The best TENT SITES camping near
Paynesville , MISSOURI

First thing, the new owners have some work pending that I trust will make a huge difference to the traveling campers soon. However, we didn’t get to enjoy those improvements.

The good: The reservation process was friendly and they accommodated our after hours arrival. The electrical connections were great with 50/30/20 amp receptacles. Location was convenient and easy to access.

The not so great: The date was in late December so we expected some winterizing. So the water was off at the site. It was also off at the bath house. No water for bathing, washing hands, toilets or washing dishes. The sewer connection was missing a cap and thus covered by a rock. It took us a while to even find it. The dumpster was overly full and needed dumped. The site seemed to be a storage for various materials, not if they where project related or not.

A friend discovered this gem a while back and we now frequent it. Super inexpensive for the space that you get. Free firewood. We have only stayed at the largest site as it has good fishing and a place for us to launch our paddleboards and kayaks. We easily fit a dozen people over the 4th of July. Nice hiking trails near. Watch for ticks. Don’t be alarmed if you see cats or the neighbors dogs roaming around the site. They are friendly.

We 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=)

Driving through the area and needed a place to park and sleep. We didn’t use any of the facilities, but my impression was good! The campground is clean and there are lots of spaces. We had site 30- nice pull through spot with no length issues at all with our 40 ft toy hauler. Prices are super reasonable and full hook ups.

We stayed 3 knights. The shower was good. The cave was expensive. U can check it out on YouTube. At Grammy and pappy at it again

Had an excellent time, good views of the lake and not many people. Campsites were decent and the shower/toilet facilities too.

This campground is well kept and offers both standard-electric and full hook up. The hosts are friendly and helpful. Bathrooms and shower house are cleaned regularly.

The access road off the Interstate initially had us second-guessing our decision to stay at this campground. However, we were quickly put at ease when we got onto the state park property (only a short drive down the access road). The park itself is very well maintained. It is heavily wooded with lots of shade at most of the campsites. We stayed in Site 48, which was a back-in site that backed-up to a large green area that our kids truly enjoyed playing in. The weather in early October 2020 was perfect for a camp fire and the stars really stood out at night. There are several trails to hike, including the one to the cave. We would definitely stay here again.

Stayed 10/29/2020 with only a few other campers in the campground. Close to the freeway but not really noticeable noise except on hikes. Paid $21 for 30 amp electric site, water and dump are available but not at individual sites. Bathroom and shower, dumpster, recycling and firewood also available. All sites had red tags stating reservations recommended but were not required. There were plenty of sites available when we were there. There are a few flat sites but many were not level.

Hikes were nice, lots of deer, the cave itself is blocked by chainlink but still pretty cool. Dogs ok on leashes. 

AT&T and Verizon cell service adequate.

Beaver Dam State Park, Il

We did an overnighter here. We arrived in time to get a hike in before dinner meal.

The trail map is very basic and not totally accurate. The trails are poorly marked but with basic knowledge of your compass points you can figure them out. Staff may be limited due to Corona , so the trail maintenance may have suffered, it is overgrown in several areas. The overlook to the marsh is pretty cool. I found no mileage for the trails , there may be a purchasable map with more information or of course a trail App. The lake is picturesque and busy. Lotsa fisher people here. The trail goes all the way around the lake with several fishing spots. Theres a boat ramp near the parking area and several docks to use across the lake. A nice feature is located next to the boat ramp, a fish cleaning pavilion complete with pull down hoses.

The campground had an interesting set up. The sites in the loops are gravel and you have room but not a lot of privacy. I was in site 26 and you have to back between the two other sites into this one. Not difficult in my van but it could get interesting with a camper. I don’t think you would have the room to pull in and circle out. Electric at these sites , no water. There were hydrants spaces throughout for your water needs. The fire “rings” were interesting, with a flat “platform” to set your coals/fire on. Nice campground, I felt like somewhat of an outsider here, the occupants were possibly locals who obviously use the entire 14 day stay limit. Otherwise nice, basic, water activity centered campground. I did not see any swimming areas.