Public Campgrounds
(listed from in general geographic order from north to south) |
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Battle of Athens
State Historic Site
Route CC
Revere, MO
660-877-3871 |
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This historic site administers the remaining buildings of the
now defunct town of Athens that was the site of a Civil War battle
in 1861. Exhibits and tours interpret the battle and the history of
the town. The site also offers hiking trails, a lake for fishing,
picnic sites, and more than a mile of frontage on the Des Moines
River. The campground is open and available for first-come,
first-served use March through November.
Water is available in the campground during the on-season
(April through October).
Camping
types available:
Electric and Basic |
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Nauvoo State Park
50
N. Wells Street
Nauvoo, IL
217-453-6252 |
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The
148-acre park includes the 13-acre Lake Horton with a mile-long
shoreline. In addition to fishing, boating, camping and hiking,
people return to these serene surroundings for the park's
recreational features, its annual grape festival, and to soak up
the area's history. The park has a museum in a restored 1840s
home staffed by the Nauvoo Historical Society from May 1 through
October 15. There are 150 camping spaces and several hiking
trails, one that is wheelchair accessible.
Camping
types available:
Electric and Basic |
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Siloam Springs
State Park
RR1
Clayton, IL
217-894-6205 |
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One
of the largest parks in Illinois, Siloam Springs Park has 3,323
acres of beautifully wooden terrain, a sparkling lake, and
carefully maintained facilities. Hiking trails, fishing or
canoeing make this a perfect place to spend a
summer day or weekend. There are 98 Class A camp sites featuring
rest rooms, showers and electricity and 84 Class B camp
sites featuring showers and rest rooms. There is a centrally
located shower facility available to all campers. There also is a separate
camping area for riders and their mounts, with water and limited
electricity. Horse rentals are not available.
Camping
types available:
Electric and Basic |
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Wakonda State Park
32836 State Park Road
La
Grange, MO
573-655-2280 |
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Wakonda State Park is composed of land that once was mined of
gravel used to surface Missouri's secondary highways. The land
has been transformed into a recreation area featuring six lakes,
hiking and bicycling trails, and a rare sand prairie. Wakonda
State Park offers basic and electric campsites and is open
year-round. On-season (April 15 - October 31) services
include modern restrooms, a dump station, showers, water and
laundry.
During the on-season, fees of first-come, first-served
campers are to be paid at the park office.
Camping
types available:
Electric and Basic |
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Mark
Twain Lake
Ralls & Monroe
Counties, MO
1-877-444-6777 |
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Created by the Clarence Cannon Dam, Mark Twain
Lake is a 54,000-acre land and water project that spans the Salt
River Valley. The area offers a wide variety of activities
including boating, swimming, camping, hiking, and horseback
riding. The U.S. Corps of Engineers 3 campgrounds in the
vicinity and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources operates
Mark Twain State Park.
Camping
types available:
Electric, Basic, and Primitive |
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Lake
Pittsfield
Pittsfield, IL |
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Lake Pittsfield is a 200-acre lake surrounded by a 480-acre
park located three miles northeast of Pittsfield and five
miles south of Griggsville. The park offers a variety of
activities including boating, fishing, picnicking, and has
hiking and biking trails. The camping area is equipped with
treated drinking water, electrical hookups, public
telephone, lighted areas, and a trailer dumping station.
Camping
types available:
Electric and Basic |
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Ted
Shanks
Conservation Area
3643 Pike 145
Ashburn, MO
573-248-2530 |
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Located
on Highway TT off US 79 between Hannibal and Louisiana, this 6,705
acre area wetlands is teeming with waterfowl, songbirds, mammals and
wildflowers. This site features boat ramps and
a staffed office with exhibits.
