The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Skidmore. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Skidmore is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near Skidmore, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"Lake Mozingo is near the College Town of Maryville, Missouri. My experience is limited, but I’d say it’s pretty nice here. And inexpensive."
"Nice sites close to the lake with electricity water and wifi."
$25 - $30 / night
"There are plenty of camping sites around the park no matter your style, even spots for horses! I prefer the hike in spots myself."
"The park is huge and takes you along an hour long historic trail that has old settlements, ruins of workshops and beautiful view-points of the Missouri river from the bluff edges."
"It was a little close to the highway so got a little highway noise, but not bad. No trains😊
Only one other camper so plenty of room.
Pit toilet, no water."
"We stayed at camp area 3 which is way more wooded and deep inside the conservation area with access to the river right on the site."
$12 - $75 / night
"The actual lake is only 85 acres but has excellent fishing and is surrounded by 691 acres of beautiful trees with hiking and equestrian trails, fishing jetties and a sandy beach."
"Frisbee golf course, playground, horse shoe pits and samdy heach area groomed daily. No wake lake perfect for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Clean well-kept shower and bath buidling as well."
$14 - $110 / night
"This also gave us time to really explore those trails I was drooling over. We took one of the more scenic trails and took us over the top of some of those beautiful Loess Hills."
"Not many amenities but the bathrooms are clean and the trails are fantastic. The view is great from the side bluff train. Close to Nebraska city. Tent sites are not too close together."
"Hacklebarney is very close to home so it makes for a great quick camping trip destination. Has surprisingly nice shower room for the size of the park."
GuideThere is a legend about how the Lake of 3 Fires got its name. The legend says that the “Fire Nation”, which was a local Pottawatomi tribe, lived in the area around Southwest Iowa. Later 2 other tribes decided to join the “Fire Nation” and the 3 became known as “Three Fires”. The Tribes burned 3 fires atop hills to signify that as long as the 3 fires were burning the tribes were together. Now on the spot where the fires burned, is said to be the Iowa State Park “Lake of 3 Fires”
Located in Southwest Iowa just north of the county seat of Bedford Iowa, is a little hidden treasure for outdoor enthusiasts and campers. When looking for a campground everyone has an opinion on what amenities and activities they want- fishing, hiking, boating, and horseback riding are some of the more popular choices and the Lake of Three Fires has all these and more. The actual lake is only 85 acres but has excellent fishing and is surrounded by 691 acres of beautiful trees with hiking and equestrian trails, fishing jetties and a sandy beach.
For those who are planning more than a day trip to the Lake of 3 Fires there are several options available. Located only a very short walk from the Lake are two modern campgrounds nestled in trees. There are over 100 site options for campers. For the RV or trailer enthusiasts there are 24 standard electric sites and 63 non-electric sites, plus 3 buddy sites. In addition, there are 23 equestrian sites (some electrical) and 1 equestrian buddy site along with plenty of holding stalls and tie outs for horses. They are located just east of the main camping grounds but still close enough to walk down to the lake. There are nice clean restroom and shower facilities, children’s play areas and a trailer dump station. Some of the campsites have also been made handicap accessible.
For those families who don’t have a camper or RV but want to experience camping at the Lake of 3 fires there are 6 family cabins which can accommodate 4- 6 people. They are heated and cooled with the basic essentials- stove, microwave and refrigerator. There are also open shelters and a youth group area that offer a place to rent for large group gatherings. There are picnic areas available that are first come first serve. There are plenty of tables and grills if you are just making a day trip but camping is the way to go at the Lake of 3 Fires so you have time to experience everything.
Many of the camp sites, cabins and shelters are available to reserve online at the Department of Natural Resources website- however there are some that are first come first serve. It is very convenient and easy to reserve your spot online. Highly recommended if you plan on traveling any distance- a guaranteed spot of your choice is worth the few minutes it takes to go online and reserve. You can even look at a map of the campsites and pick where you want your site to be. You can see not only where your site will be but it tells you the electrical voltage, the length and other important information about the site you are choosing.
