Searching for a tent campsite near Strafford? Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Strafford, including sites, reviews, and tips. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Strafford, Missouri's most popular destinations.
Swan Creek is an 8,488 acre area that provides for year-round nonmotorized dispersed recreation use as it is a designated Semi-Primitive Nonmotorized (SPNM) Area. There are approximately 20 miles of moderately used riding, hiking, and mountain bike trails available. Swan Creek itself offers swimming, fishing, and a non-potable water supply. For more detail of the trail visit Map of the Trail System. Trail System Map (printable) and Trail System Map GEO Referenced for use with Map Apps
This recreation area is part of Pomme De Terre Lake
Drury-Mincy Conservation Area is in southern Taney County, southeast of Branson, off of Route J. The area, located in the heart of the White River glade region, was the Conservation Department's first deer refuge. The area is named for early landowner Frank Drury and the settlement of Mincy. The Commission leased the land in 1939, then purchased it in 1987. At present, the area is comprised of 5,599 acres which includes a portion of Bull Shoals Lake managed lands. By the turn of the century, deer numbers had dwindled to the point that Missouri could claim only 14 herds. One of these lived in the Drury-Mincy area. The area was purchased by a private landowner in 1929, who worked with the Department to increase deer numbers. From 1939 through 1959, Drury-Mincy deer were successfully used to restore populations statewide. The Drury-Mincy area, one of three areas that supported flocks of native wild turkeys, provided 300 turkeys for statewide restoration projects during the 1960s. Bluestem glades and post oak woodlands dominated the rolling hills. Mincy, Fox, and Bee creeks meander through stands of wild cane on their way to Bull Shoals Lake. Purple beardtongue, fringetree, and Ashe juniper are among the unusual plants found on the area.
Primitive camping is permitted in designated camping area only. Campers are limited to 14 consecutive days in a 30-day period. Groups of more than 10 campers are required to obtain a special use permit.
Masters is a shady campground located on Stockton Lake in the scenic Ozark Mountains of southwestern Missouri. The lake and surrounding landscape offer countless recreational opportunities along its nearly 300 miles of shoreline, providing visitors with many ways to explore one of the most sought-after natural areas in the state. Natural Features: The land surrounding the lake contains hundreds of acres of native prairie grasses, rolling hills and thick forests that turn crimson in autumn. An abundance of wildlife lives both in and around the water, including wild turkey, great blue heron, deer and bald eagles. Visitors can learn about the lakes bald eagles by attending an annual eagle-watching event during the winter. Recreation: Boating is always a popular pastime at the lake. Sail boating is especially popular and the lake hosts several races each year. Masters Campground provides a boat ramp for easy access to the water. The waters of Stockton Lake are home to several species of fish including small and largemouth bass, crappie, white bass, walleye, catfish and sunfish, making it an ideal area for anglers. Several trails wind around the lake shore and through the landscape. The Stockton Lake Equestrian Trail continues approximately 15 miles between Hawker Point and Orleans Trail Campgrounds. Facilities: Masters Park offers 66 campsites, each with a lantern hanging post, picnic table and campfire ring. Nearby Attractions: There are three full-service marinas located around the lake, which offer a wide range of services and supplies, including boat rentals, fuel, fishing tackle and restaurants.
14 acres with approximately 10 large camping sites. By invitation only.
This recreation area is part of Pomme De Terre Lake
Scout
Beautiful views from many of the sites. I noticed several of the tent sites do not have level areas for your tent. T01 site does not have close parking unless you are able to park in the handcap parking. It is a quite park in the evening. Camp host is polite and shower house is kept clean. Vault toilet by the boat ramp is sketchy (where tent camping is located). Will stay here again.
Guide
This is one of the largest KOAs I've stayed at and the kampground itself is very nice. The staff were great ands check in was super quick. Also, there's a rugged little trail that goes behind the kampground. It was a great little walk for the dog and I to stretch our legs after our long drive.
The tent sites are all located at the back of the kampground around a circular pavillion. Each tent site has its own water facet, electricity, and fair internet which are somewhat redeeming for the negatives below. It's nice to have a covered picnic table and the lattice provides some privacy from the picnic tables of the other campers. Other than the traffic is very quiet in by 7:30 or so. Everyone seems respectful of each other.
