Best Tent Camping near Ozark National Scenic Riverways

For Labor Day we stayed at Big Spring State Park CG, near Van Buren, Missouri which is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. 

We arrived Friday afternoon and set up camp in the 100 loop, which are primitive campsites with fire ring, picnic table and lantern hook. Nice shady outer ring with plenty of room to set up your area. The inner ring is less private and lacking in shade. There are trails from the back sites to the river and the wading/swimming was nice. Where your hiking shoes to get there, and pack your water shoes you’ll probably want them for the rocky river bottom. 

 In May 2017 the area had major flooding. ( A Park Ranger put on a very informative slide show about it Friday evening) The park is still in the process of rebuilding many of its structures. That being said there are porta pots in two of the campground loops and some of the trails are closed still. The actual showerhouse was extremely busy and not well maintained. Spiders galore, three claustrophobic shower stalls (one was inoperable) with questionable cleanliness and the configuration is just weird. I’ve said it before , it’s unfortunate that the state does not keep these awesome areas maintained. 

The campground was full but we still had privacy and the noise was never intrusive on our activities. 

Big Spring is pretty awesome. There is a trail that circles up around the spring to the far side and several areas to take pictures from. It’s worth the visit to see the spring. We will visit again but I think I will take my field shower!

Watercress and this campground is the same.  Mark Twain National Forest in Van Buren, Missouri along the Ozark National Scenic Riverway. During the 2017 flood there was some damage to a group shelter so be careful walking. The ground is uneven and there are a lot of blocks. Watercress sits along side the Current River and the river is a beautiful emerald green where you can see the bottom. The river is prime float territory whether it be by kayak, boat, tubes, just whatever. On the weekend it will be very busy so prepare for full parking spots. What better way to see an untouched landscape as you float along the river. No need to paddle the river does all the work. 

First getting to the Watercress was a bit confusing to us. We drove pass the Forest sign and had to come back and start over. On Highway 60 turn onto Business 60 through Van Buren. When you see the National Park Service sign on the left had side of the road you will turn onto Watercress Road. That road will take you right into the park. The day use area will be on the left side and the campground will be on the right. Van Buren is a small town and worth the very short drive to the courthouse. If you love ice cream and amazing burgers stop by the Jolly Cone. It was established in 1953 and still going strong. Our chocolate malt was so thick we had to lick it off the straw. Can't wait to go back. YUM!!! The day we were there the Jolly Cone had sponsored a car show held around the courthouse square. These small towns offer so much history. Stop in. Watercress has 17 campsites for RV and tents. This is a First Come- First Serve. Watercress offers each site with a picnic table and campfire ring. No electrical or water at the sites. Campground is open May 1- October 1. A trash dumpster is located on site during that time frame. Vault toilets and drinking water available. Fees are$10-$20 depending on site or type of pass you have. There is a fee station. The group shelters are not open at this time. The Current River is a beautiful river to boat or float. Great for kayaks or tubes. While on the river drop a line to try your hand at fishing. Catfish, sunfish, bass and walleye. You will find the Songbird Trail for hiking 1.2 miles long to the Watercress Spring. You will even run across a Civil War earthworks on the trail. Boat launch is open and offers vault toilets and trash dumpster.   Sites are large and paved.

Check out Big Spring while in the area. It is Missouri's largest spring. There are three springs in the United States that lay claim to being the largest in the US and at different times of the year I am sure that each one is the largest. Beautiful spring. 

Have Fun- Stay Safe 

Leave No Trace 

Better Than When You Found It.

Mark Twain National Forest in Van Buren, Missouri along the Ozark National Scenic Riverway.  During the 2017 flood there was some damage to a group shelter so be careful walking.  The ground is uneven and there are a lot of blocks.

Watercress sits along side the Current River and the river is a beautiful emerald green where you can see the bottom.  The river is prime float territory whether it be by kayak, boat, tubes, just whatever.  On the weekend it will be very busy so prepare for full parking spots.  What better way to see an untouched landscape as you float along the river.  No need to paddle the river does all the work.

First getting to the Watercress was a bit confusing to us.  We drove pass the Forest sign and had to come back and start over.  On Highway 60 turn onto Business 60 through Van Buren.  When you see the National Park Service sign on the left had side of the road you will turn onto Watercress Road.  That road will take you right into the park.  The day use area will be on the left side and the campground will be on the right.

Van Buren is a small town and worth the very short drive to the courthouse.  If you love ice cream and amazing burgers stop by the Jolly Cone.  It was established in 1953 and still going strong.  Our chocolate malt was so thick we had to lick it off the straw.  Can't wait to go back.  YUM!!!  The day we were there the Jolly Cone had sponsored a car show held around the courthouse square.  These small towns offer so much history.  Stop in.

Watercress has 17 campsites for RV and tents.  This is a First Come - First Serve.  Watercress offers each site with a picnic table and campfire ring.  No electrical or water at the sites.  Campground is open May 1 - October 1.  A trash dumpster is located on site during that time frame.  Vault toilets and drinking water available.  Fees are $10 - $20 depending on site  or type of pass you have.  There is a fee station.  The group shelters are not open at this time.  Sites are large and paved.

