Looking for the best campgrounds near St. Joseph, MO? Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are St. Joseph campgrounds just for you. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
$12 - $48 / night
415 camp sites are available at Crow's Creek Campground. Both tent and RV sites are available with several including electrical hook-ups. Loop A offers sites that are designated for our equestrian campers. Playground conveniently located in center of campground. Many sites are located along the shoreline with easy access to walking trails. Shower and laundry facilities are conveniently located in the campground. Many sites are located along the shoreline where you could bank your boat at your own risk. Firewood and bagged ice are available for sale while camp hosts are on duty. All sites have a picnic table and a fire ring with grill.
$12 - $42 / night
This recreation area is part of Smithville Lake
The campground at Lewis and Clark State Park has both basic campsites and those with electrical hookups. The level and roomy campsites make it easy to maneuver a large recreational vehicle.
You are now able to reserve your Missouri State Parks campsite up to 12 months in advance, expanding from the previous six-month window.
Basswood Country Inn and destination RV Resort in Platte City, Missouri, about 20 miles north of Kansas City, offers 155 full hook-up sites with 30 / 50 amp electric, water, sewer, 24 channels of cable TV, WI-FI and much more. You can also stay in one of several furnished cabins and lodges. They include The Celebrity House with the Truman Suite, Rudy Vallee Suite, Bing Crosby Suite and the McConaughey Suite!
Amenities and attractions mean Outdoor Theater, a pizza shack, a country store, walking trails, themed weekends and activities, playground, seasonal swimming pool, fitness room, fishing lakes, seasonal live entertainment and much more… plus, in addition to being close to the bustle of Kansas City.
$56 - $59 / night
Approximately 25 miles west of the Pony Express Conservation Area on the Missouri River is the original site of a settlement known as Blacksnake Hills, later to become the city of St. Joseph, where the Pony Express mail service began in 1860. In addition to providing public fishing and wildlife-based recreational opportunities near the St. Joseph and Kansas City metropolitan areas, Pony Express Conservation Area demonstrates the balanced relationship that can exist between agricultural operations and wildlife populations. Acquisition of land for Pony Express Conservation Area began in 1961. The Conservation Department has purchased additional tracts since then. The area includes 240-acre Pony Express Lake, which was opened to public fishing on January 1, 1966. In cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, construction of 45-acre Buffalo Bill Lake in the north part of the area was completed in 1987. The lake opened to public fishing in 1990 and features a concrete boat ramp, parking lot and facilities for visitors with disabilities.
$12 - $48 / night
415 camp sites are available at Crow's Creek Campground. Both tent and RV sites are available with several including electrical hook-ups. Loop A offers sites that are designated for our equestrian campers. Playground conveniently located in center of campground. Many sites are located along the shoreline with easy access to walking trails. Shower and laundry facilities are conveniently located in the campground. Many sites are located along the shoreline where you could bank your boat at your own risk. Firewood and bagged ice are available for sale while camp hosts are on duty. All sites have a picnic table and a fire ring with grill.
$12 - $42 / night
Stayed for a one nighter on a tent site. Area was clean and maintained. There is no restroom close to tent sites but it is just up the hill at the rv side.. also when I decided to camp here showers were not listed as an amenitie but there are showers in the restroom which was a present surprise. My kid enjoyed the playground near the lake and I enjoyed the disc golf course on site. Bring cash for your fees to put in the drop box.
Easy check in if you have made online reservations. Very well taken care of and clean. Great spot to visit the quilting stores here.
