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Best Tent Camping near Nevada, MO

132 Reviews

Tent camping options in southwestern Missouri include primitive sites at Prairie State Park Campground, which offers four spacious tent campsites in a wooded hollow at the edge of a native prairie landscape. Located about 45 minutes from Joplin and 30 miles west of Nevada, this state park provides a rare opportunity to camp near free-roaming bison herds in their natural grassland habitat. The campground features both paved and gravel/dirt tent sites with picnic tables and fire rings.

Prairie State Park tent campsites are primitive with no electricity or running water at the sites themselves, though campers can access water at the maintenance area up the hill. A vault toilet serves the camping area, but there are no showers or flush toilets available. The campground requires vehicles to cross a small stream for access, which may become impassable after heavy rains. According to one visitor, "The tent sites are VERY primitive, but you drive up to your camp." Sites are well-spaced, offering good privacy with some backing up to a curved stream that runs along the perimeter, while the center paved sites sit in more open, grassy areas.

The tent camping experience at Prairie State Park offers a glimpse into the native prairie ecosystem that once dominated the region. The park features approximately 14 miles of hiking trails ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 miles in length, though pets are not permitted on trails due to the bison. One camper noted that "you get to be around buffalo without fences. It is a surreal experience and worth the time to locate the herd in the park." Tent campers should be prepared for wildlife encounters including deer, coyotes (which can be heard howling at night), and numerous ticks. The park's relatively remote location means campsites are rarely full, providing peaceful seclusion. Some tent sites receive more shade than others, with the gravel sites along the stream being more shaded but also more prone to insects, while the central paved sites offer better solar exposure but less shade protection.

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Best Tent Sites Near Nevada, Missouri (6)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Nevada, MO

2 Photos of 6 Nevada Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Nevada, MO

132 Reviews of 6 Nevada Campgrounds

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 19, 2024

    Crabtree Cove

    Free Off Season Camping (review of Loop B only)

    Camped in Loop B on Oct 4, 2023. Camping was free at this Corp of Engineer campground since off season began on Oct 1st. The Loop B campground has several RV/tent sites arranged in sub-loops in an open field; some trees for shade. Sites are close to each other; no privacy between sites. Sites appear to be level. Each site has a metal fire ring, table and lamp pole. The loop road is paved and the sites were gravel. There were no hookups in Loop B. The water station was shut off, but the vault toilet, which wasn't very clean, was open. No camp host on duty during our stay. There is access to Stockton Lake from the loop road. There was nothing special about this campground, but has good lake access for boats.  Otherwise this campgrund is suitable for an overnight stay.

  • H
    May. 31, 2022

    Prairie State Park Campground

    Primitive accomodations but beautiful land!

    The tiny campground is located in a wooded hollow at the edge of the prairie and has 4 primitive sites, no electric or water at sites, no showers and one vault toilet only. You can drive up the hill to the maintenance area to get water and there is a sign for this. 2 sites have paved pads and the others are gravel/dirt. The 2 outer gravel sites back up to a curved stream that runs along the perimeter of the campground but are lower and more shaded and more prone to hovering clouds of bugs. They are all have a picnic table and fire ring and are relatively private and well distanced. Since you have to drive through this stream to get to the campground beware when there has been heavy rain as it may not be accessible. The center paved sites are more open and grassy and get more wind but also don’t have as much shade. I think I stayed in site 4 and it was great for my solar panel. I did have steady cell service with AT&T while here.

    Since it’s pretty primitive you will likely have the place to yourself, but be prepared to have guests of the state park driving through all day to check it out. Lots of deer around, beautiful to see but this also means ticks! There is also significant poison ivy along the roads but there are signs warning about that. Best to keep to the maintained roads and paths. As far as dogs, they are not allowed on any of the trails because of the bison but they can walk the entire main gravel road of the state park (no shade). Nature center was closed due to covid when I was there but looks interesting. There were a couple bison about 20 feet from the center when I was there. My parents visited once and ended up on the road for about an hour while an entire herd of bison meandered across the road around their vehicle! The bison roam free here, although the small campground area has fences and/or cow grates to keep them out. The land is stunning and open and takes you back to a bygone era of this country. The sunrises here over the prairie are gorgeous.

