Best Campgrounds near Portland, MO

Spent two weeks totally submersed in nature. Had to scope out the area to find a suitable spot to set up camp. Found a spot previously used, but you might prefer finding a spot and starting from the ground up. Only draw back is the Columbia Regional Airport is about 4-5 miles from this location. There is air traffic overhead. Columbia airport is rather small so other than rotary wing aircraft (helicopters) from the hospital, it's not to bad.

I arrived at the site in April of 2025, and was greeted with a locked gate and signage stating rates are $15 per night. Envelopes and lock box are in place. Beautiful campground with plenty of freshly cut firewood. Excellent spot for overnight or weekends with the family.

Fairly nice conservation area, about 10 camping sites with picnic tables and fire rings, vault bathrooms aren’t very clean but over all a decent getaway.

Super well maintained conservation area, 5 camp sites with fire pits and picnic tables. Several ponds and a larger lake but it was currently being repaired so it’s very low.

I stayed for week then extended stayed for month. Thinking it's starts day you paid no. No signs saying other wise either. Also sudden fees for amex after using first time no issues. When got charged again on 1st thought i would bring check day or no sorry I get paid on Fridays no Wednesday didn't even know due. Couldn't get her to give me wifi password until then either. Hot water heater at main showers is always out too.

Most tenants work in the Vicinity . The spaces are a little bit dirty. Nobody picks up after the dogs. The pound is nice, but filthy water

This is a small RV park just off I-44 about 20 minutes from Meramec Caverns. It’s very close to the highway so there is lots of highway noise. Some sites are farther away so not so bad. There is easy access from I-44.

30 & 50-Amp Electrical, Water & Sewer Hook-ups. Concrete pads. Bathroom/showers are clean. Pet friendly, coin laundry. Some pull thru sites. Adjacent to the Great American Flea Market on weekends if you like that stuff.

This is an older RV park and campground, and the age shows. We spent several nights here due to engine problems with our tow vehicle. The sites are level, and there is plenty of shade. (One advantage of being an older park.) But everything is just a little run down. The sites are gravel and close together do not much privacy. They come with water, sewer & electric. There is a pool (closed when we were there), playground, mini golf, a lake, game room, laundry and a small store with basics. The bathroom and showers were clean, but dated. Not all facilities were in working order. Two of 6 washers were out of service, one bathroom stall was out of order, pot holes in the road. There are also cabins, and RVs available to rent. There is quite a bit of traffic noise from I-44 and there are a lot of excess lights kept on all night long. The staff was friendly and check in was easy. Many of the sites are occupied be semi-permanent residents. They have internet, but it is weak and spotty. Saturday night they had a band making noise for 3 hours!

I stayed one night in the RV campsite. There was only one other camper. The grass had been mowed recently so the path around the pond was easily walkable.

Not many of the RV sites had fire rings and, with all of the fresh cut grass, it would have taken a lot of raking to make a spot safe for a fire anyway.

Stayed one night in a campervan. Would definitely recommend! We arrived a little late - right at sunset - but the friendly and helpful staff had already texted us all the info we needed for arrival. It was very quiet. Level spaces. Very dark, unlit walk to the bath house, so bring a light! Bathhouse was clean and well kept. Would recommend!

We stopped here overnight on a roadtrip from Ohio to Colorado. We were able to make a reservation online only hours before we arrived and it was such a simple process. The campsites are in the middle of the city park and it was nice to be able to walk our dogs around the park after a day of traveling. We had full hook ups which is always a relief!! The campsites are quite close together and this is not a forested area. It was perfect for us for a one night stop!

Lovely wooded spot. There are about 6-8 sites. Can back in a camper. Outhouse building. Only had one other camper. Shaded, wooded. We had a lovely night but woke up covered in ticks! Lots of ticks here. We ride our motorcycles here to tent camp. Sites are close. Fire rings , no picnic tables.

Good: It was clean and tidy, had ice and firewood for sale, was close to the boat ramp for the Osage River, and the bathrooms looked to be newly remodeled. Good shaded and flat spot for our tent.

Bad: No one on-site, no TP, no paper towels, no internet (Other campers said it had been working until the power went out during a storm a few days before; when the power was restored, the internet didn't come back)

Conclusion: For $44.29/night, I would keep going next time.

I had difficulty with the WiFi. But the security seemed good.

We stayed two nights Group Site A. It’s far removed from the other campsites…and the bathroom. It looks like there used to be a trail back to the bathroom but it’s overgrown now. The water spigot was out of order but as we already had to drive up to the bathrooms, we just took the water cooler. The water is strongly chlorinated. That being said, the staff is very friendly and helpful. The Cub Scouts loved the site, the Natural Wonders Trail, and the visitors’ center. We will definitely go again but only if we get the site closer to the bathrooms.