Camper submitted image from Sam A. Baker State Park Campground - 1

Camper submitted image from Sam A. Baker State Park Campground - 2

Camper submitted image from Sam A. Baker State Park Campground - 3

People

Camper submitted image from Sam A. Baker State Park Campground - 4

Water

Camper submitted image from Sam A. Baker State Park Campground - 5

Roads

Established Camping

Sam A. Baker State Park Campground

47 Reviews

About

State Park

Suggest an Edit

Location

Sam A. Baker State Park Campground is located in Missouri

Directions

From jct Hwy-34 & Hwy-143: Go 3 mi N on Hwy-143.

Coordinates

37.244059225610215 N
90.51215120612557 W

Open in Google Maps

The Dyrt Alerts

Get reservations at sold-out campgrounds.

Learn More

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.
Hike-In
Backcountry sites.
Boat-In
Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

WiFi
Unknown
Verizon
Unknown
AT&T
Unknown
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group
Cabins
Tent Cabin
Equestrian

Features

For Campers

Market
ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Firewood Available
Phone Service
Reservable
WiFi
Showers
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Pull-Through Sites

For information regarding reservations, contact this campground directly.

The Dyrt Alerts

Get reservations at sold-out campgrounds.

Learn More

Contact

General Info

Reservations

(877) 422-6766

Megan S.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 6, 2023

Family Camping Perfection ✨

We have been coming here for years, there is something for everyone here! The water is slow and shallow enough in tons of places for littles and deep and cold enough for the older kids and adults to cool off too. The store is adorable, the food is surprisingly really good (I’m craving those loaded nachos!), and when you’re absent-minded like me and forget the bikes you can rent them there 😁 We like Campground 2 on the gravel side (to the left when you pull in) because it’s nice and quiet and close to the nature center. You really can’t go wrong with any of the sites!

Site180

Month of VisitAugust

Brian H.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 23, 2022

Float trip

Camp host was nice and river was also very nice but campground was really tight. We had camper 5 feet off back window and tents on are side not much space

Site142 campground 2

Month of VisitSeptember

Hannah H.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 7, 2022

Very well maintained

Stayed here for three nights over Halloween weekend, and it was wonderful. There were very few people there to begin with, but Sunday night there was no one else there but us. We even had a deer run through our campsite while we sat fireside! Bathrooms were clean, roads were well maintained, and the signs were very clear.

Month of VisitNovember

(6) View All

Gary P.

Ranger

Reviewed May. 15, 2022

Decent older state park

Level sites throughout, but close together. Our power pole had an open ground on the 30 amp and no water at the site. No ATT or Verizon cell. The trees boosted the rating and were the highlight of the place,

It was decent for a night over, but not for a destination. Did not use the facilities nor try OTA tv. It is a nice park, but just had seen better days.

Site65

Month of VisitJune

Mallory S.

Guide

Reviewed May. 15, 2022

A very nice park

We stayed one night on our way to Arkansas in site 199. Our site was level and spacious. The camp host was friendly and helpful. We had a nice time riding our bikes in the morning. The only reason for a 4 rather than a 5 was that lack of cell signal at our site (it was fine in other parts of the park).

Site199

Month of VisitJune

Bryan F.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 2, 2021

Easy going in Campground 1

I’ve never been to a campground so finely manicured. The grass is short and the roads are in great shape. Campground 1 has a boat ramp and easy access to river sits. Some of the sites are a little crampy, but if all you’re doing is cooking and sleeping, you’re as good to go as a crunch wrap supreme. When night falls, be sure to lock your food up like Fort Knox. We saw a few stinks, a whizzle, and a fat racc. And boy, were they persistent. Next trip we’ll be hitting the backpacking trails. Can’t wait to come back. Thanks Sammy.

Site8

Month of VisitAugust

(6) View All

Ben S.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 1, 2021

Great campsite!

Campground 1 is beautiful. Keep your food stored safely as we saw 5 skunks, 4 raccoons, 1 weasel and a partridge in a pear tree. They're all pretty bold about stealing food.

Sitecampground 1, spot 8

Month of VisitAugust

(4) View All

NDea C.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 1, 2021

Absolutely love it here!!

So many amenities and places to check out! My former partner and I and even friends checked this place out a few times. We enjoy the overall area and atmosphere of the shop m, visitor center and cafe offers some pretty good eats if you were up for making some yourself! Otherwise the hikes are pretty good and the views are also! Definitely worth checking out and scoping out if anything!

Site54

Month of VisitApril

Kevin B.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 13, 2021

Great state park.

Beautiful view. You can sit in the cool clear water and relax. Great place for kids. Park is well maintained. I highly recommend.

Ori T.