  • Jordan B.
    Jun. 7, 2020

    Louisburg Middle Creek State Fishing Lake

    Peaceful near KC

    I car camped here for one night early this spring and will definitely come here again. There was a big RV parked next to me, some other car campers, and then a group of tent campers. The sites are right on the lake and the vault toilet was clean. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring and they are spaced out nicely. There was a decent amount of traffic to and from the floating boat dock but it still wasn’t too noisy.

  • Lea B.
    Aug. 16, 2020

    COE Stockton Lake Hawker Point

    Private and Nearly Perfect

    Just got home from a weekend stay at site C19 at Hawker Point COE Park. This particular site was just up the hill from the lake and completely private. The walk to the lake was about 50 yards and a little steep but we managed to carry two kayaks down and up without too much trouble (and we are a middle-aged couple), and it was totally worth the effort because it was as if we had our own private cove.

    The site is very spacious and shaded with plenty of trees for our hammocks and clothesline. Lots of level places for tents. The park attendants were very friendly and helpful.

    C19 has no electricity or water and the closest vault toilet is a good walk down the road. The shower houses were driving distance away. We have a shower tent, so that wasn’t an issue for us.

    We drove through the rest of this park to check out A and B campground loops. A loop consists of full hookup sites and many sit right on the water. Little shade and crowded, but if you like to play on the lake all day these might be for you. B loop had pretty wooded sites but many were not close to the water. C loop is where it’s at!

  • Wendy M.
    Oct. 25, 2020

    Prairie State Park Campground

    Primitive fun

    This campsite is not for those who want amenities. There are 4 SPACIOUS sites and they are what I would call primitive. No hookups/ no electricity/ no running water. Good for star gazing. Two sites have a paved pad and two do not...depends what you’re looking for. There are quite a few trails ranging from 1.5-4.5 miles—- total of 14 miles of trails. The nature center is small but they have two bison, a coyote, and many other learning opportunities inside. Speaking of bison and coyotes... you’ll hear the coyotes all night howling and barking...the bison are roaming around which you will be able to see where they’ve been by the scat droppings around the road and trail system. Definitely something to see if you’ve never seen the plains before.

  • Hayley G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Orleans Trail

    Private, wooded campground near the lake!

    We stayed in the D loop at site D37. All of the sites in the D loop are more spaced out and wooded than in the other loops. They also don't have electric and the bathroom is a vault toilet. 

    Site D37 was able to fit our two tents comfortably but I don't think there was a flat space to fit a third. It was also pretty overgrown and unkept. So bring lots of bug spray. Site D39 is pretty close and it would work well for a group needing multiple spots. We had a view of the lake across the road. The bathroom was a several minute walk. 

    Site D37 across from us had water access and looked really nice. Other nearby spots D40 was also quite heavily wooded and didn't look like it had much more than one semi-flat spot for a tent. But it was definitely very private! 

    We used the shower houses(which we had to drive to get to) and they were okay. The water wouldn't get hot, but we didn't take ice cold showers. The swim beach was the highlight of this location and very nice!

  • Laura H.
    Sep. 17, 2020

    Cedar Ridge Campground—Stockton Lake

    Tent Camping

    Beautiful views from many of the sites. I noticed several of the tent sites do not have level areas for your tent. T01 site does not have close parking unless you are able to park in the handcap parking. It is a quite park in the evening. Camp host is polite and shower house is kept clean. Vault toilet by the boat ramp is sketchy (where tent camping is located). Will stay here again.

  • Mark D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 25, 2025

    Montrose Missouri Conservation Area Dispersed Camping

    Enjoyed Our Stay

    Large grass area available for tents or campers. No specific camp locations. No fire rings or picnic tables. Pit toilets are as expected.

    Shallow muddy water but it does attract wildlife. A bit of road noise but tolerable. Perfect for our one night stay.

