Best Cabin Camping near Owensville, MO

Huge park with tons of amenities and options. Although there is year round Camping, the host on site advised water to each individual site will be turned off end of October for winter. Potable water is available near dump stations (hmmm....). Very well kept, and vacant this time of year, affords the opportunity for a more private camping and river experience. Clean well kept shower houses. Lodge & cabin rentals also available. Boat ramp in back of campground. Campsites with blue bands and parking stops are ADA compliant with concrete pads, elevated grills plus fire ring and picnic table.

This is a private campground run by Meramec Caverns. The campground is large and shaded, right on the river. There are hook up sites and tent sites. My advice is to try and get a spot all the way to the left of the entrance. These sites seem quieter and more spread out. The down side is that they are pretty far from the shower house and bathrooms. Most of this sites (but not all) have picnic tables, grills and fire pits. There are a few really nice sites right on the river. There is a restaurant, general store, canoe rental, zip line (it goes across the Meramec River, not sure how you get back!), and of course the caverns. The cave tour is a bit hokey, but if you can look past the mannequins and silliness, the caves themselves are really spectacular. You can definitely see why Jesse and Frank James used this as a hideout.

We absolutely love this park. It’s just under an hour from St. Louis, with river access, amazing hiking trails & great views. Very clean campsites with lots of shade for tent campers & nice level lots. There is even a swimming pool if the river isn’t your thing & a couple playgrounds too. There is a dollar general right outside the park entrance which is super convenient if you forget something or your lighter runs out of fluid like us lol. They have cabins to rents as well as Camper spots and basic lots. Pet friendly! Highly recommend this park. The whole family enjoyed staying here.

This was our first trip in our camper and a first camp at Meramec Caverns.

The staff is friendly and helpful. Security patrols around the clock and doesn't put up with any ridiculousness.

Campsites available on pavement, gravel for campers and RVs and grass for tents. Our site had 30/50 amp service and water on a gravel site facing the Meramec River. It waa a beautiful view!

Shower house and restroom facilities are clean and maintained.

A dump station is located just outsIde the main gate of the campgrounds.

Because of the location, there is no wifi and we had no cell service for the majority of our stay. Once in a while it would get a signal but it was very brief.

Campsites are separated from the Meramec Caverns tourist attractions so there is not constant traffic coming through the campsite.

Most campsites had a stone fire ring, bbq grill, and picnic table.

The cave tour, zipline, boat ride, canoe and float trips and motel are all within short walking distance from the campgrounds.

The campground store has ice, firewood and basics available. The gift shop at the cave has typical tourist items available. The restaurant is more of a snack bar and not a full service restaurant, so don't rely on it for your meals during your stay!

The cave tour is interesting and informative and on a hot day the 60 degree temp of the cave is the perfect place to hang out for a while!

Overall, a very nice place to camp and enjoy the outdoors without being too far from home.

We will definitely be back for another stay!

The real attraction here is the caverns themselves, plus the zip lining, river floating, and whatever other activities are on offer. But, the campground is not half bad! It's a large grassy area with plenty of trees (though no shrubbery or other privacy screens). There are no numbered campsites. Vehicles can be parked and tents pitched anywhere on the grass. My campsite, located in the far southwest corner, was one of a few with a fire pit, small paved picnic shelter, and picnic table. I was very happy to have the shelter, as there was a thunderstorm the morning of my visit.

There is a centrally-located camp store here. Their prices were reasonable when I visited. The bathrooms are located nearby, but these were quite run down, crowded, and dirty. I recommend seeking out the bathrooms at the visitor center. These seemed to be open 24/7 and were much, much nicer (and empty in the morning and evening).

Speaking of the visitor center, their food was surprisingly good. I had dinner and breakfast there, and was glad I did. They also had serviceable public WiFi that I used to catch up on Internet stuff while I waited for the rain to let up.

I have bike-packed along the Katy and this is an excellent spot for an overnight(s) stay. It is a tough, but short, climb from the trail. You may have to walk up the hill - challenge made :-) . This is a St. Charles County Park and it is well maintained. They also have small cabins though pretty basic. Make sure to store your food securely overnight - the racoons are pretty thick and hungry at night. I have also done short bike-packing trips from Chesterfield and St. Charles for an overnight(s) stay. If you need it, grab food in Augusta or Defiance before arriving. There are no services in the park.

The Katy Trail Turner Shelter Hostel is located in Tebbetts, Missouri at mile 131.2. The shelter is open for individuals and groups, including youth groups, using the trail. It is run by the Conservation Foundation of Missouri Charitable Trust. The shelter is two stories with 40 bunk style beds. Guests must bring their own bedding. There are showers, restrooms and a kitchen with a refrigerator and microwave. The cost is$6 per night per person. For groups of 10 or more the cost is$25 plus $2 for each member.

To make a reservation, please call the office at 573-634-2322. They will need your name and phone number for a reservation. For more information on the Katy Trail, visit bikekatytrail.com.

This park is so rich in Missouri and USA history - from buildings costructed by the African-American CCC stonemasons to Native American petroglyphs, there's some fascinating stuff here. The campgrounds are a bit rocky like, but each has a picnic table and fire pit, and they sit on the hills of a beautiful Missouri pineforest. Big River runs through this park, so there's some great swimming and fishing here, and there are three hiking trails of varying difficulty, so most people can do whatever. No supplies are available onsite, so bring everything you need!