The Current River is a beautiful river to boat or float.  Great for kayaks or tubes.  While on the river drop a line to try your hand at fishing.  Catfish, sunfish, bass and walleye.

You will find the Songbird Trail for hiking 1.2 miles long to the Watercress Spring.  You will even run across a Civil War earthworks on the trail.  Boat launch is open and offers vault toilets and trash dumpster.

Check out Big Spring while in the area.  It is Missouri's largest spring.  There are three springs in the United States that lay claim to being the largest in the US and at different times of the year I am sure that each one is the largest.  Beautiful spring.

Have Fun - Stay Safe

Leave No Trace

Better Than When You Found It.

The people of Missouri gave a wonderful gift to the people of the United States.  A gift I did not know about or had never heard of till we made the decision to camp in Missouri.

Big Springs was Missouri's first state park.  The CCC did a lot of construction on the park and so much of the buildings are still there.  In much need of repair and I do hope the federal government will restore.  Big Spring is off of Missouri Highway 160.  Turn onto State Route 103 to Big Spring.  The spring has a wheelchair accessible pathway that will lead right to the spring.

The campground is large and open.  Tent sites along with with RV sites but the RV sites are small and very close together.  Some RV sites had electric but no water or sewer.  There is a dump site.  During the summer I think I would get a reservation for the RV sites if you need electric.  If you have the ability to generate your own electric stay in the open tent site area.  The tent site area is large and open to the sun.  Big Springs has flush toilets and hot showers.

There are picnic areas with tables and grills scattered throughout the park along with two group shelters.

The Ranger programs are well worth checking out.  Take advantage.

The Current River makes a wonderful backdrop for nature lovers.  You have the options of hiking, biking, fishing, camping, floating, kayaking, and all sorts of boating with a ramp in the park.

Have Fun - Stay Safe

Leave No Trace

Better Than When You Found It

Van Buren, MO is in the midst of to the Ozark National Scenic Riverway. This whole area is party central for water lovers that spend their vacation time either motoring, floating or sitting along the Current River and the several natural springs that feed into it. 

Big Spring State Park is nearby with plenty of camping options. The campground is still under renovation due to the 2017 flood. There is a showerhouse used by all that is a bit cryptic and bug infested. There is one flush toilet in the first campground loop, the other two loops have porta pots. Picnic table, fire ring and lantern hook on semi-private, mostly level sites. Some have more shade then others. Also a group site is available. 

Skyline Drive is the scenic roadway through the Mark Twain National Forest in this area of the state. There are several areas that people camp on the Current River sand bars. If your looking to commune with nature it is possible even with the crowd, they stick mostly to the river.

Eminence, MO is the crossroads to several of the springs and Current River areas. Food , fuel and shopping.

Definitely a destination camping area.

There are 15 paved sites, each with a picnic table, fire ring and a pole to hang a lantern. Some sites are double width. There are two (nice & clean) vault toilets, one in the campground near the entrance and the other at the day use/boat launch site, no electric, water, dumpster or garbage. Pack it in and pack it out. There's a 1.3 mile paved trail along the lake and a dock. There is some noise from 60 but it's hardly noticeable. My time here has been quiet except for some drunken yahoos one night.

The only negative is there are a lot of ticks! They are easy to spot on my white dog but I have to do a tick check every time he goes outside, and I always find some. Avoid the vegetation and you'll see less. Make sure you check yourself.

Gave this campground a 5-star rating, but it probably should only be a 4 star. It only has about 12 basic tent campsites, no water or electrical at the sites. The campsites were nicely spaced, most have a lot of shade, each has a picnic table and a place to make a fire. No trailers allowed at camp sites, just tents. There is one or two special-use camping areas that can be used for groups such as boy scouts, etc. It appears you can pay in advance and reserve some campsites, so that you be sure to get one for your trip. I went in late May on the Mon-Tue of-after Memorial Day weekend and was able to find an available campsite even though I did not have a reservation. Camping fees/rates were posted on a board near the restroom building by the honor system camping fee pay station.
The restroom bldg only has pit toilets, not flush toilets. But they were cleaned very well by the workers on the 2nd day I was there. Also worth noting is that there is water faucet an a drinking fountain next to the restroom bldg, so you can get fresh water if needed. OK, so this sounds normal to average, so why give this campground a good rating? Because of location to the great stuff near-by on this mountain.
Missouri's High Point is here on this mountain. There is a very nice overlook w/ viewing platform w/ handrails very close to the campground. Some awesome hiking trails are worth checking out, although they are a bit rugged in places where you could twist an ankle. One of the trails will take you to a nice waterfall, which is Missouri's highest falls. Note that I would not call it MO's largest waterfall. Further to all of this great stuff is that the birds were plentiful and quite active when I was there. Easy to watch and listen to them at the camping area, and at the overlook viewing platform. Birds were pretty much everywhere. There is also a look-out tower up on the mountain, which is probably used as a fire watch tower. A few pictures attached.