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Best Tent Camping near St. James, MO

505 Reviews

Tent camping opportunities near St. James, Missouri include several primitive and established sites within the surrounding Ozark region. Dispersed camping is available at Courtois Creek, approximately 25 miles southeast of St. James, while more established tent sites can be found at Brazil Creek Recreation Area in the Mark Twain National Forest. Most backcountry tent camping locations in the area offer basic amenities with varying levels of accessibility depending on the season and recent weather conditions.

Many primitive tent sites have minimal facilities, requiring campers to be self-sufficient. Vault toilets are available at some locations like Brazil Creek and Fredericksburg Ferry Access, but most backcountry sites lack running water or sanitation facilities. The roads to several tent camping areas, particularly Courtois Creek, may require high-clearance vehicles after rain. As one visitor noted, "The road to get there isn't a road so much as an ATV trail. All wheel drive and it was too hard on my Subaru." Tent campers should pack in all necessary supplies including drinking water, as most sites do not provide potable water sources.

The tent camping experience in this region offers proximity to clear creeks and rivers that provide swimming and fishing opportunities. Brazil Creek features level ground for tent setup with nearby creek access, making it popular among hikers along the Ozark Trail. Sites at Courtois Creek and Fredericksburg Ferry Access provide direct water access for tent campers seeking riverside camping. A camper described the experience at Courtois Creek as "very beautiful and peaceful and just gorgeous, no toilets and no electricity and no cell signal but it was amazing." These tent-only areas typically have established fire rings, though firewood gathering may be restricted at certain times of year. Most primitive tent campgrounds in the region operate on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservation systems in place.

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Best Tent Sites Near St. James, Missouri (25)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near St. James, MO

14 Photos of 25 St. James Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near St. James, MO

505 Reviews of 25 St. James Campgrounds

  • Pamela B.
    Aug. 1, 2023

    Ben Branch Lake Conservation Area

    Primitive Free Camping

    Vault toilets available. Quiet. No water, hook ups or picnic tables, but fire rings. Wish people would understand pack in pack out and not leave trash! Otherwise very peaceful experience. Had service of at least 2-3 bars entire time. Town of Linn a 20 minute drive to get supplies.

  • Marissa H.
    Aug. 11, 2020

    Timbuktu Campground — Echo Bluff State Park

    Wonderful Swimming Hole

    This is a really nice spot for tent camping - even though it’s clearly geared towards RV camping. Make sure to book a walk-in campsite if you’re tent camping, otherwise you’ll be in the lot with the RVs (no trees, no privacy etc see first picture). You’ll have to carry your gear to your site, but not too far. Each walk in site is fairly isolated and separate from the other site by trees. Each site has a wood tent pad, picnic table, and fire ring with grate. If you want you could even go to the lodge (walking distance) for a meal and skip the cooking! Book your spot in advance as it seems like they fill up quickly.

  • b
    Aug. 31, 2021

    Mark Twain National Forest Loggers Lake Recreation Area

    WPA beauty!

    Loggers Lake, in the Mark Twain National Forest, is about 7 miles west of Bunker, Mo. Spring fed lake, no electric or water campsites. There is a maintained M/F restroom on the site, and a water spigot close to the restroom. All sites have a fire ring and a picnic table. GORGEOUS!

  • Staci R.
    Oct. 24, 2017

    Brazil Creek

    No man's land

    No cell signal, and as the other reviewer has said, have your map to get there, because it's easy if you do. Your phone will not get you there. Beautiful clear water creek runs directly behind this "pull off" campground. There is only one actual fire ring & picnic table, but folks have built other rock fire rings dispersed throughout the campground. Just off a main trail to Meramac river and horse and hiking trails. No water, amenities (not even a vault toilet) or cell service.

  • Kelsie L.
    Sep. 18, 2020

    Loggers Lake Campground

    Nice camping right on the lake

    Loggers Lake campground runs along the 22 acre Loggers Lake near Bunker, MO in the Mark Twain National Forest.

    Be prepared for a decent amount of driving on gravel county roads. The route from bunker itself has a bit less while the route to Salem is longer on gravel with a handful of water crossings.

    There are 14 sites which all have parking, picnic table, and fire ring. Most have lantern poles. Most back right up to the lake. Most have back in parking which can accommodate a vehicle with trailer. The first few sites have split parking, which can house your trailer in one spot and vehicle next to it, but not long enough to back in without disconnecting. At the beginning of the campground there is a swimming area with picnic tables, grills, and a vault toilet. After this, there are the sites mentioned above with split parking. Tent sites and tables are down a hill from the parking spots here. There is a small fork with a parking lot and a handful of sites - while we were here there was an RV in this area. I believe this would be the only place a full RV could park in the campground. Finally is the main campground loop. There is another vault toilet at the beginning of the loop. Both vault toilets were relatively clean. One had air fresheners in it. There is water access near the vault toilet. On the loop, all exterior sites back up to the lake. There are two sites on the center of the loop which would be very nice for a large group. The lake itself is beautiful and easy to access. There is a boat ramp at the campground loop and a spot at almost every site to put in a kayak or canoe.

    There is a 1.5 mile trail along the lake which begins at the campground loop. There is a spur to the spillway. The trail does not seem to be very heavily traveled, expect to walk through brush and spider webs!

