Are you planning a trip to Monroe City with your horse? We've got you covered. Whether you own a horse or are joining a tour group, equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. With our help, you'll find the best Missouri equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
Indian Creek lies on the northern banks of Mark Twain Lake. It is the largest campground on the lake with 215 standard campsites, plus additional non-electric and tent-only sites. The lake is named for the beloved writer and humorist, Mark Twain, who was born just south of the lake in Florida, Missouri.
Boating is convenient with Indian Creek's public boat ramp. Bass fishing and hunting are also popular.
Mark Twain Lake is sourced by the Salt River in northeast Missouri. The Clarence Cannon Dam sits on the eastern edge of the lake, providing flood control and hydroelectricity to the region, in addition to an extensive habitat for wildlife.
While visiting the area, tour the birthplace of the world-famous humorist and writer Mark Twain in the nearby Mark Twain State Park. The David C. Berti Shooting Range is located below the dam.
$30 - $125 / night
Frank Russell Campground, set near the picturesque Mark Twain Lake, has a location near the dam, providing campers with easy access to the lake, river and surrounding attractions. The campground also features an amphitheater with weekly events in the summer. The lake's namesake and legendary author and humorist, Mark Twain, was born in a town beside the lake.
The 32-mile long Joanna Trail is accessible from the campground. Here, horseback riders, mountain bikers and hikers can enjoy the rough and varied terrain that meanders along the northern banks of the lake, across bluffs and over hills. Campfire programs are provided every Saturday from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Mark Twain Lake is sourced by the Salt River in northeast Missouri. The Clarence Cannon Dam sits on the eastern edge of the lake, providing flood control and hydroelectricity to the region.
While here, many visitors tour the birthplace of world-famous humorist and author, Mark Twain, in Florida, Missouri. The David C. Berti Shooting Range is below the dam and the M.W. Boudreaux Visitor Center is located on the south end of the Dam.
$30 / night
The roar of ATVs and off-road motorcycles combines with the peacefulness of rolling hills at Finger Lakes State Park, one of two ATV parks in the state parks system. Built in a former coal mining area, Finger Lakes’ trails and motocross track are popular with users who come for the day, but often fall under the spell of the spacious campground, leafy trees and hilly terrain. The park is also the site of the challenging 2.75-mile Kelley Branch Mountain Bike Trail and a 4.5-mile water trail.
Finger Lakes State Park offers basic and 30-amp and 50-amp electric campsites.
Visit the Missouri Department of Conservation's website for more information.
Camping is allowed anytime in designated camping areas shown on map. These may or may not have defined campsites. No amenities are provided. Seasonal closures and restrictions may apply. Groups of more than 10 campers require a special use permit. Campers are limited to 14 consecutive days in a 30-day period.
Guide
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.
Guide
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.
Scout
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.
Scout
so family friendly, very well service, cheap, and most importantly everyone enjoyed time there
Traveler
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)!!!
GuideBeautiful 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.
ScoutVery wooded campsites but large and spaced apart nicely. Was very quiet after 10pm. Bathrooms have a shower area and were pretty clean. Raccoons visited nightly so secure your food supply and trash. Boat landing and Beach that is private for campers only. You can't see the Lake from sites and it's a very long walk or drive to the beach. There is an outdoor amphitheater and nice hiking trails. Monroe City about 7 miles away has a Shell station that is 24/7 If you need ice, drinks and minimal groceries. But the town...minus the few bars, shut s down around 9pm. There is a Hardee's there as well. It's a nice drive to get to the campground. Will definitely be back!
GuideI'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.
GuideWe 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.
ScoutWe are homeless and we got a campsite for two week here and I got a special needs child. And my boy were up at the water and all I did was call then over to me and I get 3 cops at my site. When cross from me the people at that site start there car off and on all night and dog parks from 6 am to 8 am. But I get told if I am loud I get kick out. Thank you for the welcoming feel
ScoutNot a bad State Park/Camp ground, theres an Amish store close by with ice and amenities. The map online is wrong when choosing a campsite though. The site I chose appeared off by itself on the map and when I arrived it was in the same area as all other sites.
RangerGreat place to camp and fish. Quite clean campground
GuideThis was a 1 night stay while getting to the east coast. Most impressed by how perfectly level our paved parking pad was. We didn’t have to level the rv or even unhook it from the truck. Very few campers as some sections were closed, peaceful & quiet evening. Shady site with picnic table and fire ring. Restrooms were clean-ish (we are camping, right?), they could use a fresh coat of paint and soap dispensers. Showers were fine. Used their dump station and filled the water tank as we exited the park. Would recommend & would stay there again
ScoutEven though it rained like crazy. Me and my husband loved this spot, especially with 3 perfect trees close enough to put our hammocks up! Will definitely be coming back to this spot. Down the road a walk away. There is a trail that leads right to the water where we were able to have a swim and not have to leave the campground.
RangerI think these campgrounds are definitely under rated. This one is well maintained and clean. The sites are all paved and most are well spaced.
My only concern is the photos of the sites are a bit deceiving. I thought my site, #6, was dead level. While it was level side to side, it had about 6" of slope front to back. Not a problem for me but some campers may find it a bit much. At $20/night ($10 for seniors) with electricity it's a bargain.
There is access to the lake from the campground, there is no beach. We spent on night during the week in mid May and there were only 5 campers in the whole park. We had the place to ourselves. We will spend more time our next time through to explore.
