Notable Camping Spots
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
- Missouri State Parks take reservations up to 12 months in advance.
- Use the Missouri State Parks website or phone number to make reservations.
- This popular park needs to be booked well in advance for the March trout fishing opener, as well as holidays and fall weekends.
- Each of the five campgrounds has varied dates for when the campground is open, when reservations are offered, and when water and showers are available. Check the website for specific details.
- This park offers basic, electric, and full hookup sites. Electric sites are electric only, with water spigots and dump stations available in the park.
When to Go
March is one of the most popular times, as anglers are eager to toss a line after the long winter season, but camping reservations may be the hardest to snag, particularly for March 1. Early spring is chilly, but temperatures warm in April and May. The summer months may be hotter and more humid, with the waters of the Niangua River offering a refreshing break. Fall is particularly scenic, as the surrounding hills erupt with color. One campground is open through the winter, providing limited services. Campers need to prepare for cold temperatures and occasional bouts of snow.
Know Before You Go
- The seven-mile Natural Tunnel Trail is a rugged adventure, leading to an impressive natural tunnel.
- A variety of shorter trails are also offered, with scenic backgrounds.
- An onsite restaurant is located in a historic 1930s lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
- The Niangua River is popular for float trips during the summer, with paddling, canoeing, and rafting.
- While there’s no swimming access directly in Bennett Spring State Park, other local public access points are found nearby.
- The town of Lebanon offers restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and other services.
Bennett Spring State Park
Find trout and trails at this popular Missouri state park.
Each year, when Bennett Spring State Park opens for trout fishing season on March 1, Bennett Spring State Park fills with anglers as excited as Black Friday shoppers. Other times of year, the scene is much more relaxed. The stocked river is the focal point of this mid-Missouri park, but campers can enjoy a range of activities, including paddling and hiking. The surrounding hills rising above the river valley remind visitors they are in the Missouri Ozarks, providing an epic landscape to explore. Accommodations include cabin rentals, a lodge, and several campgrounds, with various amenities.
Each year, when Bennett Spring State Park opens for trout fishing season on March 1, Bennett Spring State Park fills with anglers as excited as Black Friday shoppers. Other times of year, the scene is much more relaxed. The stocked river is the focal point of this mid-Missouri park, but campers can enjoy a range of activities, including paddling and hiking. The surrounding hills rising above the river valley remind visitors they are in the Missouri Ozarks, providing an epic landscape to explore. Accommodations include cabin rentals, a lodge, and several campgrounds, with various amenities.
Activities in the park
1 campground in Bennett Spring State Park
Let’s be real here…it doesn’t get much more classic than tall trees, fishing in a local stream, and roasting some s'mores under the fire. Get that idyllic camping experience at Bennett Spring State Park. With everything from rustic sites to electric ones with all the hook-ups, campers of all walks with fall in love with the peace and natural beaut Read more...
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Notable Camping Spots
Notable Camping Spots
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
When to Go
March is one of the most popular times, as anglers are eager to toss a line after the long winter season, but camping reservations may be the hardest to snag, particularly for March 1. Early spring is chilly, but temperatures warm in April and May. The summer months may be hotter and more humid, with the waters of the Niangua River offering a refreshing break. Fall is particularly scenic, as the surrounding hills erupt with color. One campground is open through the winter, providing limited services. Campers need to prepare for cold temperatures and occasional bouts of snow.
Know Before You Go
Public campgrounds (book externally) —