  • Devin M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 9, 2022

    Sparrowfoot

    Beautiful and quiet

    This campsite is beautiful. Loop B is much quieter with fewer guests. Loop A is a little more busy. Loop A: 2 smaller loops of campsites. A17,18,19 are very close to a little walkway that goes down to the lake. These spots are very hot and sunny in the morning, but shaded in the afternoon. Loop A has 1 set of nonflushable toilets that were surprisingly clean. Loop B: this is where the shower house and flushable toilets are. Showers were clean and water was hot. Showers had good water pressure. Loop B also has the playground which is right behind site B47. It’s a newer playground and all equipment was nicely maintained. There are no swings. Only complaint is that there are no benches or picnic tables at the playground so bring your camping chair if you plan to stay awhile. Further past Loop B the road turns to gravel and there is a parking lot with a walkway to the lake. This offers some small bluffs with deep water for jumping off. If you walk further around the corner to the right, it turns into a nicer “beach” style area with few rocks, although the mud can be a little thick after it rains. When we were here (July) the lake was pretty muddy but I’m not sure if it’s always that way or not. It was also pretty low, but still had plenty of fun and kayaked through all the little coves.

Guide to Nevada

Campers seeking outdoor experiences near Nevada, Missouri have multiple options within driving distance. Prairie State Park offers a distinctive natural setting where visitors can experience undisturbed tallgrass prairie landscapes with free-roaming bison herds. The park provides primitive camping accommodations about 45 minutes from Joplin, allowing visitors to experience a rare ecosystem found in less than 4% of its original range in North America.

What to do

Bison viewing opportunities: Prairie State Park features herds of bison roaming freely throughout the park, creating unique wildlife viewing experiences. According to visitor Luke B., "Prairie state park isn't very large but it is nice to see somewhere dedicated to preserving the native grassland that the Midwest used to be covered with. The main draw for me other than it being close to where I live is that you get to be around buffalo without fences."

Prairie hiking trails: Multiple trails ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 miles wind through Prairie State Park's grasslands. Chad K. notes, "The multiple hikes are fun and you get the true prairie experience." These trails showcase native prairie plants and provide opportunities to observe wildlife from safe distances.

Stream exploration: Several camping areas near Nevada feature creek access. At Prairie State Park Campground, two gravel sites back up to a curved stream that runs along the campground perimeter, though these sites are "lower and more shaded and more prone to hovering clouds of bugs" according to Hanna T.

What campers like

Star gazing: The open prairie landscape at Prairie State Park provides exceptional night sky viewing opportunities. Wendy M. confirms it's "Good for star gazing" and mentions that "you'll hear the coyotes all night howling and barking" which adds to the wilderness experience.

Peaceful seclusion: The limited number of campsites at many area campgrounds ensures a quiet experience. Michelle T. reports about Prairie State Park, "Limited camping spots available, but the times we've stayed there have rarely been others camping. So, it's peaceful!"

Spacious sites: Tent camping near Nevada, Missouri often includes generous site dimensions. Katie R. describes Prairie State Park's sites as "spacious w/ tables, pit, bathroom facility a short walk away with a creek nearby. Peaceful as can be."

What you should know

Primitive facilities: Most camping options near Nevada feature basic amenities. At Prairie State Park, Deborah C. advises, "If you are interested in bison sightings, this is the park for you. If you need water, supplies, shower or a flush toilet, skip this one. The tent sites are VERY primitive, but you drive up to your camp."

Tick prevention essential: The grassland and wooded areas around Nevada harbor ticks, especially during warm months. One recent visitor to Prairie State Park noted, "Lots of ticks. Good clean campground. Bathroom. Bison roam the park. Ticks also roam the park."

Water crossing considerations: Access to some camping areas can be affected by rainfall. Hanna T. warns about Prairie State Park, "Since you have to drive through this stream to get to the campground beware when there has been heavy rain as it may not be accessible."

Tips for camping with families

Nature center visits: The nature center at Prairie State Park provides educational opportunities. Wendy M. shares, "The nature center is small but they have two bison, a coyote, and many other learning opportunities inside."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Nevada, MO is Prairie State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 10 reviews.

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