  • Hannah W.
    Apr. 2, 2019

    Berryman Trail & Campgrounds - Mark Twain National Forest

    No fees, no water, plenty of beauty and space

    This 8 site campground has well kept vault toilets and no other services, but is fee-less to match. There is a pavilion near the access points to the Berryman and Ozark trails. We camped the night before heading out on a one night backpacking trip on the Berryman and were pleasantly surprised - it had rained the past 2 days and just finished when we arrived, but the ground was not soggy at the campsite or really much on the trail at all. The sites are well spaced apart, short pads so we saw one couple park their camper on one and their truck on another (the sites were not anywhere near full). Downside to that was, they ran their loud generator all night. However the experience overall was a positive one, with friendly neighbors but plenty of distance between so we didn't cross paths or hear each other's conversations unless we wanted to, a nice fire ring - check before selecting a site as ours was missing a grate; we didn't need one anyhow, a sturdy picnic table and plenty of down wood around to collect for a fire. We will be back!!

  • D
    May. 18, 2022

    Brazil Creek

    Great free camping spot

    Stayed here a few nights in May. This camp site is along the berryman trail so you can stay here if youre backpacking said trail. There is only one table and one metal fire ring but people have made various fire rings out of rocks and there is plenty of room for a lot of people. The camp is right by the creek which is ice cold and good for sticking sore feet in :). There are also a few fish in there. In recent years they put in a single vaulted bathroom but thats it! No showers or drinking water if you cant filter the stream water. They also have several hitching posts for horses here since you can ride horses on berryman trail. I have at&t and ive been getting 1 to 3 bars. But the other person im camping withuisnt grtting anything with their provider. Over all I think its a great little spot if youre ok with no electricity, light or just wanna get away from it all for a while.

  • Jaxsen B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2023

    Fredericksburg Ferry Access

    Beautiful River Access & Grassy Grounds

    Fredericksburg Access is a free campground with about 10 primitive sites. Grassy coverage with a mix of gravel or grass pull-ins. Lots of trees but still great stargazing at night. We even saw a few meteors!

    We went on a late July weekend and only 1 other small group was there. It had just rained but wasn't too mucky. Drive was safe in our heavy converted camper van. No off road vehicle or AWD needed.

    Ground is very level and not super rocky so this is a great site for tents. There are vault toilets but no sinks nor dumpsters, so plan ahead for hygiene and waste. Toilets are on flat ground, handicap accessible, and gender neutral. Likely to be a much tougher trip if you used to full hook-up RV camping/glamping, or require showers, but perfect for primitive camping!

    The region: 45m to nearest Walmart or tractor supply, so plan ahead. Food, fire starter logs, and lighter fuel available at Thriftway (about 30 min), firewood and ice at Casey's, and McDonald's all in Linn (all 30m) if you need anything.

    About water access: Sites are all within about a 5 min walk from the boat ramp on the Gasconade. Sign reads "no swimming" but there's a nice gravel bar just downstream from the ramp. If you enter the water, be mindful that boats may pass as you try to cross.

    The swim there requires crossing a moderately sized river that is relatively swift. This is fine for people who swim well but not recommended for young children or weak swimmers especially without flotation devices. It is swift enough to carry you downstream of your target even for good swimmers, so plan for this, especially for your swim back upstream (recommend walking upstream past dock then floating back across to dock). It's also deep in the center so you're not going to be able to cross with dry items unless you have a container that is waterproof.

    Again, it's a wider and quick river, so we had to help our dog across. Took 5-7 min there and 15 to get back (with dog. Mind the rocky/brush areas just downstream of the dock, saw some snakes.

  • Sean A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2023

    Berryman Trail & Campgrounds - Mark Twain National Forest

    Great for the location, was crowded

    If you're wanting a ton of privacy, this campground isn't for you. In a great location, especially if you're coming from the north and this is an overnight stop before you head farther south. Did a short walk on some of the trails for hiking/biking/riding and they seemed great. Well kept area with a fire ring and table, vault toilets but no water. Would recommend.

    (Review is based on trip in Oct. 2021, could of changed at this time)

Guide to St. James

Tent camping near St. James, Missouri offers a blend of serene nature and outdoor adventure, perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • At Paydown Access, campers can enjoy a secluded environment with fire pits and pet-friendly policies, making it a great spot for families.
  • Adventure Outdoors provides electric hookups and showers, ensuring a comfortable stay while still enjoying the great outdoors.
  • Brazil Creek features picnic tables and a vault toilet, making it a convenient choice for those who appreciate basic amenities while camping.

Some prices for tent camping range from $0 to $20

  • Camping at Fredericksburg Ferry Access is free, offering a budget-friendly option for those looking to enjoy the river access without spending a dime.
  • Helds Island Access also provides free camping, making it an ideal choice for those wanting to experience nature without the cost.
  • For a small fee, Anutty Farm offers a reservable site with drinking water and firewood, perfect for campers who want a bit more comfort.

Local activities for outdoor enthusiasts

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near St. James, MO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near St. James, MO is Adventure Outdoors with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

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TheDyrt.com has all 25 tent camping locations near St. James, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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