OutReserve

Big Spring

Big Spring flows along it's tree and moss-lined banks
Historic Big Spring Lodge retaining walls and drinking fountain before restoration
Big Spring on a cold fall morning with mist
Big Spring flows along it's tree and moss-lined banks preview

Featured amenities

Showers

About Big Spring

In the rolling, forested landscape of Big Spring, two of America's most beautiful spring-fed rivers combine to make up the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. As the first national park area to protect a wild river system, visitors have plenty of scenic water activities to enjoy as well as hiking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing.

Number of accommodations: 132

Nearby Activities & Attractions

Hiking

Horseback Riding

Water Activities

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - Apr 15 to Oct 15

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Showers
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Showers
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

132 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 101, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 102, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 103, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 104, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 105, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 106, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 107, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 108, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 109, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 110, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 111, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 112, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 113, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 114, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 115, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 116, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 117, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 118, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 119, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 120, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 121, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 122, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 123, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 124, Loop: Loop 100
No Hookups
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🚐 202, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 203, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 204, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 205, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 206, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 207, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 208, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 209, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 210, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 211, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 212, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 213, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 214, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 215, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 216, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 217, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 218, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 219, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 220, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 221, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 222, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 223, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 224, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 225, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 226, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
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🚐 227, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 228, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
Price not available
🚐 229, Loop: Loop 200
Electric Only
Price not available
301, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
302, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
303, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
304, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
305, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
306, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
307, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
308, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
309, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 310, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
Price not available
311, Loop: Loop 300
6 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 312, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
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🚐 313, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
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🚐 314, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
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🚐 315, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
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🚐 316, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
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🚐 317, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
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🚐 318, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
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🚐 319, Loop: Loop 300
No Hookups
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🚐 401, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 402, Loop: Loop 400
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🚐 403, Loop: Loop 400
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🚐 404, Loop: Loop 400
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🚐 405, Loop: Loop 400
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🚐 406, Loop: Loop 400
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🚐 407, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 408, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 409, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 410, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 411, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 412, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 413, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 414, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 415, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 416, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 417, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 418, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 419, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 420, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 421, Loop: Loop 400
No Hookups
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🚐 501, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 502, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 503, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 504, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 505, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 506, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 507, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 508, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 509, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 510, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 511, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 512, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 513, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 514, Loop: Loop 500
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🚐 515, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 516, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 517, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 518, Loop: Loop 500
No Hookups
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🚐 601, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 602, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 603, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 604, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 605, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 606, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 607, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 608, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 609, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 610, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 611, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 612, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 613, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 614, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 615, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 616, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 617, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
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🚐 618, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 619, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 620, Loop: Loop 600
No Hookups
Price not available
G02, Loop: Big Spring Group Sites
45 guests · Campfire
Price not available
G03, Loop: Chub Hollow/Groupsite #3
45 guests · Campfire
Price not available

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.

Review Summary

4.1
239 reviews
5
54.0%
129
4
23.4%
56
3
8.8%
21
2
8.8%
21
1
5.0%
12

Fred S

Verified

April 27, 2026 Stayed at: 114, Loop: Loop 100

4

Bathrooms and showers were very clean. Was very quiet. Flies and gnats were plentiful though.

pamela w

Verified

April 22, 2026 Stayed at: 226, Loop: Loop 200

2

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

Verified

April 20, 2026 Stayed at: 102, Loop: Loop 100

4

0

Dana M

Verified

April 13, 2026 Stayed at: 216, Loop: Loop 200

5

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

Verified

April 12, 2026 Stayed at: 207, Loop: Loop 200

5

Fun day!

James L

Verified

April 3, 2026 Stayed at: 206, Loop: Loop 200

4

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

Verified

March 30, 2026 Stayed at: 116, Loop: Loop 100

5

Absolutely beautiful place, this was our second time here and we will definitely be back!!!!

Michael W

Verified

March 29, 2026 Stayed at: 118, Loop: Loop 100

5

Campground and Riverway was great .

Randy S

Verified

March 28, 2026 Stayed at: 221, Loop: Loop 200

5

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

Verified

March 27, 2026 Stayed at: 105, Loop: Loop 100

5

Great

Location Big Spring

Address:
Po Box 490
Van Buren, MO, 63965
United States

Highway access

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.)

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: June 3, 2026

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