Best Campgrounds near West Plains, MO

We spent 3 week days camping here in our camper van. We snagged a spot with a river view. Campground was maintained by NPS, very clean. Nice restrooms with showers as well, potable water spigots. There is a herd of wild horses that frequents the area (as evidenced by mounds of horse poop in an adjacent field!) and you can easily walk over to the beautiful round spring. There is an on/off-loading area for canoes and kayaks. The RV and tent spots all looked mostly level. We saw a bald eagle and a very curious little otter down by the river. Close proximity to the ozark trail. We walked through the campground past the spring and caught a little trail that hooked up with the ozark trail and had a lovely day hike around a loop. It was perfect.

When we were there in April there were only a handful of other campers there and we tons of quiet and privacy, however, I imagine during the summer it fills up.

Chose this location to be our hub while completing a Missouri springs tour. Visited 8 springs in total. Checked out the camping facilities at every spring that offered camping. All locations looked similar. The grounds were well kept and all the folks working their we’re courteous, knowledgeable, and helpful. Very short drive to get to the spring & mill. Wouldn’t call it a “hike” but a very nice path to take a stroll on a loop at the mill. Highly recommend.

I'd seen a lot of great reviews for this campground, so I had high expectations when we arrived for a night in early November. We reserved a spot in the 900 loop, just to be safe - a few of the camping loops allow reservations, and the rest are walk in. The loop was very open, spaces all fully visible to each other. The bathrooms were locked for the season after 10/15. 

Since things were pretty empty, we moved to the 500 loop, which was more tree covered, near the river, and next to the shower house, which was the one park bath open for the winter. Bathrooms and showers were clean, though no camp host was present the night we stayed. 

We were the only people on the 500 loop, so it was fine, but again - sites VERY close together. Some picnic tables were less than 20 feet apart. The 600 loop was the only heavily occupied loop when were there, filled with campers, presumably because of the electric access. 

This is a NPS campground, so its amenities tend to be fewer than many MO state parks. I have other parks in this area that have more scenic and private tent camping. Just on the other side of the river is the Alley spring and mill, which are lovely - and ironically, some of the picnic sites are more spacious than these tent sites. I wish we could camp on that side!

We loved our stay at Blue Heron. We had a riverfront spot and really just came to chill not fish but it’s a fishing location. White river is trout paradise so if you’re an angler this is where it’s at. Campground was SUPER clean. Best level pads and hookups we’ve ever seen. Firewood and ice for sale. Everything was absolutely perfect except the road noise….which in all fairness we knew about. LOTS of noise. It died down after 8pm and before 8am and we couldn’t hear it in our camper so it’s was ok.

Round Springs is a National Park campground. It’s about 12 miles north if Eminence MO on the Current River. There are only 50 sites, some have electricity. Most of the campsites are scattered along the road with lots of trees and privacy. The electric sites are in the center of the campground on the road with no shade. There are few walk in sites near the river. There is a shower and dump station.

Alley Springs is a Natural Park campground. It’s located right on the Jacks Fork River just a few miles west of Eminence MO. The highway to get here is narrow, winding, and hilly! But it’s worth the trip.

There are 260 campsites some have electricity. Also a dump station. Sites are level, with shade. The campground is located on the flood plane, heavy rain may cause flooding and evacuation!

I’ve been coming to the Current River area for over 60 years, before the National Scenic Riverways, when Round Springs, Alley Springs, Big Springs, and Montauk were all state parks. They were great places for camping, swimming in the Current River, and canoeing. This new State Park at Echo Bluff is everything I would eliminate from a campground. Sites are packed close together, everything is concrete. No privacy, no shade , no natural beauty. A big modern lodge, cabins and townhouses. I made reservations for two weeks expecting a state park experience. Sorely disappointed! We left early. The staff mostly didn’t bother us. But we watched the cop that sat along the road partway down a steep hill almost every day and gave out tickets for exceeding the 20 mph limit. Showers/bathrooms were new, but not centrally located. Probably would not go back.

Log yard is a Backwoods camping area on the current river. 4 wheel drive is recommended. You have to cross a creek to get to this location. If the weather moves in. It would be wise to pack up and move out while you can. If the creek comes up, you may not be able to cross it again. There is one good established campsite at this location and 2 not so good ones. The area changes after a flood, and the campsites have to be reestablished. There is a boat ramp at this location that is a favorite hang out of the locals. They will drink, play loud music, and leave trash lay around. This stretch of the current is 25-hp boat territory. There will be boat traffic on the river on the weekends. Log yard is part of the Ozark scenic river ways, which is FEDERAL LAND. You may have an encounter with a forest ranger at this campsite. If you do, they will ask for your info and have you establish a Backwoods campsite. Be respectful and don't upset the Rangers. They don't play in the Ozark scenic river ways. This camp is beautiful and wild. NO CELL SERVICE. If you're lucky, you may see the local elk herd. They reintroduced elk in this area a few years ago. Get out and enjoy what Missouri has to offer

Most peaceful place to stay. You are surrounded by mountains, wildlife, birds, eagles, deer, geese and the confluence of the White & Norfork River is at the end of driveway. Norfork Lake is just a few miles away. Love the Pavilion, fire pit and corn hole!

The scenery of this dispersed camping area is definitely a five star for the area. Nice view and access to the Current River. Plenty of stars out at night. There is an area of more traditional campground spaces you come across first but the dispersed style spots are further down the road. There’s still a $10/night fee. Even though there are fire rings all along the rocky beach, locals use this area as a boat launch and park their trucks and trailers in the camping areas. The campers who came in late on our last night destroyed the peaceful ambiance; loud kids running all over and pulling branches down from living trees, loud music past quiet hours and most running generators. That downgraded my rating from five stars overall. This would be a great place midweek or off season but definitely not going back during peak times due to the discourteous people.

Even though their website says they have tent camping they DO NOT

Pretty campground with river access and accessible restrooms. Showers were a little far from our loop. I wish the sites had tent pads as it was hard to find a flat spot to place the tent and several holes in the terrain. There is NO cell signal, so I highly recommend you take a weather radio. I wish we had.