Smaller campsite located in Mark Twain National Forest. RV hook ups and tent sites. Views in the bluff area or stay across from Huzzah Creek for easy access to swimming.
This summer we stayed at site 26 which is a double electric site. Lots of shade and several level spots for tents. It’s right next to the vault toilet, whose stench only wafted over to the campsite a few times, and right across from the spigot. There were maybe five other campsites booked while we were there (weekdays in mid-July). As ever the creek was beautiful. Parents take caution, the water can be very shallow in some spots and suddenly drop off to six or seven feet deep. It was teeming with tadpoles and crawdads and various fish this summer. The raccoons weren’t quite as aggressive this summer but we still had a couple fights wake us up. My sons like to stay up late and do battle with the raccoons. Also, not a single tick on any of us this year. This may have been one of our most enjoyable summers camping in my ancestral home.
We stayed at site 21. We were supposed to be at a different site but didn’t Iike it when we got there and the campground host let us choose another unreserved site. This site was completely shaded, primitive, a mix of rocky and grassy and mostly level. It rained on us all weekend and I tried not to freak out because this area is known for flash floods (that’s why it’s so rocky). The spigot was right next to our site so that was handy. There are two vault toilets, one in the center of the loop and the other down the path in the picture. Lots of ticks, LOTS of brazen raccoons, horseflies galore. No cell service. At all. You come here for the Huzzah Creek, which is a glorious place especially for kids.
This campground is in a small village that is my ancestral home. As a kid I spent my summers just up the road at my grandparents’ house. That being said, you don’t go to this campground to be comfortable. It’s fairly primitive. One loop is mostly rocks. It didn’t used to be that way but there was a devastating flood a few years back and now if you camp in that loop you’re likely going to be on rocks. Unfortunately the far end of the other loop is mostly rock now too. There are vault toilets, a grand total of three in the campground. They are usually kept clean. No showers. Water is at the spigot. The campground host doesn’t bother with quiet hours. The raccoon population is out of control. Basically if you’re camping here it’s just for the crystal clear waters of the Huzzah Creek. There are large boulders to jump from, some small fish to catch, tadpoles to observe, and lots of pretty shells to dig out of the rocky beach. The river will keep the kids busy all day. Most of the sites on the straights are grassy. The loops tend to be rocky. Ample shade at most sites as well as an abundance of ticks, chiggers, and horseflies.
The Red Bluffs are beautiful and the creek is named Huzzah Creek, can’t beat that. The sites are along the river amongst the trees and are only semi-private. The group sites are more private (we had 3 families there, it was so great). The swimming can be a little dangerous, I wouldn’t want kids swimming in most of the areas here. There is only a very short and easy trail (as of 2014), but good wildlife since it’s in such a large forest.
The campground hosts are always very nice and the restrooms are clean! Pit toilets only, but they really aren't bad. The sites are all separated enough from each other that you don't feel like you are camping with strangers. The sites are close to the Huzzah creek, some of them right on it. It's a beautiful and well maintained campground that our whole group loved, even if it did rain the entire weekend!