Do you love the outdoors and horses? If you're looking for a rustic but comfortable experience, horse camping in Poplar Bluff is the way to go. Equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. Search nearby equestrian campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
$11 - $65 / night
Bluff View Campground on Clearwater Lake greets visitors with excellent camping, fishing, swimming, boating and picnicking opportunities. Local wildlife includes wetland waterfowl, fox, deer, turkey, and geese. Bald eagles nest at Clearwater, and remain in the area year-round.
A trailhead for the Bluff View Nature Trail begins at the campground. This is a wonderful loop trail to look for wildlife among a mix of towering hardwood trees.
The lake, surrounded by the picturesque hills of the Ozarks, is fed by the Black River. Average temperatures range from 33 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit in March, and 65 to 92 degrees in summer.
In the area, campers enjoy visiting traditional drive-in movie theaters, the Sam A. Baker State Park, local golf courses, and the historic Civil War site at Fort Benton.
$50 / night
$12 / night
Three miles from Ellington MO. Trails for miles for ATVs, OHVs, and Horses. Ride to Clearwater Lake Conservation Area for thousands of acres to ride or hike. Also 5 miles from Current River Conservation. area and 12 miles from the Black River for kayaking, canoeing, floating and fishing. Stalls available for your horses. Bring your boat or rent one at Clearwater Lake. They also offer pontoons and jet skies. Blue Springs, Johnson Shut Inns, and Elephant Rock State Park are just a few of the places to go in the area.
$15 - $30 / night
The Irish Wilderness is a dense forest of oaks and hickory. Wilderness is set aside by Congress as a natural area affected primarily by the forces of nature with little evidence of man’s works - “where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Many outdoor enthusiasts seek out its peace and special closeness to experiencing the wonders of nature. No two individuals share the same meaning and values of the wilderness experience, but it is primitive and challenging, and recreationists must be self-reliant. In the mid 1800’s a Catholic priest dreamed of a place where Irish immigrants could escape the oppression of urban live in St. Louis. In this wild area of the Ozarks, Father Hogan established a settlement that would forever bear their name, Irish Wilderness. The Irish Wilderness, caught in the middle of the Civil War, became a “no man’s land” and was raided by both Union and Confederate troops as well as bushwhackers. It is not certain what happened to Father Hogan’s Irish immigrants, but after the war they were gone. A printable brochure (5.7m pdf format) of the Wilderness is available for download. Trails: The major way of travel within the Irish Wilderness is the 18.6 mile Whites Creek Trail. From the trailhead at Camp Five Pond to the Eleven Point River, visitors are exposed to a wide variety of natural terrain and geographical relief. From relatively flat land at the beginning, hikers traverse through many ecological zones including dried creek beds, grasslands, glades, bluff country, and breathtaking views overlooking the Eleven Point River. Whites Creek trail is not designed for horse use, but horse use is permitted. Motorized or mechanized use is not permitted. Rating: Moderate. Length: 18.6 miles Best Seasons: Fall, winter, and spring. Leave No Trace: Pack out what you pack in. Restrictions: Foot and Horse only. Please limit your party size to 10 persons. Safety: No drinking water is available at parking areas or along the trail; bring what you will need, or be prepared to sterilize water you find. The Irish Wilderness is a relatively large tract of land, so be sure to bring a compass and always carry a map of the area. Trail signs are minimal. If you become lost, don’t panic. Stay calm and try to remember how you got to your present location. Always let someone, family member or friend, know when you plan to enter the wilderness and when you plan to return. During temperate months, be prepared for biting insects, poison ivy and high temperatures. Be advised of hunting seasons. Avoid using the trail during excessively wet periods. Surface Type: Unsurfaced, native material.
Traveler
Spent 3 nights here and the area is beautiful! The mill and springs are soothing and crystal clear. The river is shallow enough to wade across and cool off in. Great spot if you are in the area. A few people on the river fishing and kayaking but no other campers that we saw while there.