This Love’s RV Hook Up is right off I-29. We’ve enjoyed several stays at these new Love’s campgrounds(CG) and they are normally away from the main car and truck fueling areas. After cruising around the truck area, we found that we needed to go to the car area as the CG is literally off the auto-side fuel pumps/parking lot. There is a lane that we could have driven through from the truck area and this would've put us in the right position to back into our site. However, there was a Love's fuel truck parked there the whole time of our stay. There are six back-in sites with water and electric. They give you a code if you want to use the dump station. We reserved site 1 with water and electric(50/30/20 AMP). It still could have been an easy back-in but there was a big U-Haul truck parked outside of the formal parking areas in our path. We were still able to maneuver around and get in our site. After parking, we checked in online to activate our utilities. We quickly found out when we auto-leveled that site 1 was not a level site as our passenger side tires were off the ground. And whoever designed these sites thought boulders between sites was a good idea? We had to position our rig to avoid a boulder on the pad, so that we could open our basement slide drawer. The utilities are at the far backside of the pad and based on our rig’s configuration with the wet bay towards the front, we needed 25’ or more of hose and electric cord. The water pressure here is good. The WiFi is also for general public use and not very fast. We got 3 bars on Verizon and used our MiFi for internet as we were not comfortable putting out Starlink in this general public area. We were next to Love’s two-sided dog park, which if not for dog poop on the inside and around the outside would have been a great convenience. Concerning the uncomfortable comment, two stealth campers in cars were in parking spaces adjacent to our site for the night. We shared the CG with a Scottish Rugby cycling team traversing the USA raising AHS awareness. We did not know that starting around 6:00 AM the sprinklers came on and all of their gear got wet. The sprinklers also make mud puddles at the dog park entrance. Loves should gravel the small and large dog entrances. There should also be signs to let campers know about the sprinklers. The other Love’s RV Stops we stayed in had restroom and shower facilities, here you go in the main building and pay to use the trucker showers. The dump station is hard to get into with a large rig. Wrapping up this unpleasant stay, this Love’s was one up on a Walmart parking lot as it had water and electric.
Free camping in designated camping area per MO Dept of Conservation rules. Pit toilets and mowed area for camping. Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities inside the area.
Beautiful spot by the lake. Be sure to turn left at first sign to find campsites. Was a little frustrating that a family seemed to have taken up permanent residence and was obnoxious with the generator. Trash was overflowing and could use a little more attention. Clean vault toilets with TP. It was really beautiful with the sunset.
Beautiful park. Pay more for the pull through you’ll have tons of parking even if your rig is big. Our rig is 44 ft and we parked two 2500’s on the pad no problem. We reserve our days in advance and if we need to cancel we just change our reservation to a different date with no fees. The pool and clubhouse are well kept so are the bathrooms and laundry room. This Is our favorite campsite to date. So much to do.
Stayed here for several days. Wonderful facility on the edge of Gallatin. Stores and gas just a mile away. A duck was the only full time resident of the park. We got several visits from the local residents. They were delightful. We were informed that the park and rec district has a recommended fee of $35/night. However, the city says it's a donation. So if you stay there and don't make a donation, that is between you and your conscience.
It is against their rules to camp anywhere but on a gravelly parking lot. We camped just off the road and got a citation. It's not really disbursed camping.
Very nice lots was a Lil disappointed because this camp site was in mid missori and the agent I contacted it from was in meridian ms and had never been there was told it would have water n 30 amp service but all that was there was 30 amp no water but it was really nice I didn't have time to stay long just the night .
Camped here several days in late June. The were very few campers, even on the weekends. Many slept in their cars and left at first light. I assume they went fishing at the lake. Bathroom was a little rough but manageable.
Traveling through on a cross country trip. Needed a spot to camp from my motorcycle. I was given a giant secluded spot by the pond, separate from the RV area. Has a lovely looking pool that was open, clean showers, and fire wood for sale. The owners are extremely friendly and helpful. The only reason it isn't getting 5 stars is the proximity to the freeway, you can hear it very clearly (jake brakes and all) continuously.
Small park with some very private sites and some very exposed sites. Nice showers and dump station.
Had a good night. If it's not busy you can hear the river from camp. There are a hand full of sites, couple others were here and we had no problems. There is enough trees to shade 90% of the camp through out and a wood line surrounding the area so it does not feel like you are camping in the middle of a wide open field. Wouldn't plan to use the bathroom and just head to the woods.. It is there if it's the biggest emergency but.. it's not a maintained bathroom sooo...
This was our 2nd stay at Weston Bend SP. Both times, we had site 26, one of the few basic sites. While some of the other sites were very close to each other, this one is relatively isolated. It's big too. There's a vault toilet close by. It was clean and roomy. We didn't use the water but there are a few spigot throughout the campground. There's also a regular restroom near the campground entrance, but we didn't use it. We will definitely camp here again if we are passing through.
Camped here on Oct 5, 2023. RV parks are not our preferred place to camp. Prefer to camp with our campervan in dispersed or primitive campsites. That being said, this campground was really good for an overnight stay during our trip north to Minnesota. The owners were very welcoming and helpful. The property and restrooms/showers were very, very clean and well maintained. Our dog enjoyed the fenced in dog park with is on the property. The campground has ponds. Other campers were friendly and respectful.
