Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Smithville, MO

After going around for almost 1.5 hrs from Smithville due to all the road closures, we finally got to the lake but all the campsites were out of commission to include the visitor's center and the roads were closed. We had to turn back unfortunately.

Stayed one night at the KOA in Oak Grove, just east of Kansas City. The sites were all sunny and since it was 100 degrees, it was hot. But the pool was nice and they had a nice dog park which was ok in the evening after it cooled off. Close to KC so we could drive in for BBQ.

This campground has immaculate ground. All sites are pretty much gravel, but 'new' gravel & level. Pool very clean. Laundry 24/7 CLEAN!! SHOWERS EVEN CLEANER!! They have a Dutch Mkt here as well in front at ck-in that's awesome!! Everything you could imagine. 100 different cheeses even! I'd stay here again for sure. Dog Park; Trash P/U too!

Stayed one night while traveling back to the east coast. It is a decent campground. The bath house was clean and showers were hot. Sites are close together. Mine had shade. There is a small dog park at the top of the hill. 

I came late and left early, so didn't get to browse the cheese shop, but it looked nice. I would stay here again.

Easy access to Interstate and pull through sites were long enough for our truck and 32’ trailer without having to unhitch. Stayed just one night as we passed through. Looked like it would be a good place to stay for multiple nights.

Clean campground. Nice grounds. Two good fenced dog parks.

Only negatives were our hookups were literally in the next site next to their table, and their fire ring was very close to our trailer.

Nice campground, we stayed in spot 11. It was closest to the highway, so that might bother people but we barely noticed the cars this weekend. The dog park, kid park, and dumpster are next door, so if you are social you will meet plenty of people in this spot. There is a pool, bathrooms, laundry, and a cute little country store here. It appears they are expanding or at least have recently added camping spots, so that's good, but there are plenty We arrived late at night, 9 pm on a Friday, and there was still room for us without a reservation. There was plenty of room to back in the rig, they also have pull through spots if needed. I'd camp here again for sure.

We called ahead so they were expecting us and the staff knew who we were when we pulled up. Very friendly and helpful staff. Beautifully kept grounds with lots of lush grass. There is a lake/ river at the edge of the property with fish, plenty of frogs and I even saw a beaver or otter swimming across it. You can fish but it is catch and release. Surprisingly not buggy at all for being right by the water. The playground is great and they have lawn games and a large dog park. Nice clean bathrooms with hot showers and great water pressure. They even have a pool which I didn’t end up taking advantage of but would have had we stayed longer. They had the cutest little benches to sit on and look out over the water and at the stars. We also had so much fun chasing fireflies.

We camped in a tent with our 2 dogs and young toddler and had a great stay.

It is close to the highway and we could hear traffic but it was easy to tune out. The cicadas and bullfrogs are loud at night but we really enjoyed that.

We made a last minute decision and decided to stay somewhere near KC after a long cross country trip. With it being Memorial Day weekend, we new it would be hard to find a place that would allow a same day reservation. Mark and Kyle at Walnut Grove could not have been more friendly and accommodating when we called to try to reserve a spot.

When we arrived, the staff flagged us in and showed us to our site. There was free WiFi, clean restrooms, and a nice little shop. Our site had a 50amp hookup for electric, and water/sewer. There is also a small area for dogs to run around in, while I wouldn’t consider it a true “dog park”, it still was nice to have a designated area to take your dog.

The most negative thing about this place is that the sites are right on top of each other. I would estimate about 6 feet separated our camper from the RV next to us. For the price to stay here, I would have liked a little more room/privacy, and a few more options for things to do within the campground.

If it weren’t for the super cool staff, I’d probably rate this location with fewer stars. It worked great as a short term stay, but in my opinion it’s not a place I’d want to stay for several days/nights.