Traveler
Sam a Baker is a beautiful destination for any family. There is plenty to do from hiking to horseback riding. There are multi camp sites that can be easily reserved online. The Saint Francis River and the Big Creek meet in the park. The big creek is spring feed and ice cold. The Saint Francis is wild and is considered white water during the rainy season. There are plenty of amenities in the park for the novice camper. From the camp store to the shower house. SAM A BAKER has you covered
ScoutWe have been coming here for years, there is something for everyone here! The water is slow and shallow enough in tons of places for littles and deep and cold enough for the older kids and adults to cool off too. The store is adorable, the food is surprisingly really good (I’m craving those loaded nachos!), and when you’re absent-minded like me and forget the bikes you can rent them there 😁 We like Campground 2 on the gravel side (to the left when you pull in) because it’s nice and quiet and close to the nature center. You really can’t go wrong with any of the sites!
Guide
Shelly seemed like a very nice person via text. She just wasn't there when we arrived, and we had a hard time determining property boundaries, tent site locations, etc. on our own. Unfortunately, the tent site we did find was pretty washed out, and we ended up leaving and camping elsewhere. If you have an RV/trailer, ATV's, etc. this place is probably a hoot. Best of luck.
ScoutCamp host was nice and river was also very nice but campground was really tight. We had camper 5 feet off back window and tents on are side not much space
Scout
K
Travelerthis campground is totally off the beaten path. a great place to relax and unwind. this is also a good place if your new to off grid camping and want to test your gear before you say bye to society. the dogs are friendly and imo a good addition to make the place feel comfortable
GuideStayed here for three nights over Halloween weekend, and it was wonderful. There were very few people there to begin with, but Sunday night there was no one else there but us. We even had a deer run through our campsite while we sat fireside! Bathrooms were clean, roads were well maintained, and the signs were very clear.
Traveler
Great campsites, elec available no dump and community water only. Black river access on site. Firewood included with site rental. Ice is only $2.50. No cell service
Guide
Multiple weekends spent at this campsite, both with and without family. RV sites are clean, mostly level, and well spaced out, with quiet hours rules to accommodate families. The "Zoo" is for the younger and rowdier crowd, and is located north of HWY 8, away from the family-friendly sites, and has later quiet hours and is known for its party-like atmosphere. Campers in this area are effectively "locked in" after a certain time, to prevent the rowdiness from spilling over after hours. Amenities are plentiful, and the camp store is larger than most convenience stores you'd find on the highway. Floating options are plentiful, with multiple routes and raft/canoe/tube options available. Either float away from your campsite, with a shuttled return, or take the shuttle to the put-in, upstream, and float back to your campsite. An annual tradition!
RangerLevel sites throughout, but close together. Our power pole had an open ground on the 30 amp and no water at the site. No ATT or Verizon cell. The trees boosted the rating and were the highlight of the place,
It was decent for a night over, but not for a destination. Did not use the facilities nor try OTA tv. It is a nice park, but just had seen better days.
GuideWe stayed one night on our way to Arkansas in site 199. Our site was level and spacious. The camp host was friendly and helpful. We had a nice time riding our bikes in the morning. The only reason for a 4 rather than a 5 was that lack of cell signal at our site (it was fine in other parts of the park).
TravelerWe had a wonderful time! Shelly, our host was so kind and the dogs were so sweet. The outhouses are comfortable and clean, and the river is beautiful. Great place to go hopping and find some cool rocks. Firewood is sold on site as well.
GuideI’ve never been to a campground so finely manicured. The grass is short and the roads are in great shape. Campground 1 has a boat ramp and easy access to river sits. Some of the sites are a little crampy, but if all you’re doing is cooking and sleeping, you’re as good to go as a crunch wrap supreme. When night falls, be sure to lock your food up like Fort Knox. We saw a few stinks, a whizzle, and a fat racc. And boy, were they persistent. Next trip we’ll be hitting the backpacking trails. Can’t wait to come back. Thanks Sammy.
TravelerCampground 1 is beautiful. Keep your food stored safely as we saw 5 skunks, 4 raccoons, 1 weasel and a partridge in a pear tree. They're all pretty bold about stealing food.
ScoutSo many amenities and places to check out! My former partner and I and even friends checked this place out a few times. We enjoy the overall area and atmosphere of the shop m, visitor center and cafe offers some pretty good eats if you were up for making some yourself! Otherwise the hikes are pretty good and the views are also! Definitely worth checking out and scoping out if anything!
GuideBeautiful view. You can sit in the cool clear water and relax. Great place for kids. Park is well maintained. I highly recommend.
TravelerBeautiful secluded area. Small (only 3 or 4 sites). River access and super close to stream/cave/waterfall area. Water from the cave is so fresh and clear! Truly a beautiful area!
