Best Glamping near Pleasant Hope, MO

A trout fisher dream, as one of Missouri’s 5 hacherys are here. Fun for this kids to see the amazing amount of fish. Due to rain I didn’t have the opportunity to hit any of the trails, but there are several that vary in length and difficulty.

This is a nice campground. But not if you’re looking to get away from people and get deep into nature. This is mostly a fishing campground. Not a lot to do in the area. Campground is still nice, just close to city and not as nice as other areas in Missouri

This state park is one worth a stop when near Springfield. I drove north toward this park to enjoy something a bit different and found it to be very peaceful during a weekday. 

I had traveled here following a busy time and expected to still have some of that lingering noise which hangs out after a big event. But by the time I reached the location it had dwindled out. Leaving behind in the peaceful outdoors were shaded sites that were well placed but slightly trashed. That isn’t the fault of the park but rather of the people who did not pick up after themselves. 

After a little tidying of my site, I was home for the night in a nice tent site. I took a tour of the grounds and noticed that the showers were nice, the water was great in pressure and hot!! Restrooms were well maintained and even after the weekend they had already done their maintenance and had them looking very nice!! 

Something else to note when traveling is cell service. With AT&T I had 3 bars of service, something which I was very uncertain of after driving to the location had been spotty in some areas. 

The campground runs alongside a waterway and it was nice to enjoy around dusk the sounds of the water. I would have taken a dip in it had I not arrived so late in the evening, it looked so perfect for just dipping the toes in. Also I could see this being a great place to launch a small boat or kayak. 

Nearby camp is one of the larger hatcheries in the state which you can visit during certain hours and see how they work to diligently populate the waterways and lakes in Missouri, pretty cool process and information. Definitely recommend!!

After one visit, this became one of my favorite state parks. This is one of Missouri’s’ “trout parks” with a hatchery and release sites so fishing (which actually becomes catching) is a big draw. Bennett Spring is so serious about their fishing they even have a trout cam so you can watch other anglers testing their skills.

When we pulled into the campground and picked out a super sweet paved full hook-up site we let out a sigh of approval and knew we were going to really like it there for a few days. The park has 143 campsites comprised of five loops so there are a wide variety of camping options, from basic to sewer/electric/water sites with some being reserveable to first come, first serve. There are wooded sites and those in the open where you are close enough to the fishing action to watch anglers from your RV. In addition to camping, there are 65 other lodging units which are cabins, duplex/fourplexes, and motel rooms.

We came to camp, fish, and hike but there is also canoeing, floating, a nature center and museum, trout hatchery, dining facilities, a church, Olympic-size swimming pool, and much more. When I wasn’t wading in the water with a wet line, we were walking through the woods. The park has over twenty miles of hiking trails meandering through its 3,216 acres. Trails range from a leisurely walk along the stream to that of rigorous mountain trails that reward hikers with great picturesque views of the Ozark Mountains. Guided ranger-led tours are also available for those wanting a little more information on your walk. The camp store is quite large with everything from food to souvenirs. For Anglers this is where you get your fishing permit and advice on the best lures to use (of which they have a large selection).

One aspect of this park that is so appealing is the historical character that came from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) improvements made back in the 1930’s. They built a dam, arched bridge, cabins and shelters, dining lodge, roads, and trails. The CCC influence is obvious when looking at the dining lodge with its stone and wood exterior and post and beam interior that stands the test of time and emits rustic charm. The dining lodge still performs its original function and is popular among visitors (especially those who want to have their freshly-caught trout prepared for them).

To make a reservation or view campsite details, photos and availability, go to the reservation website by clicking the “Make a Reservation Now” link below. Reservations may also be made by calling toll free 877-ICampMO (877-422-6766). Printable campground maps are available for your reference by clicking on the "Map" links.

Some state parks are remote and have a quiet and tranquil feel. This park has a lot going on so that is probably not the case in the busy summer season. When we were there in early April the park’s campgrounds were pretty empty and quiet and while we really liked that we also liked that there was a lot to do. Our three days passed quickly and we would definitely come back.

This KOA is clean with wonderful parks and a nice pool. It was a great place to stay while driving to our destination. The bonus and downfall was a train track that was close to the campground. We would still stay here again.

Campsites are very clean but not a lot of space between.

Facilities are overall very well maintained.

Staff was super friendly with the exception of two. There are two employees that have no business working in any sort of hospitality. Extremely rude to my kids, my wife and I.

Would be an easy 5-star if not for the two rude employees.

Of all the KOAs I have visited I was very eager to check out this one.  Close to Springfield and not to far from the turn off to Wilson Creek Battlefield this one just kinda made sense for a visit.  

When I ventured to check it out I quickly noticed that the site spacing was not the best when it came to the RVs, it looked claustrophobic.   When it came to the tent sites I felt a bit more like I could breathe and stretch out.   Kind of strange that this was the case as usually the RV section at a KOA is more accommodating, in my own personal experiences.   

The staff was very friendly and helpful and the overall amenities were pretty inclusive.   Some of course obvious upgrades coming at additional charges while others were standard.

In true KOA fashion there is WIFI, which I personally always welcome because I work remotely and sometimes do not have the best of signal.    Additionally they had standard features such as a dog park area, playground for the kiddos and a pool, although the pool is not open year round like some.   

A few things that were a bit less common however, they had a pet play room which was pretty cool and though I don't travel with my pets found it to be a very friendly touch.    I also noticed that in addition to snacks you could pick up in the store they also had pizza during certain times if you were not wanting to use your own kitchen or the common space camp kitchens.

I was pretty impressed overall but with all the good there were those claustrophobic rv sites I just couldn't get past and the pricing of a KOA always hurts the pockets a bit more even with them being nice and the common kitchen area I was attempting to use and had a few issues, this could have been just when I was visiting so I don't want to completely hold that against them but it was having issued.

TIPS:

* Visit Wilson's Creek Battlefield to explore, learn and hike.  When you come to this KOA it obviously does not have any hiking, but the battlefield offers a lengthy system of trails .* Bass Pro's home is Springfield, MO so you will not only find the largest Bass Pro there but also a unique museum of all animals which is quite spectacular.

Lots of cats

We booked this site online the day before check in because it seemed to have decent reviews and would suit our needs for one night. After front tire blow out that we ended up on the side of the road for 7 hours with, amidst tornado warnings and severe winds, a severed hydraulic line and body damage, on the road the day of check in, we called for a late check in. Knowing we were going to be there late and needing repairs I went online to reserve a second night so we could stay over. We ended up arriving at around 2 am. The site seemed ok for the night. The spots were narrow and the trees tight for a Class A Motorhome, and the sites were potholed but we couldn’t level anyway because of our road mishap. Then the train started going by at all hours of the night and morning blowing it’s horn, was very difficult to sleep. When we woke up around 10:30 am, we called the office to make sure that we didn’t have to move. The host or employee we spoke to was not able to find our reservation and didn’t care at all to help us. We had let them know what happened on the road and she didn’t even care or pretend to offer a “glad you were safe” or anything. She “could fit us into a 30 amp” but that wasn’t going to work for us with our rig we needed 50 amps. We then walked over to the office to show them the check in email and screenshots of the reservation. They really didn’t care at all to help us. They were very cold and uncaring and didn’t even pretend to be concerned about helping. They obviously just wanted us to leave which We asked for other parks and they “didn’t really know”.

We ended up calling another park 10 miles away and they got us a spot right away, before check in and ended up being the nicest kindest people you could want to know.