The tent sites are disappointing to me. They're small, close together, and nearer to the highway than makes for a good night's sleep in a tent. That makes them kind of pricey for what you get.
I'm tent camping because I want to be distanced from other people. I put mine up as far to the side as I can go, but I'm still literally only 10 feet from the next tent. Other users mentioned grass on the sites. I haven't seen any grass around and site 5 has only stones on the tent pad. This site also has probably the worst view. It faces out toward one of the kampground roads and is in full view of the street light. The back sites seem darker.
I'd highly recommend this KOA if you're visiting Branson in a trailer or RV. The kabins also look really cute (and there are lots of them!). If I visited here again in a tent, I'd pick one of the two sites that face the woods.
Legend
After reading from some this was not equipped for tent campers I would have to beg to differ. The campground is great for those camping in a tent!!
I spoke to someone before checking it out and they were more than welcoming but did mention that the grassy spaces were a bit limited. They did however openly welcome tents!!
The ground without grass does pose a bit more of a challenge should you get one of those spaces but with proper padding it is a great location to visit. The water front is great and they do have a dock to access the water for fishing and an area for launching kayaks which is very nice.
Traveler
Perfectly nice place, very friendly staff, and really not much to complain about. The wifi signal was very weak in the tent sites, but useable. There is a train that goes by occasionally, but didnt bother me. Nice little fenced dog runs, was a cute touch. But at the end of the day it is basically like all KOA’s an RV parking lot with trees. Close to Springfield which is nice, and there arent a lot of great options around this area so it was fine for a one night stay over. Bonus points for being able to get a pizza delivered to my tent site.
Guide
This was our first tent camping trip in Missouri State Parks. Visiting in March meant there weren’t many things to do. This parks main focus is Lake Pomme de Terra, so if you’re not into being on the water - this campground may not be for you. We had a vault toilet near our site which was nice for middle of the night trips. The site was on quite an incline & there were lots of rocks under our tent. I would not recommend this site.
Ranger
Went here for a Jeep Jamboree and had a great time. There are several areas to tent camp and have great amenities as well. Toilets, showers, food, etc. The hosts are very hospitable and treat you great!
TravelerI went with my family to go tent camping here. Nice tent spots that are flat. Ground is somewhat hard to get spikes into and depending on the season, expect rain! The woods behind are non threatening, you don’t really have to worry about animals. Fire pits are great too.
Scout
Wonderful out of the way hidden gem! Owner is friendly and place is so very well kept! This was a last minute stay for us as our original campsite flooded. What a blessing in disguise! Ponds for fishing and swimming. On site kayaks. RV camping. Tent camping and monthly music festivals!
Scout
Wife and I decided to start camping again after a 10 yr layoff, So after a few equipment upgrades we made our reservation and we went last week. Tent site was nice and shower rooms are clean and nice as well.
Scout
Swim area is a canoe drop in for other companies. Luckily the water was up higher so we were able to use a shallow area. Power boxes were missing covers. Property has potential. Shady area and easy to get to. We had little kids so it didn't work out as well. Large tent camp area.
Traveler
Place was fine and well kept. Convenient store and pool and playground were nice. Went on a holiday weekend so I expected it to be crowded. Didnt expect such small tent sites so close together. If it isn't crowded not a big deal.
GuideThe camping areas are pretty but there’s no water access from camp sites. Also plan to walk to the bathrooms or plan to hear people walking by all night headed to the bathrooms. Lots of tree coverage so every site is shaded almost entirely, but that means lots of sticks that have to be cleared before tent camping.
Guide
While this is mostly an RV campground there are some tent campsites that are out of the way and usually free. It is an off-roading park so be aware of the noise.
Traveler
We loved this campground. My parents brought their camper and we tent camped. The park was beautiful, the facilities were very clean, and the people were friendly! It was nice and quiet, close to the lake, and our children loved the pool! Just a short drive to Branson or to do some mountain biking in the state park! We will be back!
Scout
Plenty of space at the campsites! We enjoyed 2 nites at the tent sites with electric hookups. Great spot on the niangua river with easy access to the river which was a nice place to relax after fishing over at Bennett all day (which is conveniently right across the street!)
RangerI’ve camped here 2x for Jeepstock in September. Brandon, the owners closes the park for the event but it’s still maxes the facilities capacity. The tent camping is questionable, but lots of great electric sites. Generator camping is far away from everyone else so that’s nice.
