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Reviews (323)
What Guests Are Saying
Big Spring State Park offers a beautiful and well-maintained campground with excellent access to the Current River and nearby attractions like Blue Spring and Rocky Falls. Many visitors appreciate the cleanliness of the facilities and the friendly staff, highlighting the park's peaceful atmosphere and various recreational opportunities, including hiking and swimming. However, some guests noted issues with restroom cleanliness and limited electric sites, as well as occasional disturbances from wildlife, particularly raccoons. Overall, it is a cherished spot for camping and outdoor activities.
What Guests Are Saying
Big Spring State Park offers a beautiful and well-maintained campground with excellent access to the Current River and nearby attractions like Blue Spring and Rocky Falls. Many visitors appreciate the cleanliness of the facilities and the friendly staff, highlighting the park's peaceful atmosphere and various recreational opportunities, including hiking and swimming. However, some guests noted issues with restroom cleanliness and limited electric sites, as well as occasional disturbances from wildlife, particularly raccoons. Overall, it is a cherished spot for camping and outdoor activities.
Review Summary
Wallace P
VerifiedSeptember 26, 2025 • Stayed at: 211, Loop: Loop 200
We love the Ozark National Riverway area. Big Springs Campground is our favorite! So peaceful and has been maintained nicely even after this spring flooding. We stayed in early spring before flood and again this fall. Great stop over for us. Excited to see what they do when the cabins and dining hall opens up next year, we hope.
Nancy M
VerifiedSeptember 24, 2025 • Stayed at: 208, Loop: Loop 200
Chiggers but so beautiful
Rose H
VerifiedSeptember 22, 2025 • Stayed at: 309, Loop: Loop 300
We were on a cross-country driving trip recently, arrived at Big Spring to camp in the HUGE campground (100+ spaces), and every site was marked "reservation only" through recreation.gov. There were a grand total of 3 other campers there that night! And not an official park person to be found!! We had already encountered the system at Great Sand Dunes, where we pulled in and were also told all sites were by reservation ONLY--tho there were still some empty ones.
The website is difficult, if in remote area often don't have connectivity, and when on the road can't always reliably know where we will end up for the night. This reservation-only system does NOT work and we do NOT want it. It deprives the parks of income (could certainly have sold empty sites on first-come, first-serve basis). More important, it deprives visitors of the unique chance to camp under the stars in our amazing national parks. Ditch it and go back to hiring more NPS rangers!!
Rose Houk
David R
VerifiedSeptember 21, 2025 • Stayed at: 224, Loop: Loop 200
Campsite was clean and the amenities were in good order. This was an incredible location. The springs are beautiful and the river is crystal clear. We will definitely be back!
Bessie O
VerifiedAugust 30, 2025 • Stayed at: 227, Loop: Loop 200
Beautiful and the facilities are great! Enjoyed our stay.
Virginia W
VerifiedAugust 28, 2025 • Stayed at: 113, Loop: Loop 100
What could you say when everything and everyone was just perfect. Thank You but wished the CCC buildings were open.
STEVE M
VerifiedAugust 28, 2025 • Stayed at: 216, Loop: Loop 200
Sites were merely reasonable; some shaded some not. No wifi or cell service available.
This relatively low rating is probably partially due to the time of year we visited. It was untolerably hot and the area was absolutely swarming with flies.
On a positive note, the campground host was extremely helpful and very friendly.
Marvin L
VerifiedAugust 24, 2025 • Stayed at: 218, Loop: Loop 200
We had a great camping experience (camper). All the facilities buildings were in excellent shape and very clean.
The camper sites are a bit on the smaller side and close together. It gets very busy during the evening but during the day when everyone is out on the river the campground is peaceful.
Laura M
VerifiedAugust 23, 2025 • Stayed at: 213, Loop: Loop 200
We stayed 3 nights in August. It was hot & buggy. The bugs were gnats & they were relentless. We never saw campground hosts but saw their spot. One morning, we had a very loud family packing up BLASTING music with curse words BEFORE 7:00. It was so loud. The next NIGHT, a group of young people were up drinking and playing very loud music until after 2:00 AM. I honestly was worried a fight was going to breakout because of how loud it was. The scenery is beautiful but the camping environment should have been different; it should be peaceful at a campground.
Katherine J
VerifiedAugust 22, 2025 • Stayed at: 212, Loop: Loop 200
Had a wonderful time we love going to Big Springs. However our campsite had really tall grass and could have been mowed before we got there. (Only Complaint) Rocky Falls is a fun destination. 😁
Location & Directions for Big Spring
Po Box 490, Van Buren, MO 63965 United States
Elevation: 138 ft
Getting There
Big Spring Campground is located four miles (4 mi) south of Van Buren, Missouri. Turn south on Missouri Highway 103 and continue south for four miles (4 mi) to the Big Spring Unit of the park.
Highway access
Big Spring Campground is accessible via Missouri Highway 103, which connects to the nearby town of Van Buren.
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 [email protected].
- 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
Last updated: October 20, 2026
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Population: 1,161
Elevation: 472 ft
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