Featured amenities
About Big Spring
Number of accommodations: 132
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Water Activities
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Water and Hygiene
- Showers
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Rates, Sites & Availability
132 Sites Available
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Site Details
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132 Sites Available
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Reviews (239)
What Guests Are Saying
Big Spring Campground offers a beautiful and peaceful setting with stunning natural springs, clean facilities, and hot showers, making it a great spot for outdoor enthusiasts. While some reviews noted maintenance issues, such as poorly placed picnic tables and unclean fire pits, many visitors appreciated the spaciousness, cleanliness, and convenience to nearby attractions like Van Buren. Overall, guests enjoyed their experiences and expressed a desire to return, highlighting the campground's charm and natural beauty.
What Guests Are Saying
Big Spring Campground offers a beautiful and peaceful setting with stunning natural springs, clean facilities, and hot showers, making it a great spot for outdoor enthusiasts. While some reviews noted maintenance issues, such as poorly placed picnic tables and unclean fire pits, many visitors appreciated the spaciousness, cleanliness, and convenience to nearby attractions like Van Buren. Overall, guests enjoyed their experiences and expressed a desire to return, highlighting the campground's charm and natural beauty.
Review Summary
Fred S
VerifiedApril 27, 2026 • Stayed at: 114, Loop: Loop 100
Bathrooms and showers were very clean. Was very quiet. Flies and gnats were plentiful though.
pamela w
VerifiedApril 22, 2026 • Stayed at: 226, Loop: Loop 200
This campground is along a long beautiful road in, just know it has big hills and one tough corner. There were big rigs and we have a 34 ft Skoolie so nothing to stop you just a heads up. The campground could be so much nicer if they kept up on it better! I'm not sure if they are understaffed or if there's simply no desire to do what is lacking. The tables are all in odd places and we watched them push them aside into the treas to cut the grass and leave them so they're unusable unless you have two people strong enough to move them. The fire pits are not cleaned out and they have dead trees hanging out over campsites. The good parts are the natural spring adjacent to the campus is amazing, they have hot and cold showers and lots of spaces. Just read the info for each site as only 1 loop has electric and it gets pretty crowded in a wknd.
David L
VerifiedApril 20, 2026 • Stayed at: 102, Loop: Loop 100
0
Dana M
VerifiedApril 13, 2026 • Stayed at: 216, Loop: Loop 200
Very quiet and clean campground. Camped the first week of April, so it was quite empty. Trails were nice and made it easy to get to the gravel bars. Fun catching the smaller size fish, small mouth bass and sun fish. Wish some campsites had water hook-up and electric. The one strange thing about the sites, the firepit might be on the side of your camper without the door. I will pay closer attention to that next time. The drive to campground is a paved road all the way.
Sandra E
VerifiedApril 12, 2026 • Stayed at: 207, Loop: Loop 200
Fun day!
James L
VerifiedApril 3, 2026 • Stayed at: 206, Loop: Loop 200
Hidden beauty. Sites are mostly shorter but with room and trees around. Sandy tail to river from campground. No water or sewer at site but can fill up. Has a dump station that opens during the season. The spring itself was very nice. Affordable little place for a few nights.
Dustin H
VerifiedMarch 30, 2026 • Stayed at: 116, Loop: Loop 100
Absolutely beautiful place, this was our second time here and we will definitely be back!!!!
Michael W
VerifiedMarch 29, 2026 • Stayed at: 118, Loop: Loop 100
Campground and Riverway was great .
Randy S
VerifiedMarch 28, 2026 • Stayed at: 221, Loop: Loop 200
We had a great 5 day stay at Big Springs. We were so thankful that they were open! We needed to meet our Granddaughter in the area and it is so hard to find camping before April 1st. The facilities were very nice. The showers were even open. Van Buren was only 5 to 10 minutes away for any supplies needed. We have been to the Springs many times and it is always impressive. We also drove an hour or so and very much enjoyed Johnson's Shut-Ins and Elephant Rock. True Wonders!
Hope B
VerifiedMarch 27, 2026 • Stayed at: 105, Loop: Loop 100
Great
Location Big Spring
Address:
Po Box 490
Van Buren, MO, 63965
United States
Big Spring Campground is located four miles (6.4 km) south of Van Buren, Missouri. Turn south on Missouri Highway 103 and continue south for four miles (6.4 km) to the Big Spring Unit of the park.
Big Spring Campground is accessible via Missouri Highway 103, which connects to the nearby town of Van Buren.
Latitude & Longitude: 36.9625 / -90.9831
Elevation: 138 feet
Policies & Rules
General
- If you arrive and another party is occupying your reserved campsite, please call Arrowhead Dispatch at 1-844-460-3604 for a Law Enforcement officer to be dispersed to your location for removal of the unauthorized party.
- 50-amp electric hookups are now available in the 200 loop only (bring converters if necessary).
- There is no direct water hook up at the campsites. You may fill your tanks at the station near the front entrance.
- There are no sewer hookups. A dump station is available at the campground entrance.
- Two tents or 1 RV and 1 tent per site only on Standard Family sites
- Modern restrooms are open April 15-Oct. 15. During other times visitors will be directed to an alternative, which may be a short distance from their campsite.
- No glass bottled beverages are allowed in tubes or non-motorized vessels
- All reservations and reservation changes MUST be completed through the Recreation.gov user profile or by calling toll free 1+877-444-6777.
- For more information about the campground, please call (573) 323-4236 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30pm weekdays, or e-mail OZAR_Campground_Operations@nps.gov.
- Free standing Hammocks only. NO hammocks are allowed to be tied to trees.
- Water systems shut off Oct. 15-April 14. (Water off means most bathrooms and faucets in campgrounds will be closed and facilities winterized, including picnic pavilions. The exception are the heated shower houses/flush restrooms at Round Spring, Big Spring and Alley Spring campgrounds.)
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Last updated: June 3, 2026