The camp sites are kept clean, well maintained and are big enough you don’t feel like you are right on top of your neighbor. The bathhouses are centrally located in the campground and offer clean bathroom and shower facilities for campers.
Once you have your camper set and are ready to enjoy your weekend it will be hard to decide where to start. The Lake itself offers many activities. There are 2 boat ramps if you want to go out on the ‘no wake” lake. There are plenty of fish to be caught including bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish. If you don’t have a license to fish you can run into town and pick one up at the courthouse or the Bedford Country Store located right on Hwy 2, very easy to find! There is a dock where you can fish and it also has a cleaning station also available. There are several fishing jetties where you can take a chair and set up to find the perfect spot. From your spot on the lake you might catch a glimpse of some people enjoying a beautiful day on the lake on their canoes or kayaks.
For the hunters, there is a 220 acre public hunting ground to the north and 160 acres to the south. You would of course want to check with the DNR for hunting and gaming regulations.
Not into hunting and fishing? Prefer something a bit more relaxing? Well head down to the beach area which is just a short walk from the camp grounds. There you find a small but very nice beach area for swimming. Not in the mood to swim? Then grab some friends for a game of sand volleyball or perhaps pitch horseshoes. The beach area is perfect place to relax with a good book or play some games with friends. The best part is to get there from the campgrounds you take a beautiful short scenic walk.
Perhaps one of the best parts about the Lake of 3 Fires is the 10 miles of trails the intertwine around the entire Lake. There are some specific trails for hiking but some others that offer horseback riders an amazing view of the lake. The great thing about the trails is how they snake around each other- you could discover a new path every time you go. The trials are nicely marked with “you are here “maps so you don’t get lost. There are beautiful views of the Lake from the far side where you can see clear across to the campgrounds. In the winter after a good snow, they say snow mobiles can also use the trails.
Bedford is only a few miles away so you can run into the local Hy-Vee for Groceries or stop by Dollar General if you forgot something. There are 2 gas stations in town as well that both have pizza, drinks and snacks if you need to stock up.
Getting to the Lake of 3 Fires isn’t hard at all From Bedford just go east out of town for about 1/2 mile on Hwy 2. Then turn north on Lake Road, keep going for about 3 miles and Lake of Three Fires is located on the west side. The roads are a bit windy but everything is paved including the main roads of the park. For a short weekend getaway of a weeklong camping adventure, the Lake of 3 Fires has plenty to offer everyone in your camping group.
GuideTo be perfectly honest we camp at Nodaway often- but that because of its location - close to work and such. However there are limited activities at Nodaway.
The camp sites are nice and large- easy to get into and each one had its own water and electric. There are 11 on what we call the upper circle and 4 on the lower circle. The bath house is located at the far end so if you are on the lower circle or at the end it can be a walk. It isn't fancy by any means- a single sink, toilet, and shower in the same room- one for each sex. It gets the job done- but it is no frills. There is a dump station centrally located that you can easily pull up to on your way out.
The park is big- lots of trails for hiking and horses. They are usually very well maintained- they keep them mowed in nice wide paths and the trails range from nice and flat to a bit more steep.
There is a little pond but there are no fish in it and it could use some work- lots of moss and such.
There are several different picnic areas and a second bathroom away from the campgrounds. The playground is outdated but there is a large area where kids can play soccer or tag and while the equipment is old it is not in bad shape.
There is a beautiful look out area (away from the camprounds) that looks over Clarinda and is very nice to watch the annual 4th of July fireworks from the Clarinda A's baseball team.
We love Nodaway not because of the amenities but because we can all get together and be close to work/school/home. Camping here does require some yard games and activities for entertainment- but you are just a couple minutes from the store if you forget something!