ScoutThe distance from the hiway is a big plus! This is a beautiful State Park. Serene, in April. The birds and frogs are amazing!!!! Site is paved, needed just slight levelling. We will return, love it!
RangerWe camped during Covid so the swimming beach and playgrounds were closed but everything else was great! Nice big lots, everyone has full shade. Each loop has a big bathroom with massive showers. One of our showers even had a handheld nozzle! And each loop has their own dumpster.
This campground is out in the boonies so you'll want to stock up before you pull in. Here's a rundown:
25 min from Walgreens
45 min from Walmart
40 min from laundromat
2 hours from Target and CVS
The trails are wide and there are multiple water access points to get to the shoreline This is a reserve only now so be sure to pick your spot before you show up. I haven't seen an attendant though I did see a couple kids cleaning the bathrooms. There is a paid wifi option that's$20/week but I just used Sprint roaming as a hotspot for my laptop and it was perfect. So try the free route first. The photos for each spot are accurate on recreation.gov=)
GuideEntrance to the park is not far off the road, but its 2 miles into the campground as you pass the swimming hole and rentals. We stayed 2 nights on a basic (no hook-ups) unlevel site with our 40' ft diesel. Now I say unlevel, if you dont have leveling Jack's and some boards you might be tipsy. We were able to get level, but to be fair for this review who may not have jacks, come prepared. We had 3 sites all were very unlevel. Our sites were private, primitive, and beautiful. We enjoyed our stay. The camp host was friendly and even delivered wood. Unfortunately the wood was went. Not his fault. If you have any atv, dirt bikes, this is the place to come. Trails all over. We were not bothered by anyone or the sounds, of course you could hear them but at dusk everyone had to be off the trails. Would return to this state park, maybe next time with an ATV.
RangerWell what can I say. I had high hopes for this one. Only offers basic and electric sites in small camping are. One shower house that was ok. Very loud and not a family place to camp. Great dirt bike trails and sever lakes. You can kayak and fish. I wouldn’t recommend swimming even at the designated beach. Had one lake with kayak/canoe rentals. Could be fun for day use. Would be great for riding! All in all not a place I would camp.
GuideGreat place to stay, doesn’t seem to have a lot of hiking trails. They do have nice secluded little spots mostly all electric. Bathhouse is pretty a long walk, but big and really clean. only 20.00 per night. It’s has an archery range and equestrian site.
TravelerI had a great time here. The roads were paved, signs were marked clearly. Good connection on the phone service as well. Only issue I had was the amount of bugs that were everywhere. When I stepped out it felt like I was walking through a thousand spider webs everywhere. The bathrooms aren’t that clean either. That being said though, bugs are to be expected of a campground. Other than that though it was quiet and it was a nice stop.
ScoutBathrooms could have used more attention especially with the times, beach was nice and clean but could use a bathroom close by
TravelerRoomy, clean, spacious, affordable.
TravelerThe campground was average, as were the amenities- but the activities offered were enjoyable (kayak rentals, walking trails- these were shared with dirt bikes, horses, etc.) The lake water was fine for kayaking but we definitely did not want to swim in it. The Park Ranger was unfriendly, and we read reviews of similar experiences written in the campground office guestbook when renting the kayaks.
Not likely to return.
GuideWe always stay in the main campground area. Either in a normal camper, pop-up, or tent, Siloam is a perfect place to stay. The bathroom and showers are good, and the walk from the main circle of sites is super close. The pines give great cover when hot and add that familiar pine sent to the whole park.
From hiking to fishing to boating/kayaking, there is a lot offered. I prefer to spend most of my time hiking and every once in a while, I will rent a kayak. The trails are pretty well marked and are best in mid/late fall or early spring. We’ve redone them numerous times and still enjoy them. My favorite trails are the Red Oak and Hoot Owl!
My family and I have always enjoyed Siloam Springs as a good weekend getaway!
GuideI have two dogs. They are friendly, but get rather rambunctious when they see other dogs. I prefer sites that I can keep them tucked away.
On the electric sites - sites 1-10 are in an area with lots of trees and shade, while sites 11-17 are more open, but still have a few trees for shade.
We stayed in the premium electric spot #15. It felt roomy and was close to the bathrooms. If your like me, and prefer a tucked away spot, go for #17 (no immediate neighbors to your left).
The park itself is delightful. There are hiking, biking and water trails. Hiking trail was really nice with a surprise waterfall! Because the majority of campers were out in their ATV’s, we had the hiking trail all to ourselves. The kayak/canoe loop trail is nifty as there is no need to park a car in another location.
Bathrooms were well kept. Shower house was just ok.
LegendThis area has a lot to offer. We chose this campground bc it wasn’t as busy as others and there are some nice riding trails for bikes. We explored a lot of the woods and came out with a lot of ticks, both lonestar and deer. The ticks don’t take away from the place but you do need to be aware. The hosts were super friendly and when a problem arose they took care of it right away. Lots of families with kids riding bikes by the campground. Our site, 87, backs up to a cliff with water below after a short hike through the woods it opens to the lake.
Mark Twain and the town of Florida is right about 7 miles away so there is some educational stuff as well. As of now tho it is all shut down bc of covid restrictions. Monroe City is about 20 miles away if you need anything.
We would say site 79 was the best and anything in that little group was pretty awesome and secluded.
Lots of boating and fishing to be had! Enjoy!
Horse camping in Missouri offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it an ideal choice for horse enthusiasts looking to explore the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Monroe City, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Monroe City, MO is Indian Creek Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Monroe City, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Monroe City, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