This free campground has a water tap and a pit toilet. There are at least three first come first served campsites that have a picnic table and a fire ring.
Campground is hilly, sites are level, gravel pads. Lots of space between sites. Electric sites, no water, but water spigots were scattered around the campground. Majority of sites had shade. Most sites are back in, there are 2 pull through sites and 2 family sites. Firewood is available for sale on the honor system near the camp host. Nice shower facilities and laundry available (one washer, one dryer). Regular trash dumpster and also recycling. Pit toilets also available. Dump station across from dumpsters and recycling. Entrance gate closes at 9 pm.
Very well cared for site. It's been well established for many years. I was visiting friends in St. Joe and was surprised to learn her parents used to came there many decades ago. It was a KOA and the new owners have kept it up to those standards. The owners/managers are friendly and acknowledged me by name when I walked up to register. A bit of freeway noise but not too bothersome, Great stay!
We drove by the east side campsite and it was packed. We ran into a local and he told us about a spot on the east side of the lake. An old boy scout camp. It wasn’t maintained but there was nobody there. Our dogs ran free and that was what we were looking for. We ran our generator at night because we had no neighbors. We were a mile from the lake so we drove around and had access to the lake.
We booked a site here on our drive back East in August 2023. I saw “resort” and was like “Sign me up” after some real hot and grimy parks earlier in the trip.
Ultimately, most of the amenities were closed by the time we arrived. The game room, the restaurant, and store were all closing or closed. My kids did get some pool time (it was a nice pool) and loved the blob (whatever you call the bounce pads). There was a nice playground, pavilion and courts.
What is weird is that this is almost two parks - the front is the “resort” or old-fashioned campground, but where we were placed was in the back with what looked like a lot of long-term, single male residents. It was a longish-walk to front where the pool and store was and it definitely didn’t feel like a resort.
There were spots open in the front closer to the pool and lake - if we had camped there I think the experience would have been different.
This is a small remote lake of about 160 acres water area. A county road takes you through the area and across the dam. There are gravel pull off areas and a lakeside gravel road. The pit toilet is not well maintained. Not suitable for larger vehicles.
Good place for free camping just not a lot of things to do other than explore the woods or fish in the river which doesn’t have great access. They say there’s bike trails but it’s more just access roads.
It’s a big area with several access points. Here are the coordinates for the camping area along the river 39.95182° N, 94.99083° W.
This place is absolutely beautiful great for taking your family but if you need RV parts or repairs stay away from Camping World they will rip you off or even if you want to purchase an RV read the reviews on them.
We tried Smith Fork and liked it. The only downside is that some of the campsites are close together/congested, but that’s not necessarily a big negative. We have Verizon and service was good. Camp hosts were great!
Very nice campground and we’ve stayed here several times without any problems. The hosts are great too. We’ve stayed at sites in Loop C improved which have water and 50amp service. We have Verizon cell service and had no issues.
Came out to camp one night with my 5 year old. We stated on a friday night in October and the campground was not too busy at all.. maybe only 5 other groups there. Showers and bathroom were all fine, campsite was clean and well maintained. Loved that the tent camping sites were actually surrounded by trees, I see way to many tent campsites that are basically just in the middle of a grass field. There are walking paths and a couple of playgrounds around the lake close enough to walk to but far enough away they wont ever be a bother. Also if you like disc golf than this is the place to go, there is a brand new 18 hole course right next to the camp!
Campground is great! Camp hosts Janet and Chris went above and beyond making Halloween perfect for our family. Been here several times and they are more than accommodating. Always a clean, safe and organized campground. Can’t wait until next year to see all of the events!
Camping near St. Joseph, Missouri, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor lovers. From serene lakeside spots to family-friendly campgrounds, there’s something for everyone.
Camping around St. Joseph, Missouri, has its perks and quirks. With the right preparation, you can enjoy a fantastic outdoor experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near St. Joseph, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, St. Joseph, MO offers a wide range of camping options, with 56 campgrounds and RV parks near St. Joseph, MO and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near St. Joseph, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near St. Joseph, MO is Weston Bend State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 31 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near St. Joseph, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near St. Joseph, MO.
What parks are near St. Joseph, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 parks near St. Joseph, MO that allow camping, notably Blue Springs Lake and Perry Lake.
