The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Eminence. Eminence is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Eminence. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
"Echo Bluff State Park in Ozark National Scenic Riverways near Eminence, MO is a brand new “old camp”.
Opened in 2016 the history is rather interesting."
"This is really the gem of Missouri state parks. Rv sites are all full 30/50 amp with water and sewer. All spots have plenty of room but are back in. The pads are perfectly level and are concrete."
"The campsites are a little close together but no one was at the one next to us so it did not feel so bad. Staff was very nice and friendly."
"People were wonderful and you are right next to the water. Pickup for float trips is nice too
If the facilities are great it would be five stars."
$10 - $45 / night
"We took a last-minute trip on a beautiful weekend in June 2020 to get outside (responsibly) during the pandemic. Two Rivers campground did not disappoint!"
"Be sure to visit the nearby springs and sites of the recreational area. The springs are so deep blue and dramatic against the rocky cliffs."
$10 / night
"If you want to see the wild horses of Shannon County, this is the place to stay. Right on the Jack's Fork, so beautiful. New bathrooms, but everything else is primitive. "
$11 - $32 / night
"Johnson Shut-Ins State Park is located on the Black River in Missouri, just south of St. Louis. This makes it a popular location on hot summer days, especially weekends."
"It is located on the Black River, and the water flowing through the shut-ins is crystal clear and cool."
"I love the shaded tent campsites and easy access to firewood, boat dock and open area perfect for large family gatherings"
"I hiked from McCormack Lake to here, which is only about 4 miles (unfortunately, though, some of the trail is quite overgrown.) However, most people just park at their campsite."
$56 - $65 / night
"Family operated and located in the Ozark Mountains with beautiful scenery nearby to explore."
"We enjoyed our 1.5 mile hike to get to the river access to float. We brought our own flotation devices and really enjoyed every aspect of the seclusion."
"There are 2 huge campgrounds (around 100 sites each!) and a nice paved bike path connecting them."
GuideWe enjoyed our 1.5 mile hike to get to the river access to float. We brought our own flotation devices and really enjoyed every aspect of the seclusion. They have equestrian trails as well and we got to see horses while floating too. The water was crystal clear and we even found quartz in some rocks in the water.
GuideIf you want to see the wild horses of Shannon County, this is the place to stay. Right on the Jack's Fork, so beautiful. New bathrooms, but everything else is primitive. Equestrian sites down the road in both directions. $10 a night!
LegendJohnson Shut-Ins State Park is located on the Black River in Missouri, just south of St. Louis. This makes it a popular location on hot summer days, especially weekends. If you plan to go, make a reservation by calling toll free 877-ICampMO (877-422-6766). This is a State Park with about 80 walk-in, basic, electric, sewer/electric/water and equestrian campsites. Some of the sites have wooden platforms. The park also has a small store located in the center of the campground. Swimming is popular at the park. The “shut-ins” are rock formations where the river is limited by hard rock that it is cutting through. In these shut-ins, the river cascades over and around smooth-worn rock, creating a natural water park. There is also hiking and rock climbing.
Guide$10 per night, firewood, ice, and more amenities on site. The owner is so nice. His dog Lil' Dan also slept with me. There is a horse next to the camp sites and it's just so beautiful. Float launches from the campground, so convenient. Close to Grand Gulf, Greer Spring, Mammoth Spring, and right on beautiful highway 19. I will be back soon!
RangerCampground Review
I was very excited to finally get to check out Sam A. Baker State Park as I had heard great things about beautiful land. The drive to the park was very pretty indeed, my husband and I enjoyed the view on the way in. My first impression upon entering the park was that this place is huge! There are 2 huge campgrounds (around 100 sites each!) and a nice paved bike path connecting them. There is also a visitor’s center were you pay for your campsite, a camp store that sells all kinds of things, a small restaurant, equestrian campsites, cabins, and an equestrian trail. We set up our tent in a basic site with no electricity, which was nice that it put us a little bit away from RVs and campers. The sites are very close together and even on one of the hottest weekends of the year the campgrounds were full! They do allow advanced reservations and I would definitely recommend them in the summer. The basic site cost $13/night and was close to a shower house with flushing toilets and a water spigot. Since it was such a hot weekend, Saturday morning we decided to the 4 mile float the campground offers. They depart at 10am or 11 am from the boat ramp at campground 1. They have a bus that picks you up at the end at either 2pm or 4pm. We paid $40 for our canoe for the afternoon. It was nice to float a different river, but the St. Francois (at least near Sam A. Baker) was pretty murky and you couldn’t see your feet in about knee-deep water. There were also tons of trees down in the water, making it a more technical trip at some points and even requiring us to get out and portage our canoe for about 25 yards. Although the price for the float was decent, the distance was very short (without stops, it would take about 1.5-2 hours). I think next time I would choose to just play and relax in the river near the campground rather than do that float again. The park also has some backcountry trails with backcountry campsites and is near the Ozark Trail. My husband and I really wanted to explore the trails and see if it connected to the Ozark Trail, but because of the heat the weekend we were there we didn’t get a chance to. Most of the trails are shared use, meaning foot and horse, which is never great for the hikers on foot. We wanted to be able to see the true condition for ourselves, but I guess that will have to wait until next time!
