Best Tent Camping near Roach, MO

Tent campgrounds around Roach, Missouri offer several free and low-cost options for overnight stays in natural settings. Fiery Fork Conservation Area provides primitive tent sites with established fire rings and concrete picnic tables, while Osage-Tavern Access offers free tent camping with river frontage. Both locations feature vault toilets and are positioned away from urban development, providing a rustic camping experience.

Most tent sites in the area are situated on grassy or partially shaded terrain with minimal improvements. Fire rings are common at established sites, though campers should pack out all trash as many locations lack waste disposal services. Cell phone coverage is often limited or nonexistent, particularly at Fiery Fork Conservation Area. Camping is typically first-come, first-served with no reservations accepted. Vault toilets are available at most conservation areas, but potable water is rarely provided. Access roads to many campgrounds include gravel sections that may become difficult during wet conditions.

Tent campers can expect varying levels of privacy depending on the season and location. According to one visitor, "There were a few campers, but I'd be very surprised if this place isn't loud and packed in the summer." River access is a highlight at several locations, offering fishing and wading opportunities. The Osage-Tavern Access provides approximately 12-15 small sites with fire pits directly along the river. Fiery Fork Conservation Area features multiple camping areas with hammock-friendly trees and access to both river and creek environments. Wildlife sightings are common, with visitors reporting deer, armadillos, and various bird species. Most sites are suitable for traditional tent camping and hammock setups but lack designated tent pads or platforms.

Best Tent Sites Near Roach, Missouri (16)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Roach, MO

4 Photos of 16 Roach Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Roach, MO

344 Reviews of 16 Roach Campgrounds


  • Rebecca L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 18, 2025

    Damsite

    Another amazing COE campground

    Another wonderful Corps of Engineers campground on Pomme De Terre Lake. There are basic campsites and campsites with full hookups. The campsites are spacious and overlook the lake. This is such a beautiful, well maintained campground. Every campsite is level and has a picnic table and fire ring. During the off season ( Oct 1 - Nov.30 & March 14th - Apr 14 ) all campsites ( electric and primitive ) are only $10. ( limited amenities) From Jan 5th - March 14th campsites are free at Damsite Park. However, there is no electric or water available at that time.
    Please check the Pomme De Terre USACE website for changes and regular season rates. 50% off all rates with America the beautiful/senior access pass at all Corps of Engineers campgrounds.
    I highly recommend this campground. 4g LTE and great cell signal.

  • D
    Jul. 1, 2022

    Raccoon Ridge — Harry S Truman State Park

    Shaded, Quiet and close to the lake!

    Site 36 with 30A & 120V. Public Water Spigot about 50’ away. No Sewer or Water connections at Raccoon Ridge. Plenty of dead kindling and wood around to burn. Asphalt drive with concrete pad. Picnic table, fire/grill ring, hook post w/ recycle bag attached. BEST Site is 38 which puts trailer door parallel with a 180 lake view. Heavy wooded with shared paths to lake or cove. Marina is within 1 mile by water or 15 minutes by car. Ice, Beer and necessities at Puddle Jumpers Bait Store about 10 minute drive. Hosts were great and did cleaning daily. Showers and Dump Station at top of hill few hundred yards away. Let shower water run about 3 minutes before the warm water kicks in. Swim beach is on other side of cove or about a 5 min drive. Dump Station has 4 Waste Holes, two Non-potable water spigots/hoses and one Fresh Potable Water hose and both sides have slight incline on dump tank side. Downtown Warsaw is about 15 minutes away with tourist antique shoppes, bars, ice cream shoppes and the historic Joe Dice Suspension Bridge. The Truman Dam is about same distance away. T-Mobile service with 2-3 bars, no WIFI; but HotSpot worked for ROKU. Keep food and bait inside as raccoons rule at night. Be CAUTIOUS of Red Ticks that are VERY tiny… you’ll want plenty of DEET! Flies were biting like crazy, some mosquitoes and LOTS of May Flies. You’ll see Bald Eagles, raccoons. deer, squirrels, chipmunks, hawks, turtles and FISHING near wooded edge of cove is Bass and Crappie haven!!! Also Geocaching near by!!!

    We will return and hopefully get site 38!

  • Napunani
    Dec. 1, 2023

    Bennett Spring State Park Campground

    Fishing Paradise

    PROS 

    Senior discount 

    Check-in via text was easy and fast 

    Beautifully maintained state park 

    Quiet during week 

    Pull-thru Site 102 level, concrete pad surrounded by grass 

    Site sufficient length for trailer and tow vehicle 

    Metal frame plastic plank picnic table metal fire ring with cooking grate 

    Dark sky friendly except for campsites 101-106 

    Trash dumpsters throughout campground 1 

    Firewood for sale $5 at entrance gate house 

    Huge park store! 

    CONS. 

    1 toilet and 1 shower for 48 campsites in Campground 1. Both door locks did not work. There were lines for the one toilet most of the time!!!