Camping
types available: Primitive |
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Cuivre River
State Park
678 State Route 147
Troy, MO
636-528-7247 |
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Cuivre River State Park is one of the state’s
largest and most rugged parks. Located at the southern end of the Lincoln
Hills region,
its Ozark-like terrain is a contrast to the rolling plains of
northern Missouri. Features include swimming, boating, fishing,
equestrian trails, and interpretive programs. The park’s wild
areas provide hiking, backpacking, photography and wildlife
observation activities. Both primitive and modern campsites are
available.
Camping
types available:
Electric and Basic |
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Pere Marquette
State Park
Route 100
Grafton, IL
618-786-2331
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Pere Marquette is Illinois' largest state park
and is famous for the beauty of its fall colors and as a home for
bald eagles in the winter. The park offers its visitors diverse
recreational and educational opportunities that encompass the past,
present and future. The new Visitors Center provides displays that
cover the region’s history and the types of environments the
visitor can encounter as well as housing informative interpretative
programs. The park has 10 hiking trails that traverse a variety of
terrains and horseback riding is offered during the warmer months.
The Lodge consists of both new facilities as well as those
constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. All this and more
makes Pere Marquette State Park a great place to explore!
Camping types available:
Electric and Basic |
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Horseshoe
Lake
State Park
3321 Highway
111
Granite City, IL
618-931-0270 |
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This 2,960 acre park
is centered around an oxbow lake with bird watching, nature trails, fishing, hunting and other recreational activities.
Camping
types available: Basic |
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Dr. Edmund A. Babler
Memorial State Park
800 Guy Park Drive
Wildwood, MO
636-458-3813 |
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The Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park was
created in 1934 and is an on-going commemoration of a well-known St.
Louis family. The Civilian Conservation Corps worked to develop the
park by cutting roads through the hilly countryside and building
scenic viewpoints, trails and covered shelters. Twenty-two CCC
structures at Babler State Park are now included in the National
Register of Historic Places. This 2,500-acre state park green-space
oasis that provides wildlife viewing, more than 13 miles of hiking
and equestrian trails, outdoor recreation, and the River Hills
Visitor Center.
Camping types available:
Electric and Basic |
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Morse Mill Park
County Road C
Jefferson County, MO
636-797-5334 |
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Located near House Springs on the Big River,
Morse Mill Park features and old mill and dam overlooking fast
flowing water dropping over rocks. Swimmers use the beach and the
park is used as a location to launch canoes and inner tubes for a
11-mile float trip to Cedar Hill Park. Anglers will find good
fishing for small mouth bass, crappie, catfish, and other game fish.
Camping
types available: Primitive
For
more information visit
www.jeffcomo.org/parks |
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Washington
State Park
Highway 21
DeSoto, MO
636-586-0322 |
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This 1,875-acre park features prehistoric petroglyphs, rock carvings, from the Mississippian Native American
culture that inhabited the area around 1,000 years ago. The park
is noted for many stone structures that were built by the CCC
during the depression and for the natural beauty of the eastern
Ozarks. The park features swimming, fishing, canoeing, interpretive programs, and hiking trails.
Camping
types available: Electric, Basic, and furnished cabins. |
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Baldwin Lake
State
Fish & Wildlife Area
10981 Conservation Road
Baldwin, IL
618-785-2555 |
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Fishing, waterfowl viewing,
and picnicking are activities available at this
2,018-acre lake owned by the Illinois Power Company and leased to
the Illinois Department of Conservation for public recreational use.
Camping
types available: Primitive |
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Fort
Kaskaskia
State Historic Site
4272 Park Road
Ellis Grove, IL
618-859-3741 |
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Situated
on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, this site preserves
the remnants of the fort that protected the city that was once the
administrative center for the French in the Mississippi Valley.
Garrison Hill cemetery is located on the grounds.
Camping
types available: Electric and Basic |
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Randolph
County
Conservation Area
4301 S. Lake Drive
Chester, IL
618-826-2706 |
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Located 5 miles
northeast of Chester in the rolling hill country of southern
Illinois this 1,101-acre area has a 65-acre lake and offers fishing
and hunting opportunities, picnicking, and hiking trails through
scenic forest stands.
