The best camping in Hawn State Park, MO

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Top-rated campgrounds

Wine Trail Wilderness

100%
(666)
50mi from Hawn State Park · 16 sites · Tents, RVs · Pomona, IL
The Shawnee National Forest surrounds us, accessible only by wandering roads, passing over creeks and alongside wineries. The trip is worth the beautiful drive, eventually arriving at "The Villa". Our home looks like an Italian villa, appropriately placed between two wineries in the middle of the Shawnee Forest. It is actually a straw-bale home with supplemental solar energy. Originally built as a Holistic Healing Center, we have converted it into a comfortable home with great vibes. We have converted an old grain bin into a "GrainZebo" just outside our home as a fun place to hang out with friends and family. We hope you enjoy the same relaxed feel we get while living out here in the woods, when you come visit. We will be happy to help you feel at home out here. We love sharing the Shawnee experience and believe all should enjoy this beautiful part of the country. LGBTQ are all welcome and accepted. We welcome all types of campers.
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from 
$24
 / night

Arcadia Valley Outdoors Land

98%
(839)
28mi from Hawn State Park · 37 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Ironton, MO
A wooded, more private camping experience with unique site designs and natural elements. Wood-burning sauna and hot tub available for guest use. Primitive Camping Van/vehicle Camping Small Trailers Glamping Bike Trails, Hiking, creek sit-in' on site! Best of the midwest biking, hiking, Ozark Trail, rock climbing Elephant Rocks Park, Johnson Shut-ins and more swimming holes nearby! Wood for sale on site, $5 per bundle, Fire starters also available. Ask us about our "Really Good At Camping" merchandise. We have shirts, mugs & wine tumblers! *Cash Only* at this time. We Have free stickers! *For camp site locations please refer to our map in the campsite listing photos. We are located just west of the Ironton Water Works Plant and the Shepherd Mountain Lake dam. Turn right after the dam, drive through Shepherd Mountain Lake Park. If our "campground guests only" gate if it is closed, and please close gate behind you. Thank you! No Hook Ups No swimming in the lake and no outside boats, but we have boats for campers to use free of charge! General Store and restroom facilities/showers coming soon!
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from 
$32
 / night

Spring Lake Ranch

93%
(1979)
38mi from Hawn State Park · 43 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Potosi, MO
Spring Lake Ranch boasts countless trails and lake activities. Formerly known as Sayersbrook Bison ranch, at one time it was one of the largest Bison ranches in the world. This property is filled with amazing things to see and explore. Nothing like it in Missouri. Lake is 60+ acres and is spring fed. Amazing fishing, swimming and kayaking. We are pet friendly. You will have amazing lake views and will be close to hiking trails, horseback riding, and wine tasting at Edge Cliff Wineries which is next door to us. The beautiful shower house is super clean, has restrooms and hot showers and it is within walking distance. Firewood and ice are available to purchase; kayaks and fishing poles are available for rent. If you forget something at home stop by our little country store, we might have it! :) The sites are about 20 ft from each other - if you are looking for more privacy please check out the secluded site or the peninsula. **The pool on property is reserved for the lodge guests only, it is not open to the public.
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$17
 / night

Matt's Place at Meramec n Labarque

100%
(68)
48mi from Hawn State Park · 5 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Eureka, MO
Located at the confluence of the Meramec River and Labarque Creek, my place (Matt's Place) is a ridge above a bottomland bowl of sorts. The old iron truss bridge here is likely built in 1910 and it has a survey marker from 1932. The creek has a nice little swimming hole, and a beach that is sometimes sand, sometimes, gravel, and sometimes a mix of both with some silt or even mud after a storm. It's peaceful down there to explore in the creek, wade while looking outward to an opening into the Meramec River. It's also fun to stand just at the mouth of the creek in the Meramec River. It's an awesome view upstream or downstream of tree lined banks, rock bluffs, and every now and then, passing boats, canoes, paddle boards, or kayaks. The old iron truss bridge hovers above the meeting of two waters. The water is cool and clean. Some fifty species of fish have been recorded in this creek, the most in all of Jefferson County and St Louis County. The bottomland has two levels, the lower bottoms down by the creek and the upper bottoms about a hundred feet from the creek. The upper bottoms has a clearing like a meadow with mowed grass. My favorite things to do here include gazing up at a cottonwood tree that must be sixty feet tall. It's leaves in a breeze are like a thousand hands waving hello. The bottomland meadow offers just enough sky to see bats dance in the dusk air between the trees, then fireflies as it gets darker yet. Up top is where I live. Just five miles off HWY 44 and HWY 109, at Eureka, MO, (30 minutes west of downtown St Louis, 18 minutes from Six Flags) this place sits on a ridge with great views above the Meramec River.
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from 
$20
 / night

