Spring break camping in Missouri

Calling the park is probably your best shot. Remember that March 1 is opening day of trout season in MO parks so I would suspect that the first couple of days including the first weekend, the park would be rather full.

March is early season except for the trout parks. Try calling the park office (417) 847-2539. They could probably tell you if you would be able to get a non reservable site in March.

garmp1 wrote:
We reserve a site in loop 2 every year for our anniversary.

Do you think we'll have any trouble grabbing a non-reservable electric site in loop 3 on a Wednesday in March? The reservable sites for that weekend that week are almost all booked.

We reserve a site in loop 2 every year for our anniversary. Who says I'm not a romantic? Normally we drive up to the series of "pools" by the cleaning station and work our way up stream toward the old CCC Lodge from there. Mostly fish for the fun of it, but do manage to keep what I think I'll eat for supper and the DW will catch her meals worth. Cook them that evening over either a wood or a charcoal fire and there's nothing finer!!!
On the last day of the trip we will try for the limit and freeze them to take home for smoking. The smoked trout is second only to fresh caught trout over and open fire.
RR is great because no boots, no hassle. Fish, clean, eat. Gotta love Missouri park system!!!

Campground 3 at Roaring River is on the side of the river where you can fish. We reserved in campground 2 and found out that fishing is not allowed from that bank. We were okay if we were out on the sandbar.

Thanks for all of the great advice. I think we are leaning Roaring River SP. Looks like it is mostly reserved for weekends. However, since we are going down on a Wednesday in mid March, I am hoping we can snag one of the non-reservable electric sites in campground 3.

I would guess that if you frequent Montauk SP you trout fish and if that's true, you'd love Roaring River. Especially with kids. Roaring River SP has very little wading permitted and the fishing has always been great every time we've been there. From Wentzville it's a bit further, but there's tons to do in the area. Eureka Springs Ark isn't far. Dogwood Canyon, the Golden, MO Pioneer Museum are also relatively close. Bass Pro is in Springfield for the return trip.

Hope this helps.

The water at the Corps lakes would probably be high in March but depends on the year and weather.

I agree with Limit4, Table Rock State Park would be an excellent choice for family camping in March.

SE Missouri: Elephant Rock State Park is a nice place to spend the day exploring. Johnsons Shut-ins and the Black River (float) are about 30 minutes away but those are wet activities.