Camping
types available: Electric and Basic |
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Magnolia
Hollow
Conservation Area
White Sand Road
off Route V
Ste. Genevieve County, MO
573-290-5730 |
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Located 10 miles north of Ste. Genevieve, this
1,740-acre area features steep bluffs and scenic river views.
Magnolia Hollow C.A. provides good woodland game hunting, fishing,
a clay pigeon target range, and 2 hiking trails.
Camping
types available: Primitive |
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Hawn
State Park
12096 Park Drive
Ste. Genevieve County, MO
573-883-3603 |
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With
pine and oak forests, sandstone bluffs and canyons, and clear
sand-bottom streams, this nearly 5,000 acre park is considered on of the
most scenic in Missouri. The park has many nature trails and picnic
areas for those who wish to get out and enjoy
nature.
Camping
types available: Electric, Basic, and Primitive |
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Johnson Creek
Recreation Area
Johnson Creek Road
Ava,
IL
618-253-7114 |
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Johnson Creek Recreation Area is one of three recreational
areas on beautiful Kinkaid Lake. Located on a northwest
finger of the lake, Johnson Creek Recreation Area offers a
variety of outdoor activities including from picnicking,
camping, fishing, and swimming to hiking along the lake,
biking the scenic roads, and horseback riding. Camping is
allowed at a 20 unit campsite at Johnson Creek Recreation
Area.
Camping
types available: Electric and Basic |
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Lake Murphysboro State Park
52
Cinder Hill Drive
Murphysboro, IL
618-684-2867 |
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Beautiful rolling hills and woods surround star-shaped Lake Murphysboro
and provide a wonderful backdrop for boating, fishing, picnicking,
camping and hiking. Fishing is one of the primary attractions at this
1,022-acre state park. Anglers can fish from the bank, on the water, or
a handicapped accessible fishing pier. Boaters can bring their own boat
or rent one near the boat launch. A three-mile designated trail offers
hikers the opportunity to enjoy the plant, animal and bird life of the
park up close. There are 54 trailer sites that are equipped with
electricity and 20 Class B tent sites. There are three Class A
handicapped sites and one Class B/S handicapped site available.
Camping
types available: Electric and Basic |
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Cedar Lake
Cedar Creek Road
Carbondale, IL
618-549-8441 |
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Cedar Lake was constructed for the purpose of supplying tap
water to the residents of Carbondale but is known for its
fishing. The city of Carbondale operates a parking lot,
swimming beach, and boat dock at the lake. There is also an
extensive trail system running around the lake that is able
to be hiked year-round that features spectacular scenic
overlooks, views of the lake, rock shelters and rock walls.
Although there are no developed campsites near the lake,
primitive camping is allowed at least 150 ft. from the
shoreline on the southern end of the lake.
Camping
types available: Primitive |
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Devil's Backbone Park Campground
Park
Road
Grand Tower, IL
618-684-6192 |
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Devil's Backbone is an unusual limestone ridge that runs for about
one-half mile along the eastern shore of the Mississippi River at Grand
Tower. Devil's Backbone Park is located at the northern edge of the
community of Grand Tower. It offers RV camping, playgrounds, picnic
facilities, and a shower house. The Park offers an excellent view of
Tower Rock. a landmark geological formation in the Mississippi River.
Camping
types available: Electric and Basic |
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Giant City State Park
235 Giant City Road
Makanda, IL
618-457-4836 |
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Giant City State Park get its name from unique Makanda sandstone
features that have been cut by water for centuries to create narrow
“streets” between stone “buildings” giving rise to the sense that the
area is a city populated by giants. Other features at the park include
hiking, picnicking, hunting and fishing, rock climbing and rappelling,
horseback riding, camping, and lodging and dining. Giant City has 85
campsites in its Class A Campground which provides water, electricity,
showers and sanitary facilities for tent and trailer camping. A Class C
camping area with 14 walk-in sites at the south end of the family
campground is available for those who prefer a more primitive setting.