ScoutNice beach, chill atmosphere, great staff. Live music on the weekends. Hope to see it open again in 2022 with the only thing changed being improvement to the shower house.
ScoutThe first time my former partner and I came to Sam Baker was during 4th of July and it was pretty busy but laid back. The accommodations were excellent such as the campground shop and cafe. We stayed in our very large tent, folks were really friendly even though it was mid COVID-19. They regularly cleaned and sanitized all the bathrooms regularly on schedule. We really enjoyed our first stay of roughly a couple nights so much we scheduled to return later that fall. We found out they also had boat/canoe access along the lake and we finally got around to that before it got too cold. Actually enjoyed some more of the snack/meals at the cafe and of course bought whatever we felt necessary at their shop. We really appreciated all the great vibes and welcoming folks. Was sure a good time hope to come back a third and more often then not enjoy our stay!
ScoutMy family camps at Sam A Baker every year. It is clean and everyone there is friendly. They have a nice gift shop and some great places to swim.
Scout
This is a float camp along Eleven Points river. This one is accessible by 2 miles of gravel road. Several dedicated camp sites that each have fire ring, shepherds hook, picnic table. There is one pit toilet building. There is a beautiful blue spring coming out of the bottom of a pool formerly used to power Boze Mill.
GuideVery large, open place with the river close to most campers. I never floated here but I'm sure it's quite the party!
GuideJust spent the weekend with my family at Sam A Baker (SAB). We stayed at campground 2. Spot 145 and had plenty of shade and space. There are two traditional camps and one equestrian. The park is crowded but that’s because of how great it is. Lots of paved walk/bike trails around the park. If you forget your bike no problem you can rent one for $5 a day! The visitors center was neat. The general store has everything you need and a restaurant attached where you can get breakfast, lunch and dinner. We spent some time on the gravel bar which was a short walk from our campsite. The water on Big Creek was clear, shallow, and not too cold. I would recommend this state park to any family looking to camp.
GuideThe state of missouri does an amazing job providing opportunities for families to enjoy the beauty of nature. Nature programs for kids and parents to learn. Well kept facilities. The ice cream is just a bonus. This is by far my favorite campsite for the kids.
RangerWe went with the whole fam to Sam A Baker. Shower houses were conveniently located in camping area. Big River was just a small walk away from the campsite. I know they had been flooded, but I am still cleaning rocks and dirt from the camper. They had a nice camp store and were very friendly. Mostly electric sites. A few full hookups close to the front of the campground. Nice paved roads and larger than normal sites. It was during a pandemic, but bathrooms were pretty clean. Will definitely go again.
GuidePros:
--Tons of swimming in the rivers and"shut-ins" throughout the park(just remember to wear water shoes if you can; it's VERY gravely)
--Lots of trails
--Nice, mellow bike path connecting the two main campgrounds and the very fun camp store(look up on the ceiling!)
--Tall pines(I love tall pines, that's all)
Cons: DISCLAIMER-- We were here on a weekend in August, so I suspect our experience was very much shaped by that....
--Campground was PACKED and LOUD
--Campground was PACKED and LOUD
--Campground was PACKED and LOUD
Okay, I think you get the picture with the campground itself. It was one of those things that made me feel like a cranky old man, saying,"man, why can't these people stop trying to show-off their lame-ass stereos???" That said, the park itself was beautiful.
The main attraction is the water. The river twists and turns through the park. It's shallow, gently flowing, and VERY clear pretty much everywhere(except a few places where it was stagnant!). PRO TIP!!! Since the campground was PACKED and LOUD, most people seemed to not venture too far from the campground itself, so if you want your own private swimming spots, you can hike a relatively short distance and grab one. We did the short"shut-ins" trail and found a perfect one.
BOTTOM LINE: If you want any peace and quiet, don't stay here on the weekend. I suspect the weekdays would be better, and if you managed to schedule mid-week, I suspect it would be an incredible place to stay.
Horse camping in Missouri offers a unique blend of scenic trails and equestrian-friendly facilities, making it a perfect getaway for riders and their horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Poplar Bluff, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Poplar Bluff, MO is Sam A. Baker State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 48 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Poplar Bluff, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 equestrian camping locations near Poplar Bluff, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