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Product Review: Snapbuds
As a Dyrt Ranger, I get the honor of reviewing products from time to time. This trip I got to highlight Snapbuds. They are a magnetic earbud cord organization system. If that sounds complicated, they are. They are a series of magnets that you clip around your earbud cords so that when you wrap up the cord it stays in place. This is to prevent the inexplicable phenomenon that is setting down your earbuds perfectly coiled, not touching them, then finding them in a yarn ball like knot the next day. They certainly do help with that problem. However, I have noticed since I am now coiling my earbuds the same way each time, they get twisted up after a few uses. The set up process is not entirely intuitive. You lay your earbuds on the provided guide and tape them down. Then you snap the buds in the locations of the wrap you want to achieve. Once the buds are placed, they are not supposed to be able to be moved, but you can pry them back open with a fingernail or slide them down with a bit of force. I found that the indicated placement to wrap around your hand or phone was not where they should line up for my hand or phone once I placed them. This required me to remove or slid each bud. Since they are magnets, if your cords are slightly twisted and the buds line up so the poles of the magnet don’t attract, you have to flip them and it doesn’t look as nice. Also, the magnet will be attracted to anything metal, so when using these at my desk, I have to be careful around my laptop. The buds do add a little weight to your earbuds, but it’s not bad. I did find that wearing the earbuds with snapbuds on them while running was a little annoying, since you have magnets hitting you in the chest with each stride. After each use you have to careful wrap the cord to match up. All in all, I don’t feel like this a worthwhile solution to the problem. At $10 per set, I feel like I would just rather continue to coil the cord at my leisure and keep them in place with an old hair clip.
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LegendEcho Bluff State Park in Ozark National Scenic Riverways near Eminence, MO is a brand new “old camp”.
Opened in 2016 the history is rather interesting. From 1929 until the 1980s, Camp Zoe was a children’s summer camp, founded by Russell S. and Margaret McMahan Louis County teachers. There is one of the structures still on site with plaques and information. More recently, it was home to music festivals — and an open-air drug market. I didn’t find any plaques in relation to that. However when the government gained control of the land in a court proceeding it was decided to bring more business into Shannon County by opening a very nice campground for people not wanting to rough it.
And “BAM” you have very pricey accommodations from lodge rooms, to cabins and two story condos. The campground is pretty nice too but lacking in shade and privacy. There are walk-in (uphill) sites and nice wagons provided to transport your gear. Not my favorite style of camping. Completely full and busy, which is why it got a 4 instead of 5 star. This may be your type of camping and you would say a 5 star. Reserve ahead, I mean way ahead.
There is a huge pavilion that can be reserved that overlooks the area. It has a large fire pit and mega size grill, one of the trails meanders below the pavilion. This would be a nice venue for an extended family get together.
This is a very nice, new, recreation creation. The playground was given two thumbs up by my granddaughter. Then the river, which you can see from the lodge and playground was given 12 paws and 2 thumbs by dogs and grandkids alike. Crystal clear ice cold water that you can walk across to the sheer wall of rock. Bring your water shoes, the rocks aren’t fun to walk on.
A very cool feature , if you are lucky , you will see the wild horses that roam the area. They are not for petting, so use caution.
Aside from the abundance of people we enjoyed Echo Bluff SP.
GuideJust spent the weekend with my family at Sam A Baker (SAB). We stayed at campground 2. Spot 145 and had plenty of shade and space. There are two traditional camps and one equestrian. The park is crowded but that’s because of how great it is. Lots of paved walk/bike trails around the park. If you forget your bike no problem you can rent one for $5 a day! The visitors center was neat. The general store has everything you need and a restaurant attached where you can get breakfast, lunch and dinner. We spent some time on the gravel bar which was a short walk from our campsite. The water on Big Creek was clear, shallow, and not too cold. I would recommend this state park to any family looking to camp.
TravelerThis is really the gem of Missouri state parks. Rv sites are all full 30/50 amp with water and sewer. All spots have plenty of room but are back in. The pads are perfectly level and are concrete. Camp hosts are helpful and kind. The lodge is in walking distance and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food is pretty good also! They offer inside dining but the best place to eat and enjoy the outdoors is on their huge deck. Wonderful place all around and Missouri really has done this one the right way!
GuideWent here hoping to see the wild horses. We didn't see any but still loved this park. Nice hiking trails and clean cool creek to splash in. Will go back again and maybe see the wild horses next time.
Horse camping in Missouri offers a unique blend of scenic trails and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it a perfect getaway for horse enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Eminence, MO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Eminence, MO is Timbuktu Campground — Echo Bluff State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 37 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Eminence, MO?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 equestrian camping locations near Eminence, MO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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