Camping
types available: Electric and Basic |
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LaRue-Pine Hills
LaRue Road
Wolf
Lake, IL
618-253-7114 |
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LaRue-Pine Hills is one of the most unique areas in the
world. Nature has worn away the limestone bedrock rock
creating ridges and gullies, carving out the beautiful rock
formations of LaRue-Pine Hills and the 350-foot limestone
bluffs that now rise out of the Mississippi floodplain.
There are two hiking trails at LaRue-Pine Hills. Primitive
camping is allowed at a 13 campsite campground on the
property.
Camping
types available: Primitive |
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Trail of Tears State Forest
3240 State Forest Road
Jonesboro, IL
618-833-4910 |
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Trail of Tears State Forest is one of five Illinois' state
forests. The Forest consists of just over 5,000 acres and lies within
the southern section of the Illinois’ Ozark Hills region, one of the
most rugged landscapes in Illinois. The name is a memorial to the winter
of 1838-39 forced migration of the Cherokee, Creek, and Chickasaw
nations through the area. During the 1930s a Civilian Conservation Corps
camp operated in the Forest constructing many of the stonework
stabilization walls and log stone shelters within the picnic area and
along the Forest roads. The park offers both Class C (tent camping with
vehicle access) and Class D (backpack) camping sites.
Camping
types available: Basic and Primitive |
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Trail of Tears State Park
429 Moccasin Springs
Jackson, MO
573-290-5268 |
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Trail of Tears State Park is a memorial to the members of the
Cherokee tribe that lost their lives during their forced relocation in
the winter of 1838-39. The peaceful, serene setting and the abundance of
recreational opportunities of the 3,415-acre park are in sharp contrast
to the tragic history that gives the park its name. The park preserves
the native woodlands much as they appeared to the Cherokee. The park
offers fishing, swimming, hiking, backpacking, and equestrian pursuits.
Campsites with electrical hookups and electricity and sewer hookups are
located in a campground near the river. The park’s numerous trails offer
opportunities for primitive camping.
Camping
types available: Electric, Basic, and Primitive |
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Horseshoe Lake State
Fish & Wildlife Area
Illinois Route 3
Miller City, IL
618-776-5689 |
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Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area is a 10,200 acre area that
includes a 2,400 acre shallow oxbow lake located seven miles north of
Cairo. Visitors may be reminded of the Deep South with the abundance of
bald cypress, tupelo gum, swamp cottonwood trees, and wild lotus. The
site offers fishing, wildlife viewing, and hunting opportunities. There
are 38 Class A camping sites with electricity and showers, 40 Class B/E
camping sites with electricity only, and 10 Class C sites.
Camping
types available: Electric and Basic |
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General Watkins
Conservation Area
US-61/MO-77
Benton, MO
573-290-5730 |
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The General Watkins Conservation Area contains a forest type
more closely resembling Appalachian than Missouri forests.
Natural erosion has worn steep-sided canyons up to 50 feet
deep through the area's loess soils. The area offers fishing
opportunities on 9 lakes, one with a boat ramp. Hunting
opportunities include deer, quail, and turkey and there are
two hiking trails The area has five defined primitive
campsites and two picnic facilities.
Camping
types available: Primitive |
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Columbus-Belmont State Park
350 Park Road
Columbus, KY
270-677-2327 |
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Columbus-Belmont State Park sits on bluffs overlooking the
Mississippi River. The park is the site of a Confederate fortification
built during the Civil War to prevent Union forces from using the river.
Some of the artillery and the six-ton anchor that held the great chain
stretching across the river are on display in the park. In 1934 the
Civilian Conservation Corps built a stone monument to hold the chain.
The park hosts an annual Civil War Days reenactment that includes battle
re-enactments, living history exhibits and military encampments in
October. There is a 2.5-mile self-guided hiking trail in the Park. The
park features seasonal facilities that included a Civil War Museum, a
snack bar, gift shop, and miniature golf course. A river cliff
campground is open year round utility hookups and grills.
