Campgrounds near Wildwood, Missouri range from basic tent areas to developed facilities with modern amenities. Located in the eastern Ozark foothills with elevations between 500-900 feet, the region features hardwood forests interspersed with limestone outcroppings. Winter camping temperatures typically drop to 20-35°F while summer evenings remain in the 65-75°F range with moderate humidity.
What to do
Bike the Katy Trail: Access this historic rail-trail directly from Klondike Park in Augusta. "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."
Visit local wineries: Set up base camp at Beyond the Trail RV Park in Defiance for easy access to wine country. "This is just a great park. It is located in a sleepy little winery town. It is just a few minutes from the main part of town with multiple beautiful wineries within a few miles."
Fish in on-site ponds: Several campgrounds offer fishing opportunities without leaving the property. At Pin Oak RV Park, "A nice private catch and release pond, an old little mini golf setup, a small (but adequate) swimming pool kept the kids busy. About 45-50 minutes West of downtown STL."
Explore hiking trails: The region offers varied terrain for hikers of all levels. As one camper at Greensfelder County Park noted, "Pretty nice wooded campground close to St. Louis! Each site has a picnic bench, a fire pit and grill. It was very quiet when we stayed there on a Friday night."
What campers like
Secluded atmosphere despite urban proximity: Many sites offer surprising isolation despite being near St. Louis. At Robertsville State Park Campground, "We stayed 3 nights at the Robertsville State Park in June of 2016 and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Our campsite sat on a flat platform shadowed by trees and overlooking the forest."
Clean facilities: Most campgrounds maintain well-kept shower houses. At St. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park, "because it's new the restrooms/showers were very clean and modern. The site I was in had full hook ups. The water pressure was so strong that I could barely open the water pump!"
Family activities: Campgrounds frequently offer recreational options. At Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Resort, "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."
Access to cultural attractions: Proximity to St. Louis means easy city access. "Not to bad. The bathroom down the hill was in dire need of a remodel when we stayed here in 2019 and be prepared for a lot of noise from the busy main road and passing trains in the near distance."
What you should know
Flood potential: Some areas experience seasonal flooding. At Beyond the Trail RV Park, a camper noted: "Warning, this place will likely flood if it rains heavy. Which means the mosquitos might be plenty if they don't spray for them."
Highway noise: Several campgrounds experience traffic sounds. "The site we had was very small and there are train tracks that run near by the campground so it can be quite noisy."
Wildlife encounters: Be prepared for local fauna. At Greensfelder County Park, "Keep in mind that I was here alone and during the middle of the week so, chances are, during the weekend you might not have the same experience."
Limited water recreation: While some parks have small fishing ponds, larger water bodies for swimming are limited. "There is no bodies of water within the park for fishing, but there are tons near by."
Tips for camping with families
Choose campgrounds with dedicated activities: Some parks offer structured entertainment. "This is a nice little hidden gem outside St Louis in a great county park. If you are a Six Flags kinda person, the amusement park sits at the southern entrance to Greensfelder."
Consider newer facilities: Recently developed parks often have better amenities. "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."
Look for security: Some parks offer added safety measures. At St. Charles County Klondike Park, "Make sure to store your food securely overnight - the racoons are pretty thick and hungry at night."
Check site terrain: Not all sites are level or spacious. "This is a nice quiet campground but the lots are pretty uneven so make sure you bring plenty of cribbing."
Tips from RVers
Electrical capacity considerations: Check power availability before booking. "Sites 20-29 have electric and 28 can't be reserved...2-20 amp plugs and 1-30amp plug...site 29 only have 2-20 amp plugs no 30 didn't realized till we parked."
Winter services: Seasonal changes affect available amenities. "During the winter the only water spigot is available located near the camp hosts at site #36."
Site selection strategy: Some parks have better areas for larger vehicles. "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)."
Hookup placement: Utility locations vary by park. "The site services, electric, water and sewer, are located to the front of the site and extensions were needed for both the electric and sewer."