Scout

Reviewed Feb. 23, 2021

Enjoyed so much we’ve visited more than once

The first time my former partner and I came to Sam Baker was during 4th of July and it was pretty busy but laid back. The accommodations were excellent such as the campground shop and cafe. We stayed in our very large tent, folks were really friendly even though it was mid COVID-19. They regularly cleaned and sanitized all the bathrooms regularly on schedule. We really enjoyed our first stay of roughly a couple nights so much we scheduled to return later that fall. We found out they also had boat/canoe access along the lake and we finally got around to that before it got too cold. Actually enjoyed some more of the snack/meals at the cafe and of course bought whatever we felt necessary at their shop. We really appreciated all the great vibes and welcoming folks. Was sure a good time hope to come back a third and more often then not enjoy our stay!

Emily J.

Scout

Reviewed Dec. 9, 2020

Clean and nice

My family camps at Sam A Baker every year. It is clean and everyone there is friendly. They have a nice gift shop and some great places to swim.

Month of VisitJuly

Jon L.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 21, 2020

Great Missouri SP

Just spent the weekend with my family at Sam A Baker (SAB). We stayed at campground 2. Spot 145 and had plenty of shade and space. There are two traditional camps and one equestrian. The park is crowded but that’s because of how great it is. Lots of paved walk/bike trails around the park. If you forget your bike no problem you can rent one for $5 a day! The visitors center was neat. The general store has everything you need and a restaurant attached where you can get breakfast, lunch and dinner. We spent some time on the gravel bar which was a short walk from our campsite. The water on Big Creek was clear, shallow, and not too cold. I would recommend this state park to any family looking to camp.

(11) View All

Chad H.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 17, 2020

Perfect Family Campground

The state of missouri does an amazing job providing opportunities for families to enjoy the beauty of nature. Nature programs for kids and parents to learn. Well kept facilities. The ice cream is just a bonus. This is by far my favorite campsite for the kids.

Cathy S.

Ranger

Reviewed Sep. 15, 2020

Great swimming hole!

We went with the whole fam to Sam A Baker. Shower houses were conveniently located in camping area. Big River was just a small walk away from the campsite. I know they had been flooded, but I am still cleaning rocks and dirt from the camper. They had a nice camp store and were very friendly. Mostly electric sites. A few full hookups close to the front of the campground. Nice paved roads and larger than normal sites. It was during a pandemic, but bathrooms were pretty clean. Will definitely go again.

(4) View All

Mike G.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 19, 2020

Amazing river swimming, but try to come mid-week if you can!

Pros:

--Tons of swimming in the rivers and"shut-ins" throughout the park(just remember to wear water shoes if you can; it's VERY gravely)

--Lots of trails

--Nice, mellow bike path connecting the two main campgrounds and the very fun camp store(look up on the ceiling!)

--Tall pines(I love tall pines, that's all)

Cons: DISCLAIMER-- We were here on a weekend in August, so I suspect our experience was very much shaped by that....

--Campground was PACKED and LOUD

Okay, I think you get the picture with the campground itself. It was one of those things that made me feel like a cranky old man, saying,"man, why can't these people stop trying to show-off their lame-ass stereos???" That said, the park itself was beautiful.

The main attraction is the water. The river twists and turns through the park. It's shallow, gently flowing, and VERY clear pretty much everywhere(except a few places where it was stagnant!). PRO TIP!!! Since the campground was PACKED and LOUD, most people seemed to not venture too far from the campground itself, so if you want your own private swimming spots, you can hike a relatively short distance and grab one. We did the short"shut-ins" trail and found a perfect one.

BOTTOM LINE: If you want any peace and quiet, don't stay here on the weekend. I suspect the weekdays would be better, and if you managed to schedule mid-week, I suspect it would be an incredible place to stay.

(4) View All

Lindsey C.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 10, 2020

Fun Campground

We enjoyed our 1.5 mile hike to get to the river access to float. We brought our own flotation devices and really enjoyed every aspect of the seclusion. They have equestrian trails as well and we got to see horses while floating too. The water was crystal clear and we even found quartz in some rocks in the water.

(4) View All

Hudson S.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 3, 2020

Great campground

Great campground lots of things to do. Camp store was nice. Had a great area to roast s’mores and sit around the campfire at night

Susan R.

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 14, 2020

Beautiful river!

Enjoyed our stay at this campground very much. The campground can be a bit crowded without much privacy but the highlight is the river. Beautiful clean, crisp refreashing water great for tubing and chillin'. Easy access to the sand bar from the campground. Our site had electricity but no water. Fill up on the way in. Did not use the bathhouse due to COVID19. Be sure and check out the stars at night! We did shop at the campground store which was well stocked. There is a nice bike trail that the kids really enjoyed. The walk to the shut-in area was nice and the actual shut-ins are beautiful. Will definitely return to this state park.

