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
John V
VerifiedAugust 6, 2025 • Stayed at: 215, Loop: Loop 200
beautiful park. Our site was level. 30 amp electric. showers are a little way away. Showers and bathrooms very clean.
Jaylee G
VerifiedAugust 3, 2025 • Stayed at: 215, Loop: Loop 200
We’ve been coming here around the same time every year. This year was a little disappointing. For starters our site 222 seemed like it was needing some work the pad was not level at all, we had to come up with a creative way to drop our camper stairs because the pad is so much deeper than the grass my kids would trip. The grass in the site and the whole 200 loop hadn’t been mowed in a while, the rest of the camp areas were, some being mowed when we pulled in. When we pulled in he bathrooms didn’t have toilet paper in them and we had to bring our own t.p. Eventually someone did come and restock the toilet paper but the bathrooms were not cleaned very well. Overall it wasn’t a horrible experience we’ve just had better experiences in previous years and unfortunately we decided to try somewhere new for next year.
Karen B
VerifiedJuly 27, 2025 • Stayed at: 308, Loop: Loop 300
Super clean and quit campground. Definitely will be going back!
Zach M
VerifiedJuly 22, 2025 • Stayed at: 209, Loop: Loop 200
Beautiful park, quiet and well-kept. Site had 30 and 50 amp power and both worked. Site 209 does get pretty wet when it rains but drains quickly, there are other sites that don’t drain and get very muddy. 29’ overall camper was a tight squeeze without using the grass for backing, truck had to be parked sideways in front, but was doable. Great shade. Dump station was nicely kept, we did not use the bathrooms or shower facilities on site but they appeared to be nice and we saw cleaning staff there frequently. Will definitely return to Big Spring!
philip t
VerifiedJuly 21, 2025 • Stayed at: 211, Loop: Loop 200
The grounds and bathrooms are well maintained. There is a good ice cream store in Van Buren.
Earl G
VerifiedJuly 20, 2025 • Stayed at: 227, Loop: Loop 200
Nice campground, some sites aren’t very long and could use some more shade. The campground needs to make some more electrical sites on another loop for more availability. Rangers come around, all were very friendly and helpful.
Dot R
July 19, 2025
Trash bins were stuffed full of trash when we got there at 8am. Grill should have been emptied out.
Need recycling bin.
I love this park though. Been going there fir 40 years.
Edward M
VerifiedJuly 18, 2025 • Stayed at: 214, Loop: Loop 200
We overnighted here on our way to Mammoth Cave NP. Very nice setting. 30 amp electrical service came in handy as it was hot and humid.
Davianna H
VerifiedJuly 13, 2025 • Stayed at: 117, Loop: Loop 100
The best spot.
Billy C
VerifiedJuly 11, 2025 • Stayed at: 219, Loop: Loop 200
The best thing about this campground was leaving it. Roads both outside and inside the camping area were narrow and hard to get around. Sites were far too close together and rain created a muddy mess everywhere. Mosquitoes were hyperactive and there wasn't even a view of the river. I'd sleep in my car before coming back here again.
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 13, 2026