Nice quiet park with good sized gravel lots. Pet friendly and close to KC shops and stores

When we began our fulltime journey we stayed at this park for a couple of months and learned a lot about it. The management team was very friendly and would often disclose a lot about what was happening at the park. The park was in need of some improvements but it was clean and nice. The spaces are very tight in the travelers section and more spread out in the long term section. Many sites in the park were occupied by storage and the owners never showed up. To walk your dogs at the little park at night, you had to walk through there area. We called this the storage lot. The out of state contractors often had many loud and drunk guests which was obnoxious. They often harassed females walking their dogs to the park through the narrow street, and they were in the back section.

They had reasonable rates when we first stayed there ($40/night for in the city and $500/month). Now it is much more expensive, one night for our rig is $76 according to their website.

We never felt like it was genuinely part of the RV Community, it was more of a stop through or people were staying in the area for a job or to finish a house. It didn’t house many fulltime RVers that would continue traveling. They love to host NASCAR fans and know they are one of the closest parks to the Speedway.

Ammenities: Laundry Small Store Showers/Restroom Facilities Little dog park on the north end. Occasional BBq They were putting in Google Fiber internet when we stayed there in 2017 so I’m not sure if they completed it. Dump Propane Trash Mail

This location was the closest to our family’s homes so we have stayed there three times all together. There is a lot to do nearby and the main draw of this RV Park is definitely the location. You’re not far from downtown Kansas City, and still in the suburbs of Kansas City.

Great place for a somewhat long stay. Staff are very nice and sweet, there’s free WiFi, lots of pull through spots, has a dump station and allows pets. Overall very family friendly.

Only stayed one night, didn't use facilities other than the site.

Level, easy back in. Well maintained. Friendly greeter cat

During the camping season this campground has nice large shower houses and clean bathrooms. They sell ice and firewood at gates. Pleasant campground, very nice lake. I camp with kids from infant through 18 and hot showers and decent bathrooms are a must for us. Close to Smithville Missouri.

We have started staying here last couple of years. Nice big spots with electric only. It is quite a ways to shower house but much quieter than other campgrounds on Smithville lake. More family friendly.

In the home of Amelia Earhart, you will find Warnock Lake, a small lake property with big opportunities for camping!!

The lake itself is smaller and allows you to fish or take out small kayaks or paddle boats for recreation although you must provide your own. Swimming is also an option and there is a small dock which can be access from the side of the camping area or the entry.

A large special earthworks is on property, created to honor the likeness of Amelia Earhart herself, although viewing it from above is suggested as the viewing platform leaves much to be desired. And continuing with the legacy of the famous aviator, a park called the Forest of Friendship allows you a get away with a unique atmosphere. It is here that you will find the bicentennial dedication from the city of Hutchison to the US honoring the many trees from around the world in addition to some very famous people which have made it possible.

In addition to all of these amazing things rests a camping area designed to cater to those who are looking for a day away. Offering both RV and tent camping options the space is nice and has large shade trees. RV offerings are equipped with 30 amp connections and shared water spigots. Primitive tent camping is located a bit further down the roadway and is spaced much more loosely with common areas for trash collection and water.

I noticed that pets are allowed at the campsites which makes it great for the entire family.

Pricing for stay is very inexpensive and there are roll over campsites available outside of the main camping loop with a bit less privacy from the traffic of the roadway. The community itself is only a short drive from the campsites and it wasn’t crowded even on a summer day.

Great place to relax if you are in this area of Kansas!!

I was looking for a decent place to camp near Kansas City during the weekend and found this spot on Smithville Lake. When I camp, I typically do it while on vacation and checking out a national park. This obviously isn't an experience like that. This was the first time I've camped over a weekend in years.

The campsites are very spacious and there are even places with covered picnic tables. The bathrooms are also clean. If you're not the most adventurous type, you'll like this campground.

The thing I enjoyed most about this campground was the trail around the lake. The trails are fairly low traffic and there wasn't too much noise coming from boats on the water. It was a peaceful location to camp and enjoy views of the lake.

Overall, I recommend this as a quick place to go during a weekend if you're in the area and feel like camping. I probably wouldn't stay here for an extended period of time.