Camping options near Manchester, Missouri provide access to 868-acre forested parks, over 43 miles of regional hiking trails, and seasonal creeks within a 30-minute drive of downtown St. Louis. The region sits at approximately 600-800 feet elevation with humid continental climate patterns producing distinct seasons. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-95°F with occasional thunderstorms and high humidity levels.
What to do
Kayaking and biking: 370 Lakeside Park offers rentals for water activities on their small lake, with multiple options for paddling. "We love going here and watching the sunsets. This is a great place to kayak and camp if you don't want to drive that fare and live in the city," notes Lindsey C. The park also rents various bikes for exploring the paved 3-mile trail around the lake.
Trail exploration: Greensfelder County Park maintains technical mountain biking sections alongside hiking paths of varying difficulty. Lucas M. explains, "The park is known for its well-groomed trails, which are used by hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians alike. Plenty of stables surround the area, where you may rent a horse and go for a stroll through the woods."
Historic towns: Klondike Park provides access to the Katy Trail and nearby Augusta wineries. "Klondike park is a gorgeous park along the Katy Trail in Augusta, MO. The campsites are very quiet, very family friendly park. On site restrooms, hiking trails, and a small lake with overlooking bluffs," mentions Lindsey R. The sandy beach area around the pond offers fishing opportunities.
What campers like
Natural settings: Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park provides wooded camping areas with multiple trails. Lahree C. shares, "This is truly a hidden gem. Tucked away, not far from St. Louis, you wouldn't know you were that close to a big city. It is clean and feels extremely safe. There aren't many sites, but the ones they have are quiet and spacious."
Family activities: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park offers numerous recreation options beyond camping. Lindsey R. notes, "We stayed here last minute for Labor Day Weekend and the staff were great with finding us a good tent site available. This is not a rugged style campground as there are many amenities such as a pool, putt putt golf, volleyball, and more. They also host daily kids activities and crafts."
Urban convenience: Sundermeier RV Park connects directly to biking infrastructure and historic areas. "You can literally be parked right at the Katy Trail. Through the gate at the rear of the campground, and you can bike for miles. Easy ride in to St. Charles a wonderful historic river town on the Missouri River. Great shops, great restaurants," explains Cheryl K.
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: Heavy spring rains can affect camping conditions, with some sites becoming muddy or even flooded. At Covered Bridge RV Park, one camper experienced significant weather issues: "While we were there they had a record rainfall amount and the park apparently already has flooding issues so it was flooding pretty bad but also our RV was right next to a creek that had risen really high."
Wildlife awareness: Multiple campgrounds report active wildlife, particularly raccoons and deer. At Babler State Park, April D. warns, "The only issue is the raccoons. They dont give a darn who you are. They will walk right up to, smile, and take your chips. Scandalous!"
Noise factors: Casino Queen RV Park and other locations near major roads experience periodic noise disturbances. "There is train noise but we couldn't hear it with the air conditioners running," notes Richard H. Several campgrounds near Manchester sit adjacent to highways, railroads, or flight paths.
Tips for camping with families
Water activities: Look for campgrounds with swimming pools or water features for hot summer days. At 370 Lakeside Park, Joseph F. mentions, "They have paddle boats and bikes and group bikes for rental. Located right next to a lake with a lot of RV and tent camping spots. Kids had a blast riding bikes. Even finding a few little frogs jumping around and fireflies at night."
Entertainment options: Some campgrounds offer programmed activities specifically for children. At Jellystone Park, GW C. explains, "I gave this campground a 4 star instead of 3 because I feel like if you're camping here you should know not to expect 'isolated camping' with sounds of running rivers and wildlife. This campground is geared for kids and family activities and accomplished same."
Shade considerations: Many newer campgrounds lack mature trees. One visitor to 370 Lakeside Park observed, "The grounds are clean and pleasant, if a bit sparse with little shade. This will change over the subsequent years, however, as there are many relatively newly planted trees."
Tips from RVers
Hookup locations: Pay attention to utility placement at each site when setting up. At Casino Queen RV Park, Josh F. notes, "Utilities are set up weird on all sites - Water and electric are at the very rear of the site by the sewer, so you will need a decent sized hose to reach if your water intake is in the front of your camper."
Site dimensions: Many campgrounds near Manchester Missouri list specific site sizes. At Greensfelder County Park, Matthew H. reports, "Most sites are great for trailers 26' or less and 1 slide (sites 24-26 can fit a fifth wheel probably no bigger than 36-38 ft)... site 29 where we stayed can fit a 40' fifth wheel."
Winter considerations: Services often reduce during colder months. Nancy W. explains at Babler State Park, "The campground is open year-round but the bathhouse with flush toilets closes November 1 and doesn't open until the spring. During the winter the only water spigot is available located near the camp hosts at site #36."