Camping
types available: Electric and Basic |
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Privately
Operated Campgrounds
(listed from in general geographic order from north to south) |
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Lake Wilderness Camping
West Point, IA |
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2499 121st Street
319-837-6288 |
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Hickory Haven Campground
Keokuk, IA |
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2413 353rd Street
319-524-8459 |
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Circle G Campground
Carthage, IL |
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556 N Highway 94
217-743-9933 |
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Hickory Hollow RV Park
Kahoka, MO |
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3 Olive Street
660-727-3726 |
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Whispering Oaks Campgrounds
Mendon, IL |
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2124 E. 1300th Place
217-936-2500 |
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Cedar Lakes
Coatsburg, IL |
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2000 N. 1850th Avenue
217-455-4602 |
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River Valley Campground
Quincy, IL |
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2300 Bonansinga Drive
217-222-7229 |
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Bayview Campers Park
Palmyra, MO |
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9430 Highway 168
573-221-6589 |
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Mark Twain Cave
Campground
Hannibal, MO |
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300 Cave Hollow Road
573-221-1656 |
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Injun Joe
Campground
New London, MO |
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14113 Clemens Drive
573-985-3581 |
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Klawonn Shady Rest
Campground
New London, MO |
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15331 Highway 61
573-985-4281 |
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Salt River Campground
Center, MO |
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17634 Salt River Place
573-267-3442 |
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Pine Lakes Resort
Pittsfield, IL |
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1405 Lakeview Heights
217-285-6719 |
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Big Larry's
Campground
Perry, MO |
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38749 Highway 154
573-565-1894 |
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Elk Fork Camp Grounds
Paris, MO |
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31298 Missouri 154
660-327-4360 |
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Lake Village
Paris, MO |
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18337 Highway 15
660-327-5151 |
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Salt River Campground
Center, MO |
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17634 Salt River Place
573-267-3442 |
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Tievoli Hills Resort
Clarksville, MO |
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25795 Highway N
573-242-3577 |
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Cozy C RV
Campground
Bowling Green, MO |
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16733 Highway 54
573-324-3055 |
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Great River Road
Campground
Pleasant Hill, IL |
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S. Main & Campground Road
217-734-2113 |
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Sundermeier RV Park
St. Charles, MO |
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111 Transit Street
636-940-0111 |
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Red
Barn Rendezvous
Edwardsville, IL |
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3955
Blackburn Road,
Exit 23 on I-55
618-692-9015 |
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Lakeside
Camping
Granite City, IL |
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3133
W. Chain Of Rocks Road
618-931-6838 |
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North
St. Louis KOA
Granite City, IL |
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3157
W. Chain Of Rocks Road
618-931-5160 |
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Trails
End
Campground
Granite City, IL |
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887 W.
Chain Of Rocks Road
618-931-5041 |
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Cahokia
RV Parque
Cahokia, IL |
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4060
Mississippi Avenue (IL-3)
618-332-7700 |
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KOA St Louis South
Barnhart, MO |
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8000 Metropolitan Blvd.
636-479-4449 |
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S.
Gabouri Creek
Mini RV Park
Ste. Genevieve County, MO |
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11328
Nickelson Drive
573-883-7228 |
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Perryville Campground
Perryville, MO |
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300
Lake Drive
573-547-8303 |
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Dry
Lake Campground
Murphysboro, IL |
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43
Dry Lake Road
618-684-8486 |
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Crab
Orchard Campground
Carbondale, IL |
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10067 Campground Drive
618-985-4983 |
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Little Grassy Lake
Campground & Marina
Makanda, IL |
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788
Hidden Bay Lane
618-457-6655 |
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Cape
Camping & RV Park
Cape
Girardeau, MO |
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1900
N. Kingshighway
573-332-8888 |
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Cherokee Hills Campground
Jackson, MO |
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2112
County Road 607
573-204-7910 |
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