There’s limited bathrooms and showers but I think that’s going to change soon with additions to the grounds. Nice new cabins are being added yearly. If you ha e a chance to visit SMORR, I would recommend it!
Guide
Decided to try out Pomme de Terre this weekend. We are not disappointed! Beautiful views form the campsite— tent camping on a peninsula in surrounded by Pomme de Terre lake. Check in was a little confusing, and we later found out the shop is closed for the season. We’ve been having to head to town to purchase wood and ice which is slightly inconvenient. Facilities are average— I’m not amazing but not disgusted, they are what you’d expect! Nice and quiet this weekend, beautiful clear water waiting to be canoed in. If only we had one! We’ll be back!
Guide
I've went to Mutton Creek Marina to Times now to tent camp with friends and family. Our first group had five people and the second time we had four.. they're camping spots were right off the water so we could night fish or day fish, the kids could play in the lake all while hanging out at our campsite. The sites were shaded and whenever we were tired of eating camping food we could eat at the floating restaurant. The people at the marina were especially nice and informative. I love taking my family here and because of the cheap price, accessibility and closeness to other beaches we love such as Bona on Stockton Lake. We will be back and we highly recommend this place to others close to us. We don't want to tell everybody about it so it's not too commercialized ;)
Guide
I have been floating on the James River many times. Always a great experience on the river.
Campsite PROS- Very large grassy sites for tent camping with RV sites also available. On site general store for various floating items, alcohol, food etc
Campsite CONS- VERY STRICT camping rules when camping with minors... We were all well over the age of 21 ( 30 years old +) with the exception of my brother who was 20 at the time. He was DENIED an overnight site due to his age and the alcohol sold on the premises. Even with my father present . Also their shower/ bath room is poorly maintained and always dirty. They have one bath and toilet for men and one for women for the entire campground, which has well over 40 sites. They are unorganized when it comes to drop offs and pick ups and could use more staff to help get on and off the river for floating.
GuideMy 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!
Legend
Camped in Loop B on Oct 4, 2023. Camping was free at this Corp of Engineer campground since off season began on Oct 1st. The Loop B campground has several RV/tent sites arranged in sub-loops in an open field; some trees for shade. Sites are close to each other; no privacy between sites. Sites appear to be level. Each site has a metal fire ring, table and lamp pole. The loop road is paved and the sites were gravel. There were no hookups in Loop B. The water station was shut off, but the vault toilet, which wasn't very clean, was open. No camp host on duty during our stay. There is access to Stockton Lake from the loop road. There was nothing special about this campground, but has good lake access for boats. Otherwise this campgrund is suitable for an overnight stay.
TravelerThis campground offers RV camping with full hookups or tent camping. The RV sites are a little small and close to each other, and you can tell some people are long time campers. That being said, it’s a very nice area by the river with lots of fishing, floating, and swimming opportunities. A few things to keep in mind-if it’s been raining a lot it does tend to get muddy, we don’t have 4WD and got stuck, luckily some others there did and helped us out. Once it dried up it was no problem. (It had been over for over a week, so it was out of the norm) The exit to get out is a hill with gravel so again not having 4WD that was a little tricky, the visibility is also not great because of curves so you just have to hope people aren’t going too fast. The last thing is this place is also a canoe rental so there are vans/buses with canoes going back and forth all day so it can be noisy.
Traveler
My family stayed in the African Treehouse Lodge. It was a great weekend getaway. The kids loved that the upstairs was up a ladder and running across the swinging rope bridge. The playground has a zipline that all the kiddos had a blast using. We were able to "rent" for free a couple of movies from the office and the staff was really friendly and helpful. The trails made for a good afternoon family walk. Some trails were more cleared out than other but the variety is a plus in my book. They are not overly long trails but still very enjoyable. They have plenty of RV sites and some cabins and treehouses. Me and my wife will be coming back to one of the couples only treehouses for sure! There are not a lot of tent sites and they are all in one crowded area with little seclusion or cover but this place is clearly more geared to the RV's and Cabin getaways. Would be great for family reunions or family trips to the Branson area.
