or long term workers but it felt safe and appeared well maintained.
GuideThis is a very clean, well kept campground in Mark Twain National Forest. It has electric, vault toilets showers and a potable water spigot. Very reasonably priced. The water was cut off for repairs shortly after I arrived but, no problem, stuff happens. Been here 12 days and it has been very enjoyable. I did a field report and it tested my "cell" reception but I have no signal here so I am using Starlink and have a great connection so that will skew the test results. They need to ask if using Starlink before doing that test.
RangerThe campground is located in the Mark Twain National Forest. The fire rings are a plus and there are lots of trees for a hammock set up or tent. Lake is very pretty with a 1 mile hiking trail with some great views. In the evening it is dark enough to enjoy the stars.
RangerLoggers Lake campground runs along the 22 acre Loggers Lake near Bunker, MO in the Mark Twain National Forest.
Be prepared for a decent amount of driving on gravel county roads. The route from bunker itself has a bit less while the route to Salem is longer on gravel with a handful of water crossings.
There are 14 sites which all have parking, picnic table, and fire ring. Most have lantern poles. Most back right up to the lake. Most have back in parking which can accommodate a vehicle with trailer. The first few sites have split parking, which can house your trailer in one spot and vehicle next to it, but not long enough to back in without disconnecting. At the beginning of the campground there is a swimming area with picnic tables, grills, and a vault toilet. After this, there are the sites mentioned above with split parking. Tent sites and tables are down a hill from the parking spots here. There is a small fork with a parking lot and a handful of sites - while we were here there was an RV in this area. I believe this would be the only place a full RV could park in the campground. Finally is the main campground loop. There is another vault toilet at the beginning of the loop. Both vault toilets were relatively clean. One had air fresheners in it. There is water access near the vault toilet. On the loop, all exterior sites back up to the lake. There are two sites on the center of the loop which would be very nice for a large group. The lake itself is beautiful and easy to access. There is a boat ramp at the campground loop and a spot at almost every site to put in a kayak or canoe.
There is a 1.5 mile trail along the lake which begins at the campground loop. There is a spur to the spillway. The trail does not seem to be very heavily traveled, expect to walk through brush and spider webs!
TravelerStopped here while passing through Missouri on a Saturday on 4th of July weekend and there were only 3 other campers when we arrived late afternoon. The sites are nice and big with picnic tables and fire rings, even a few “doubles” that would fit two big rigs side by side. The trail around the lake makes for a nice short walk with the dogs and it was surprisingly not terribly buggy for July. No hook-ups, which was the only downside since it was so hot and my Husky demands AC in the summer!
LegendWe have stayed here a few times over the past couple of years and really enjoy that it’s it’s right on the Black River and that it is still within a couple of our drive from St. Louis. The campground is actually made up of two different campgrounds, East and West. The East is the older campground while the West campground is newer and geared more towards larger RVs and features bigger sites. Although we have camped at both with our 40 foot fifth wheel and as long as you pay attention to the trees you can still get around the East campground without any problems. The newer campground does not have as many trees so most of the sites are out in the open. The campground is just a few minutes away from Annapolis which has just about any of the basic needs that you might want. And again the proximity to river access is wonderful for enjoying a day at the river. Great campground!
LegendAlley Springs is one of several NPS campgrounds along the Ozark National Scenic River. The campground is located on the Jack’s Fork River, which is popular for swimming and canoeing and tubing. There are over 150 sites, and several group sites. The campground has a shower house, restrooms, RV dump station, electric and water hookups, picnic tables and fire rings. The Ozark Trail runs through the park. Roads are paved, but campground sites are gravel. There are Ranger-led campfire programs in the summer months.
GuidePositives: Tranquil little campground with beautiful spring and cave. Quiet, shady, has two points of river access, group sites, and steaming hot showers. Close to Echo Bluff State Park, Current River State Park, and Eminence, MO.
Negatives: Test sites are hit or miss. Sites 1-18 are fairly small and not very level. Sites 19-29 have larger, more level areas. 30-39 are kind of mixed. Many sites have steps up of down to the site from the road. There is no cell service available, so make sure you have made reservations before you get here. Closest cell service is up the road at Echo Bluff State Park.
Other info: You may get lucky and see otters on your way to the spring, or some of the wild horses in the area. Go in the early morning to the spring trail to watch the mist roll off the water and enjoy the wildlife - so otherworldly.
Cave tours are available June - Oct., but even if you visit is outside of this window, the walk to the cave is kind of magical.
If you walk to the spring overlook, you'll also encounter a portion of the Ozark Trail. About a half a mile down the Ozark Trail you can cross the Current River on a pedestrian bridge which is a pretty cool experience.
Bathrooms available on the upper camping loop, but the showers are located on the bottom loop (three family style showers). Fantastic water pressure.
Host was friendly even when he had to tell us we couldn't hang hammocks in National Park campgrounds.
While you're there drive down to Alley Spring for a nice hike, another beautiful spring and historic mill, and at the camp store you can get a National Parks Passport stamp (located in the screened in porch) for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
We stayed in site 13 which is located directly behind the bathrooms. Good if you have to go all the time, bad if you don't like to hear loud toilet flushes. Very shady site.
Explore the beauty of RV camping near Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, where you can find a variety of campgrounds that cater to all your outdoor needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best RV campgrounds in Mark Twain National Forest?
Mark Twain National Forest offers several excellent RV campgrounds. Pinewoods Lake Rec Area features spacious sites with picnic tables and fire rings, including some double sites that accommodate larger rigs side-by-side. The campground surrounds a scenic lake with hiking trails. Loggers Lake Campground is another great option situated along a 22-acre lake near Bunker, MO. It provides fire rings and is nestled among trees, though be prepared for gravel county roads to access it. Both campgrounds offer a true forest experience with recreational opportunities like hiking and fishing nearby.
Are dogs allowed in Mark Twain National Forest campgrounds?
Yes, dogs are allowed at Mark Twain National Forest campgrounds, but they must be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times. At Alley Spring Campground in the Ozark National Scenic Riverway section of the forest, pets are welcome throughout the campground area. Similarly, at Highway K on the Black River, pets are permitted when properly restrained. Remember to clean up after your pet, keep them from disturbing wildlife, and never leave them unattended at your campsite.
Are there private RV resorts near Mark Twain National Forest?
Yes, several private RV resorts are located near Mark Twain National Forest. Current River Campground offers a convenient location with gravel sites, though it's described as basic with 30 amp electrical service and no sewer hookups at some sites. Twin Rivers Landing provides large primitive sites with access to community water. For full-service options, Little Sinkin Creek RV Resort & Campground offers water, toilets, and is big-rig friendly. These private options provide alternatives to national forest camping with varying levels of amenities.
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