Forested landscapes surround University City, Missouri, offering yurt camping experiences with varying degrees of privacy and amenities. The area sits at approximately 535 feet above sea level, with warm summers and mild winters making camping comfortable most of the year. Wooded campsites provide natural shade during summer months when temperatures typically reach the high 80s to low 90s.
What to do
Trail exploration: Hike through diverse terrain at Cuivre River State Park Campground, where visitors find "plenty of well groomed trails and facilities spread out nicely. You could camp here for a weekend and stay busy." The park features a lake trail system particularly worth exploring, as one camper notes, "make sure to check out the trail around the lake."
Water recreation: Rent kayaks on Lincoln Lake at Cuivre River State Park during summer months. The campground is "close to Lincoln Lake for kayaking," making it easy to spend a day on the water. Another visitor points out the "gorgeous campsites and a lake to swim and kayak!"
Archery practice: Visit designated archery ranges at St. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park where one visitor noted "They have an archery range" among other activities. The park also offers water activities, with one camper mentioning "a nice park to kayak and camp if you don't want to drive that fare and live in the city."
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate Horseshoe Lake State Park Campground for its "private and clean" sites. A visitor highlights that "the campground is relatively small but has great sites to camp. Very private and clean."
Wildlife sightings: Frequent animal encounters happen at Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park Campground, where yurt accommodations blend with natural settings. One visitor observed that "you wouldn't know you were that close to a big city. It is clean and feels extremely safe." Another camper notes the "lush, green trails" surrounding the campgrounds.
Rental options: Try different transportation modes at St. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park, where "They rent out peddle boats, bikes and peddle cars/buggies as well." One family tried the peddle buggies and reported, "Those are a lot harder to get moving then they look. Awesome workout for the whole family!"
What you should know
Train noise affects some sites: Campers at St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA mention nearby train tracks. One visitor noted, "It will be even better when they invent silent trains," while others found "Close to train tracks and highway, but didn't notice with AC on in the camper."
Seasonal flooding concerns: St. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park experiences periodic closures due to high water. According to one reviewer, "One of the downsides to this location is that it is prone to flooding. It was out of commission for most of the summer of 2019 as the entire area was flooded."
Site privacy varies significantly: At Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park Campground, "Sites 52-75 are much more treed and have a private feel to them. It seems this is where most of the tent campers like to be." Compare this with other sections where "sites 13-33 are popular open and sunny campsites with nice grassy areas between them."
Reservation requirements: Many yurt accommodations near University City require advance booking. At Babler State Park, "Not all sites are long enough for large RVs and the roads in some loops prevent you from turning around. The camp hosts we encountered are very helpful and have a list of site lengths."
Tips for camping with families
Activity planning: Multiple entertainment options at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Resort At Six Flags include "swimming, putt putt golf, volleyball, and more. They also host daily kids activities and crafts." One family mentioned, "Kids had a blast riding bikes. Even finding a few little frogs jumping around and fireflies at night."
Swimming access: Public pools provide summer relief at several campgrounds. At St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA, visitors found "a nice and clean pool" among the amenities. Another camper called it "a nice campground with tree cover over most of it" providing needed shade for children.
Playground facilities: Dedicated play areas at St. Louis NE-Granite City KOA offer entertainment for young campers. One visitor reported "Minimal playground but they still enjoyed it," while another mentioned "My kids loved the jumping pillow at the park."
Wildlife education: Introduce children to nature at Cuivre River State Park Campground. "Campground is beautiful and very woodsy. We saw bunnies hopping around and when we first arrived to our site a deer was grazing nearby, such a bonus!"
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: When yurt camping in University City isn't an option, RV sites at Greensfelder County Park offer partial hookups. "Only sites 20-29 have electric and 28 can't be reserved," with "2-20 amp plugs and 1-30amp plug" at most sites. Be aware that "site 29 only have 2-20 amp plugs no 30."
Site selection for size limitations: At Greensfelder County Park, "Most sites are great for trailers 26' or less and 1 slide (sites 24-26 can fit a fifth wheel probably no bigger than 38 ft)." One RVer noted that "site 29 where we stayed can fit a 40' fifth wheel" with "a lot of room to back in."
Leveling considerations: Many campsites require some work to level. At Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, one RVer found "The site was ok, tricky to level. There was a steep drop just past our steps, and not a lot of room to set up chairs, etc."
