Alley Spring Campground, Van Buren, MO

Alley Spring Campground in Carter county is located 1 hr 50 min southwest of Farmington, MO with an elevation of 676 feet. There are a total of 165 campsites. The campground is normally open from mid April to the end of December. 160 sites can accommodate RVs and trailers between 20 and 64 feet. All sites are currently reservable. Reservations can be booked up to 6 months in advance. 28 sites have electric and water hookups. 2 sites have electric hookups. Fees range from $20.00 to $140.00. Some amenities include shower, dump station, general store, swimming, restroom, amphitheater, pay telephone, flush toilets. Activities include biking, boating, fishing, horseback riding, hiking trails, floating sports.

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Campsite Reviews (1353)

4.9 out of 5

5 star		96%
4 star		2%
3 star		1%
2 star		1%
1 star		0%

@MichelleW64922 · Camped on Oct 22, 2024 at Campsite #622

Asian ladybugs during sunset was crazy. They were flying around in swarms and got into every nook and cranny of my camper. It was horrible

@MaryDeeT8043FC · Camped on Oct 20, 2024 at Campsite #818

We had a wonderful time in this picturesque setting. Mid-October and the Fall foliage was stunning. Campground was not crowded and we had lots of choices for non-electric sites. We liked sites 505 and 818 best. We chose 818 and had only one other camper in the 800 loop and some nights no one else was in the loop but us. Only the main shower and restroom are open at this time of year which was great to have available. We did the Overlook trail and the other trail that goes around Alley spring, we also used the trail from the campground to get to Alley Spring.. We took our lawn chairs down by the water in the campground and soaked our feet in the cold water. We ate at Dairy Shack (try the broccoli cheese bites-yum!) and walked around Eminence, such a cute small town. We took a day trip to explore Echo Bluff where we enjoyed lunch at the cafe patio overlooking the creek and bluff, Sinking Creek and other sites. We saw the small herd of wild horses near Sinking Creek. It was a great trip!

@BrandonG884979 · Camped on Oct 19, 2024 at Campsite #620

We had a great visit. The showers and flush toilets were clean and heated. We were not expecting to have those amenities in late October. It was also nice a quiet with on about 6 other campers. We enjoyed a peaceful float on the river and the next day did some local hiking. Harveys canoe rental was just outside the park and was very helpful and accommodating.

@JamesM9879118 · Camped on Oct 16, 2024 at Campsite #606

Campground was closing in less than 2 weeks. Water was turned off at sites and dump station while we were there. Why not wait a few more days until campground was closed?

@MargaretC31174 · Camped on Oct 5, 2024 at Campsite #609

Great job

@PeteM2853855 · Camped on Oct 4, 2024 at Campsite #806

Very peaceful, well maintained, and family friendly campground directly on the beautiful Jacks Fork River! An outfitter is also very close by for float trips, and Alley Spring itself is a great destination where you are transported back in time to a classical ozark mill and beautiful spring. Well worth the extra drive from KC or STL.

@AngelaT6758392 · Camped on Sep 19, 2024 at Campsite #601

Beautiful and roomy sites

@ClaudiaB3594F0 · Camped on Sep 15, 2024 at Campsite #606

The sites were not well kept. Many sites with electric, including our site, had slippery mud/ mold that covered the cement slab... not a park that I would return to camp. Alley springs was beautiful though.

@JoeS9925475 · Camped on Sep 11, 2024 at Campsite #626

Great campground in a beautiful setting, close to mills, springs and rivers.

@EllenKC9F23D99 · Camped on Aug 9, 2024 at Campsite #625

Overall its a beautiful location but some things did happen that weren't so great. We arrived early in hopes that we could get in earlier to our site, but the people before us were still there past check out time. We mentioned it to the neighbor site that we were waiting for them to leave and luckily they happen to catch the people before us and told them we were waiting and they ended up leaving shortly after. Then we experienced rain the day of leaving...no big deal its just rain, but our concrete slabs were coated in mud, which became slippery and we all ended up falling and getting muddy before leaving. But like I said, everything else was beautiful.

@GerryA9D450F06 · Camped on Aug 4, 2024 at Campsite #627

Well we were disappointed in seeing the river flood damage, but why can't someone fix the failing erosion of the beach area where the pavement ends. No reason for not putting boulders in the washed away area and retraveling it . Just SAD to see every year it gets worse. And for a suggestion why not put power in Groups areas 400, 800, 900. Greatly needed. Thank You

@GregH2281385 · Camped on Aug 2, 2024 at Campsite #625

We really enjoyed our stay here. We stayed at an electric site which was a nice size, however my only complaint is that it had a thin layer of dried dirt so it ended up being kinda messy/muddy between dew/light rains. Other than that, we were fairly close to the water, and there is parking there as well which was nice. Will def be back!