    $6.50 Reservation Fee 

    Site 102 had a wonderful view of the entrance gatehouse that had blaring lights all night, the one lane dump station and a dumpster 

    Campground 101-106 sites slammed together; our campfire ring was 15 feet from neighbors sewer outlet 

    Site 102 campfire ring was 2 feet from site unmovable picnic table 

    No privacy from any other sites 

    No security overnight gate closures 

    Would not recommend Park restaurant

  • Joe G.
    Jun. 29, 2022

    COE Harry S Truman Reservoir Long Shoal Park

    Great Place

    Just got back after 2 days there.  Sites are spaced a good distance apart, nice clean lots with fire ring, picnic table and 30 amp.  The flush restrooms are cleaned everyday and very nice.  I picked site 69 which overlooks the lake and was less than 30 yards from water edge.  Site very from 100% sun to 100% shade so you have a lot to choose from.  Highly recommend it to anyone will will be back soon.

  • Abby H.
    May. 18, 2023

    Pittsburg Area Campground — Pomme de Terre State Park

    First Weekend

    My boyfriend and I stayed here for one night at the beginning of may for our first camping trip together. It was at one of 2 basic tent sites. Ours was just a short walk on a (likely camper-made trail) down to the water. The water seemed clean enough to swim but there was a lot of floating moss and seaweed right along the shore. So we opted to just fish even though we were unsuccessful. There were plenty of trees to hang out hammock, a grill grate over the fire, and a decent amount of shade. There were two flat sites for a tent. We chose one that was slightly more on a slope because it was less rocky. Spotted a few poison ivy plants and 2-3 brown recluses but we’re in their habitat so that is to be expected. Not ideal but not unexpected lol we definitely plan to return!

  • Josh S.
    May. 30, 2019

    Scrivner Road Conservation Area

    A hidden gem tucked away in rural Cole County

    First off there is camping here!!!! This Missouri Conservation area is a Swiss Army knife of rugged of the path camping. Rivers, Lakes, Gun range, Horses and hiking can all be enjoyed here. First come first serve basic camp area on the river. It has 1 fire ring in a gravel turnaround. Don’t let this fool you. This area has an abundance of wildlife equestrian trails and hiking. Getting too hot paddle on the lake located on the left Forck after entering. The area has a handgun, and rifle range with vault toilets. The pictures speak for themselves. Love this spot and will be planning another trip soon.

  • Leni K.
    Apr. 7, 2024

    Wild Turkey Ridge — Harry S Truman State Park

    In The Thick of Nature, Great Tent Camping Off Season

    We came just at the start of season, so we took advantage of a family spot to relax and get some extra privacy. There were maybe 5 other campers in Wild Ridge, and it was a ridge coming in, narrow roads leading into the peninsula.

    Vault toilets were well kept, and well light at night.

    We hiked to check out the other campsites that were also well spaced for privacy.

    There was a desire line down to the lake, with a rocky shore to walk, the beaches themselves a bit wider.

    We had a nice clearing to set up at our location, likely used for a second tent that lended well to privacy.

  • Whitney L.
    Jun. 3, 2022

    Fiery Fork Conservation Area

    open and easy to access camping spot

    We camped at Firey Fork in the autumn of 2021. It was during deer hunting season and we only had one neighbor that looked to be there for quite a while hunting. We could see them with our eyeballs but they were perfect neighbors and we didn’t hear a peep other than their generator for a bit. The area was mowed, had a rock fire place, concrete picnic tables (which were handy), a vault toilet, shade, grass for dogs to play frisbee, parking right beside your spot, trails, access to the river, good hammock trees, flat-level surface!

  • Kyle H.
    Jul. 4, 2018

    Pittsburg Area Campground — Pomme de Terre State Park

    Our First Popup Adventure

    Our first camping adventure in the popup took us to Pomme de Terre State Park on Father’s Day of 2017. Pomme de Terre State Park is one State Park that is two completely separate campgrounds, split in half by Pomme de Terre lake. When booking pay attention to whether you are on the Hermitage side or the Pittsburgh side. Each campground has it’s own camp store, swim beach, boat launch, and sanitary disposal station.

    We have camped three separate times at Pomme de Terre with all three campsites being in the 400 loop on the Pittsburgh side. This loop has been chosen due to its proximity to the bathrooms and the playground, these are key when having a 4-year-old. This loop is located in the woods with nice spacing between sites. Each site comes with a fire ring and covered picnic table. I will warn you that some of the sites on the left when you first pull into the loop are on an incline, so bring plenty of leveling pads with you if you have a trailer. If you are wanting to be close to the water this loop is not the one you will want to reserve. I would look more in the 300 loop, though those sites are gravel in case that is an issue for you, or look at the Hermitage side. The bathroom and shower house located at the entrance to loop 400 are some of the nicest that we have experience while staying in a state park. They are clean and well maintained. Located throughout the loops are vault toilets if you choose a site farther away from the main bathroom.

    We enjoy the campground and marina on the Pittsburgh side. The marina is stocked with some camp essentials as well as a café for a quick bite. They also have boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards for rent, for a list a prices here is the Marina’s website www.mofunparks.com. This is one of our son’s favorite stops on the trip, they have a nice selection of ice cream. The size of the marina is not large, and if it is busy the inside can be very cramped. We do prefer the swim beach on the Hermitage side it is located along a peninsula with ample room on busy days, as opposed to the Pittsburgh swim beach that is located in a cove without as much space.