TravelerThis campground ovvers a lot of shaded with trees hookup sutes and beautiful grassy non hookup sites. Frisbee golf course, playground, horse shoe pits and samdy heach area groomed daily. No wake lake perfect for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Clean well-kept shower and bath buidling as well. Horse area for those who bring horses for the ridiing trails.
LegendBe careful not to drive by Hucklebarney Woods, if you're not careful you will pass it by. There is a sign but it is not very visible and you may have to hit your brakes pretty hard, so be careful.
The first entrance to the park is an equestrian campground that was closed when I arrived. Don't stop there, keep driving another 300 yards and you will find the main entrance to the park.
For a county park with limited resources it meets expectations. The biggest detractor is all of the goose poop but I suppose you can live with that, especially if you are pulling a camper. You can't swim in the pond but the views are nice. I would honestly say that this is not where I would choose to camp but it is a great place to stop and have a picnic.
RangerNice rolling hills. Some easy and moderate hiking trails, horses welcome, most of the activity is out on the lake so if you don’t have a boat you’ll be sad. Also learn about some of the Native American history of the area.
Yay: shady and private sites, all pretty close to the lake, lots of trails, some cabins (would be great for family reunions).
Nay: middle of nowhere and not really worth a detour, but if you’re near Bedford it’s a great little place.
Surprise: there is hunting open to the public so enjoy and/or be careful!
LegendStayed one night on Sept 4. Camped at site 35 in the non-equestrian campground; non-electric fee $15. Parked van on the grass at this site. Like nearly all of the sites in this campground, this site was close to the campground road. Overall, I felt that the campsites were all bunched together - offering no privacy and spacing between sites. The shower house was closed during our visit. Water was also turned off at the wayer pumps in the campground. There was one single vault toilet available for all of the campers; it was reasonably clean. Wayne, the campground host, was nice & helpful. There is a self-serve firewood station in the campground; cost is either $5 or $10, depending on the amount of wood you purchase. The campsites have a picnic table & metal fire ring. I wasn't too pleased with this campground, but I was very happy with the nearby hiking trails within the park. It's a pretty state park with hills & lush forest. The day use areas looked great. I recommend those traveling along I-29 to stop at this park - not necessarily for the camping, but for the hiking. Had some T-Mobile 4G service.
LegendThis is a great weekend spot not much to do around the park. The campsites are nice but close with not much space in between. There are 2 campgrounds, the one north of the highway is a horse campground but required. There are nice trails in this area. The campground on the south is more of a tent site. There are vault toliets, no showers. A lot of great trails o this side. All campsites include a picnic table and fire ring.
GuideI love Indian Cave for the Oak Woodlands! This is unlike any other campground in Nebraska. There are plenty of camping sites around the park no matter your style, even spots for horses! I prefer the hike in spots myself. There are many trails here with great views of the river as well as family activities for those looking for less walking. The actual cave is not much to write home about as sadly it has been vandalIzed for many years. My favorite spot within 2 hours of Omaha/Lincoln for sure!
GuideThe park is huge and takes you along an hour long historic trail that has old settlements, ruins of workshops and beautiful view-points of the Missouri river from the bluff edges. It ends at the Indian cave (boardwalk/stairs to the cave are currently closed to all the visitors). You have neat family picnic shelters in between too. The campgrounds are a little cozy if not cramped and give you a good vibe of you love the campground aura. The sites on the bend of the loops (25 and 24) are more spacious and for people who want bigger areas. Most of the sites are shaded under large cottonwoods. The nearest gas station (actually any store) is a 15/20 minutes drive away and the park office/store was closed due to covid restrictions. So bring in everything except ice and firewood, yeah coffee too (we forgot). No water sport rentals nearby. Didn't see anyone kayaking either. I would stay here again if I wanted another relaxed/hike-only trip.
Horse camping in Missouri offers a unique experience for equestrian enthusiasts, combining the beauty of nature with the joy of riding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Skidmore, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Skidmore, MO is Mozingo Lake County RV Park with a 4.1-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Skidmore, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Skidmore, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