@SheriD9556F040 · Camped on Aug 1, 2024 at Campsite #609

Nice and clean and peaceful

@LyndaBD1098BE0 · Camped on Jul 26, 2024 at Campsite #617

The pad was full of mud. We had to try and spray it off to be able to walk without slipping and falling. The fire pit was full of old wood and trash. Never saw that they were cleaned out. Grass was very tall.

@JeffS4172407 · Camped on Jul 17, 2024 at Campsite #817

Loved it all, EVeryone friendly. Bathrooms clean, Ranger presentations in amphitheater great.

@JamesL2887084 · Camped on Jul 16, 2024 at Campsite #606

We always have a good time and this year we had grandkids there that haven't been there for a few years. The only thing is is that the mud in the campsites was very slick and a few of us fell and got scraped up. You cancelled our sites on us right before we came. I called on Thursday July 11th to change the dates from Sunday, July 14th to Tuesday , July 16 because they were closed for clean-up, which was okay and they assured me everything was good to come in on Tuesday we still had our sites. Then on Sunday, I get an email saying they cancelled our sites. I was able to get back on and book 2 of the sites but someone had already booked the other 2, people we booked for were not happy, so they didn't come. We don't believe you should cancel someone's bookings without them cancelling them themselves. It's alright to maybe change the days like this time we had to wait 2 extra days, but that was okay but don't cancel them without the person doing it themselves.

@KATEL7335508 · Camped on Jul 4, 2024 at Campsite #622

Our campsite was nice, easy to back in and roomy. We liked having water at the site which I feel like is rare for state parks. No attendants on duty, all self-serve. Water access within walking distance. The shower houses were clean but unbearably hot due to lack of A/C and ventilation, it almost made showering pointless because we sweat so much changing. We liked how the shower rooms were separate from the bathrooms though. Because no enforcement present, the next campers coming into our site on check-out day showed up 2 hours before we had to check out, very awkward encounter, they said they know they were early but then we felt rushed.

@WilliamA169700 · Camped on Jun 29, 2024 at Campsite #BO

The pavilion was dirty and had not been cleaned in some time. We spent over an hour just cleaning before we could even attempt to use.

@PatK7710965 · Camped on Jun 24, 2024 at Campsite #624

Great week. I just wish you could stop the river from washing away camp sites

@LouFF500D8B9B8 · Camped on Jun 5, 2024 at Campsite #602

Nice Campground. Clean restrooms and shower house.Lots of things to do and see in the area. We visited Rocky Falls, Klepzig Mill and Alley Spring and Mill all part of the NPS. Floating available on the Jack's Fork River which runs alongside the campground.

@DanielS7047089 · Camped on Jun 3, 2024 at Campsite #603

I've been staying at Alley Spring for over ten years now. It's a very pleasant campground. Sites are reasonably big. If you are tent camping, take a close look at the photos on the website, as some sites are more tent-friendly (in terms of elevated, dry, grassy areas to pitch a tent) than others. It does seem to me that the reservable loops are more RV/trailer oriented than the non-reservable loops down by the river, which have larger grassy areas for tenting. The new (2017, I think) shower building is really nice. There is one loop with electric service, which has usually worked for us. It tends to book up well in advance, though. Cell service is effectively nonexistent. Eminence has a decent grocery store, a couple gas stations and a few restaurants and bars that tend to change from year to year.Paddling the Jacks Fork is a great experience, but word to the wise: a few times each summer you share the stretch below Eminence with (horse) trail rides... which cross the river... and horses do what horses do. So you may want to check the town website and schedule accordingly; i.e., the week before the trail ride rather than during or immediately after.

@RamonaD7079389 · Camped on Jun 1, 2024 at Campsite #601

We visited many springs in the area during our visit. This was a good place to use as a "home base". The campground was clean. I looked in 2 of the bathrooms and they were clean and stocked. Our site was level. We went to the ranger program about cicadas on Saturday. We went on the hike to the overlook and it was clearly marked. We visited the mill twice. It is a pretty scene and relaxing with all the water flowing through.

@WendyP3855726 · Camped on May 20, 2024 at Campsite #617

We really enjoy this park and the hosts were so nice and helpful.

@JamesK1667053 · Camped on May 17, 2024 at Campsite #610

I have been Coming to Alley Spring since high school.I am now 77 Years of age.ALWAYS a great experience.

@BradleyB902850 · Camped on May 2, 2024 at Campsite #609

Let me start by saying that this is a beautiful park. Our camp site however was a problem. The pad sat about 2 inches lower than the ground around it so when it rained we were in a small pond. If they were to add 2-3 inches to the pad it would be perfect.

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