ScoutDon't go there on a Monday or Tuesday!!!! We camp here all the time and enjoy it. We went on Monday and it was the first time meeting the new part time camp host. We pulled up and there was a grumpy old man sitting on the bench would not wave or smile, the lady inside the both opened the window and just looked at us. We asked if there was any tent camping and she said in a short snippy voice for how many night. No welcome to Crabtree or great day! So the only site was 29 we pull in and look around put a few things on the table to hold that site and down comes grumpy ( Ray Millard) told us all the things we couldn't do. That he was the host and we were not following his rules . We drove on the road pass the cones to turn around and we would have to pay if we did any damage. We were on the road !!!! There was no water or damage to anything. He was just being a jerk! We left and will not go back until The regular camp host Terry is there. She really makes the place nice and relaxing to go to
Legend
When it comes to this location I liked the overall spacing of sites and the shaded tent area. This was so appealing when I pulled in. At first I had eyed just a site by the water but when I saw these they were a bit further away but seemed to be just what I was looking for in the midst of the heat.
Many people come to this area to put a kayak in the water and enjoy, and while I wanted to do that it seemed a bit crowded for my liking as a novice. You wouldn't expect that from the water but I get turned around easily and I didn't want to be out there in the way. Instead I enjoyed the other activities and just being at camp itself.
A bit more about the options for water recreation. They do have rentals and a shuttle service to accommodate you returning following a paddle, that seemed very reasonably priced.
Camp was very nice with lush green grass, access to fire rings and picnic tables. It wasn't to loud although you could hear the sounds of campers around you pretty easily.
They also had cabin options here, I didn't explore them this time around but they looked nice and the placement wasn't to close to one another. The RV area was well spaced and had great areas for leveling out with ease, shade coverings for the exposed sites and similar amenities to the tent camping.
LegendThis was a surprisingly nice campground for being situated right in Branson, MO and operated by Silver Dollar City, whose primary business is the theme park. The area is fairly wooded, providing more privacy between the sites. There are many amenities, including laundry, shower, wifi in the main building, a game room with television and comfy couches, pool, market, playground, and a shuttle to Silver Dollar City park. The campground organizes some special events in the main game room, such as the breakfast for Father's Day that we experienced. The staff is super friendly and very helpful. My daughter's roller coaster birthday plans were rained out, and the staff helped us find other indoor adventures. FYI: If looking for adventure in Branson, we really enjoyed Fritz's Adventure--check it out!
As part of a special weekend, we opted to stay in the Pioneer Cabin instead of our usual tent. This cabin was surprisingly isolated, while still be right next to the bathrooms. We enjoyed our little bit of the Ozark, and the kids got acquainted with the abundant fireflies. The other cabins were not quite so private--to be fair.
The RV sites were not as crammed as they are in many private campgrounds. I wouldn't call them spacious, or private either. The tent sites do not seem to offer much privacy, but can be a good place to hang one's for a night. After all, this is in Branson, and there is so much to do outside of a tent to worry much about the details.
LegendThis state park is one worth a stop when near Springfield. I drove north toward this park to enjoy something a bit different and found it to be very peaceful during a weekday.
I had traveled here following a busy time and expected to still have some of that lingering noise which hangs out after a big event. But by the time I reached the location it had dwindled out. Leaving behind in the peaceful outdoors were shaded sites that were well placed but slightly trashed. That isn’t the fault of the park but rather of the people who did not pick up after themselves.
After a little tidying of my site, I was home for the night in a nice tent site. I took a tour of the grounds and noticed that the showers were nice, the water was great in pressure and hot!! Restrooms were well maintained and even after the weekend they had already done their maintenance and had them looking very nice!!
Something else to note when traveling is cell service. With AT&T I had 3 bars of service, something which I was very uncertain of after driving to the location had been spotty in some areas.
The campground runs alongside a waterway and it was nice to enjoy around dusk the sounds of the water. I would have taken a dip in it had I not arrived so late in the evening, it looked so perfect for just dipping the toes in. Also I could see this being a great place to launch a small boat or kayak.
Nearby camp is one of the larger hatcheries in the state which you can visit during certain hours and see how they work to diligently populate the waterways and lakes in Missouri, pretty cool process and information. Definitely recommend!!
Tent camping near Strafford, Missouri offers a variety of scenic spots where nature enthusiasts can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from serene lakeside sites to more rustic settings, there's something for every camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Strafford, MO is Swan Creek with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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