    When traveling between the two state parks you will travel through Hermitage, Missouri. They have a Dollar General, gas station, and some restaurants. I cannot speak for the restaurants, but we have used the Dollar General for supplies that did not make the trip. Located at the junction of Hwy 64 and Hwy 64B, just outside of the Pittsburgh side of the park, you will find an old building directly across from White’s Marine Center that is selling camp wood. The person that sells the wood will be out there sometimes, but if they are not, there is drop box mounted to one of the poles to leave money in. I was able to purchase a wheelbarrow load for $8.00, which is a much better deal than the small bundle they sell in the park for $5.00.

    Pomme de Terre State Park has become a family favorite campground. We will be making a voyage here every year to continue exploring.


Guide to Roach

Tent camping near Roach, Missouri provides access to Ozark foothill terrain with elevations between 700-900 feet above sea level. Most conservation areas in this region feature oak-hickory forest ecosystems with moderate humidity levels during summer months. Winter camping requires preparation for temperatures that can drop below freezing, with gravel access roads sometimes becoming impassable after heavy precipitation.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Fiery Fork Conservation Area offers river access with multiple fishing spots suitable for fly fishing. According to Amanda, "The river access is really amazing though. It's a great place to launch a boat from or just to wade in a bit and fish. Fly fishing can be done easily from the bank or just by wading in a bit."

Wildlife observation: Conservation areas around Roach provide habitat for diverse wildlife species. At Fiery Fork Conservation Area, one camper noted, "We were able to see some wildlife while staying there as well. Armadillos, deer, and a few different bird types could be found easily."

Trail exploration: Several conservation areas maintain hiking trails that vary in difficulty. Josh explains that Scrivner Road Conservation Area "has an abundance of wildlife equestrian trails and hiking. Getting too hot paddle on the lake located on the left Forck after entering."

What campers like

River frontage: Many tent campsites provide direct water access. At Osage-Tavern Access, Casey notes there are "Probably about 12-15 sites, small, just fire pits. Has 1 bathroom and place for trash. Right along the river so nice if your looking for water."

Budget-friendly options: Free camping appeals to many visitors seeking economical outdoor experiences. Shannon mentions that Fiery Fork is a "Nice area to camp not crowded, plenty of space between camp sites, and peaceful. A nice place if your on a budget and just need a get away."

Natural swimming areas: During warmer months, creeks and river access points provide natural swimming opportunities. One visitor at Bledsoe Ferry simply described it as "What a great place for the family" and rated it 5 stars.

What you should know

Trash management: Conservation areas typically lack waste disposal services. Wally notes at Fiery Fork, "Much of the area was covered in trash. Bring extra trash bags!" Another camper, Erick, confirms this issue: "unfortunately there was some spots with trash, especially around the fire. There is no dumpster so be prepared to take your trash with you."

Communication limitations: Cell coverage varies significantly across camping areas near Roach. Amanda reports, "We have AT&T for our cell service and there was absolutely NO service there which was good to get away, but bad in an emergency."

Road conditions: Access roads to many tent sites include rough gravel sections. Chrischelle advises, "I recommend smaller RVs due to the 2 miles of gravel and high water areas you go through to get there," while another camper described roads as "very sketchy for my 2008 Mazda 3."

Tips for camping with families

Riverside play areas: Some access points feature sandy beach areas ideal for children. Amanda from Fiery Fork Conservation Area explains, "We decided it would be a nice place to bring our kids since there is quite a bit of 'beach' at the river access for them to play and see nature."

Campsite selection: Look for sites with natural boundaries for added safety with children. Whitney reports finding "mowed, had a rock fire place, concrete picnic tables (which were handy), a vault toilet, shade, grass for dogs to play frisbee, parking right beside your spot."

Off-season timing: For quieter family experiences, consider camping during spring or fall. Nick observes, "I stayed here for a few days in April. There were a few campers, but I'd be very surprised if this place isn't loud and packed in the summer."

Tips from RVers

Site limitations: Most areas near Roach have minimal improvements for larger vehicles. Chrischelle from Fiery Fork Conservation Area advises, "I don't recommend taking it until it gets some maintenance. It is overgrown and HIGH tick contact probability."

Generator considerations: Some neighboring campers may run generators in remote areas. Whitney mentions, "We could see them with our eyeballs but they were perfect neighbors and we didn't hear a peep other than their generator for a bit."

Leveling requirements: Many sites require leveling equipment due to natural terrain. Jenny notes that Fiery Fork features "two camp areas with many sites that are mowed/maintained with fire pits (and some concrete tables). Lots of beautiful hammock friendly trees, river access, and creek beds to play in."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Roach, MO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Roach, MO is Fiery Fork Conservation Area with a 3.9-star rating from 9 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Roach, MO?

TheDyrt.com has all 16 tent camping locations near Roach, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.