Site175

Month of VisitJuly

(6) View All

Josh S.

Ranger

Reviewed Jun. 30, 2020

A true diamond in the Ozarks. Cold water and Shady days

We Stayed in site 174. While this location was right next to dumpsters it was also adjacent to a gravel bar access for the entire park. Our trip was amazing. Site 174 and most around it had quite a bit of shade and plenty of room for kids, dogs, and our 4 hammocks.

Our campground hosts were knowledgeable and on top of things with seeming overbearing. Campground is obviously hit and miss as far as neighbors but here you have enough room to make your own oasis.

Clean Shower houses and historic visitor centers. We cant say enough about how much we love this campground. Do yourself a favor and book it early they fill fast.

Site174 and family on 176

Month of VisitJuly

(10) View All

Madelyn H.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 22, 2020

Well-kept and Shady

My group and I stayed in Campground 1 and we were so pleased with how well-kept our sites were. Even during the last weekend of September, it was hot out, so we were glad there were plenty of trees around. The store up near the other campground sold reasonably priced firewood, too!

The park itself offers a lot to explore--quite a few trails to choose from, and the river made for nice wading in the afternoon heat. A friend and I even spotted a baby eastern spiny softshell turtle while crossing Big Creek!

SiteSites 77 & 78

Month of VisitOctober

Michele O.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 17, 2020

Love This Place

I have been going here for years! My children and I love this campground. Great people, a lot of fun! Swimming and floating in the river. Hiking trails. Great time!!

Brasley C.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 16, 2020

Always a blast

We absolutely love this campground! We have been camping there for over 9 years now. Very kid friendly. Our kids enjoy riding bikes, swimming, the nature programs, and kayaking. Highly recommend! We love the fact that river access is just a few steps away.

(5) View All

Joshua Y.

Guide

Reviewed May. 19, 2020

Beautiful place to stay

Will definitely be back here. Clear waters to swim in. Clean restrooms. Spacious tent spaces. Nice trails. We went and saw the park rangers showing us all kinds of different snakes in the area. Kids loved it.

(12) View All

Becky T.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 30, 2020

Great park

Great park. I did the backpacking with 1 night of hammock camping. They have 3 actual tent shelters on the trail but it is over grown by #3 there’s also aquatic trails so be ware of the horses.

Kim B.

Scout

Reviewed Apr. 7, 2020

It’s a great park

Where we camped the water access was right behind us. The kids had kayaks and had a ball paddling them around and looking for wildlife. They have a nice gift shop and snack shop with all the essentials. We will be back again.

Erin R.

Guide

Reviewed Feb. 6, 2020

All You Need in a Campground

Sam A Baker is really hard to beat. There are all the amenities (electric, showers, store, bike and watercraft rentals, etc) and plenty to do. We stay here 2-3 times a year depending on if we can get one of the sites we like. We normally stay in Campground 1. It's great for the kids to ride bikes. There are short and long hiking trails, good swimming and wading areas in the creek and river and mostly friendly people. The closeness of some sites along with the barking dogs and few loud partiers tend to get on my nerves when camp is full, but that can happen anywhere. I have bought firewood here twice and it was a waste. Overall this is a great family campground with attentive hosts. I also love the old-style CCC buildings and it's just a pretty area.

Month of VisitSeptember

(4) View All

Lula L.

Ranger

Reviewed Aug. 31, 2019

scenic

Stopped after long drive, was further from highway than I thought but well worth the drive,, crystal clear water, October water was low but color change was starting, needed electric, showers n dump on long road trip, was a nice stop.

Month of VisitNovember

(8) View All

Becky T.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 10, 2019

Quiet and over grown

I attempted the Mudlick trail all was great until I got to the 3rd hiking shelter everything was overgrown with poison ivy. I needed up setting up my hammock and just staying until morning since I got on the trail late. Which I wouldn’t recommend due to the high traffic of wildlife.

J K.

Legend

Reviewed Aug. 6, 2019

All that you need!

This is a great little state park that has plenty of options whether you enjoy tent camping or enjoying your Rv. Some of the144-151 sites can be pretty tight to get into because there are so many trees so double check the pictures on the reservation website to make sure you can get yours in. Ours is 40’ and it was pretty hard to get in but we managed. Nice shower facilities and laundry as well as river access within walking distance

(8) View All

Josh Z.

Traveler

Reviewed Jul. 9, 2019

Great Family campground.

Very well maintained and clean campsites. We always enjoy coming here. The shut-in is a little walk but a very nice hidden jem, if you don’t mind the hike.

Month of VisitJuly