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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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
Maitland K
July 10, 2025
This park was wonderfully maintained and the group site was beautiful
Marcia B
VerifiedJuly 9, 2025 • Stayed at: 206, Loop: Loop 200
The showers are far from the campground but very clean
Mehmed & Amra K
VerifiedJuly 5, 2025 • Stayed at: 226, Loop: Loop 200
Nice but still don't understand how we can here very loud fireworks. I am positive that they do fireworks on the big beach illegally. Campsites get flooded with rain. Need to ad more gravel to some sites. Rules signs are old and very high the post.
Justin W
VerifiedJuly 1, 2025 • Stayed at: 314, Loop: Loop 300
N/A
Carol C
VerifiedJune 29, 2025 • Stayed at: 223, Loop: Loop 200
Campsites have very little room to park one vehicle let alone the two allowed per Campsite. Dump station rinse water was not functional.
Lisa B
June 28, 2025
Pavilion was clean and well taken care of. Love that has restrooms, playground, and river access close by.
julie h
VerifiedJune 24, 2025 • Stayed at: 208, Loop: Loop 200
The camp ground was very clean, and I thoroughly enjoyed the park rangers talk on bats.
Bonnie S
VerifiedJune 19, 2025 • Stayed at: 215, Loop: Loop 200
The restrooms and showers were clean, although the restroom in loop 200 was without soap during our stay. The camping areas were nicely mowed, but the area around the lodge and cabins was quite overgrown, and it doesn't look as though any construction is going on. This saddens me, because I have such fond memories of this place from years back. I certainly hope the funding cuts that national parks/dept of interior have undergone do not prevent Big Spring from completing this project.
Janet H
June 16, 2025
Was okay clean…
Diane C
VerifiedJune 15, 2025 • Stayed at: 226, Loop: Loop 200
This is our favorite place to camp and swim. River was high and it rained but it’s just beautiful! Always plenty of wildlife.
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.)
Nearby Campgrounds
Last updated: June 13, 2026