The Magic Land Homestead

94%
(16)
41mi from Hawn State Park · 4 sites · Lodging · Grubville, MO
The Magic Land Homestead is our 70 acre wooded private retreat. We are about an hour from St. Louis, Missouri, on a beautiful country drive. We rent our Enchanted Treehouse that sleeps up to 9 guests for those who enjoy a more pampered getaway with a real bathroom and shower, and we also rent out a Rustic A-Frame that's a little more primitive with a composting toilet and a hose shower out back. Our four free range lovable dogs, colorful chickens, silly geese and goofy turkey Hammerstein, are usually part of the fun of your stay. We have a 3 acre lake with kayak and paddle boat and dock as well as a spring fed wet weather creek. Our mission is to grow our own organic food and to live as sustainably and mindfully as possible in connection with Mother Nature. So the guests we attract are looking for a sacred more quiet getaway. If you wish to throw a big party another place would be best. There are some trails and open areas to play, along with fun swings and an opportunity to reconnect with your soul. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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from 
$70
 / night

Other options near Hawn State Park

The best camping in Hawn State Park, MO guide

Overview

About

Hawn State Park is considered one of Missouri’s prettiest parks, with diverse woodlands and sandstone bluffs towering above the scenic Pickle Creek. Located less than 30 minutes southwest of Ste. Genevieve, the park is a good basecamp for exploring this charming, historic city, which celebrates a French Canadian heritage. Or, take a 45-minute drive to Elephant Rocks State Park to check out the geological wonders found there. Within Hawn State Park, hiking and relaxing are the prime activities. Bird watchers and rockhounds are also sure to be entertained.

Notable campgrounds

  • Best for adventure seekers: Ten backcountry camping sites are located along the Whispering Pines hiking trail.
  • Best for big rigs: Hawn Campground’s 50-amp sites have long concrete pads.
  • Best for tent campers: Hawn Campground offers several wooded walk-in tent sites, which are more accessible than the backcountry sites, while still being separated from the RV-friendly areas.

Tips for snagging a campsite

  1. Reservations open 12 months in advance.
  2. Use the Missouri State Parks website and or call the phone line to book a site. 
  3. Reservations are offered April 1 through November 30, but the campground is open year round. 
  4. Water and showers are available April 1 through October 31, with one frost-free spigot accessible in the off-season.
  5. Several sites are listed as “basic,” which means they do not offer electric hookups. 
  6. Electric sites have 30-amp hookups, with 50-amp only available at specified locations (sites 1-9). 

When to go

Hawn State Park offers varied experiences throughout the year. The mix of hardwoods and pines means winter has some color to the forests, though you need to be prepared for camping in cold temperatures, with occasional winter precipitation. In spring, the wildflowers bloom and trees begin to bud. Summer brings full foliage to the forest, though heat and humidity can damper outdoor adventures. Hikers have noted the prevalence of chiggers in late summer. Fall brings changing colors to the Ozarks hills.

Know before you go

  • Several campsites back up to Pickle Creek.
  • Cell service is spotty in this area of Missouri, and you may not have service at your site.
  • This park locks the gates each evening at 10pm on Sunday through Thursdays nights and at 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. You must arrive before the gates lock to be admitted.
  • A special-use camping area is offered for large groups.
  • Hiking is a popular way to experience the park’s varied landscapes, along four available trails ranging from a tenth of a mile to 9.5 miles in length.
100%
5 ratings · 2 reviews