Campgrounds and RV parks near Bourbon, MO

The Meramec River is the anchor activity. Outfitters at Blue Spring Ranch and Ozark Outdoors-Riverfront Resort run guided floats by canoe, kayak, raft, and tube. Float options include a 10-mile float, a 5-mile trip, and a lazy river option, and trips also cover the Huzzah and Courtois rivers with shuttle service included. Cave tours are the other headline draw. Onondaga Cave tours leave from the visitor center as walking tours just less than 1 mile long, lasting about one hour and 15 minutes, and the cave stays 57 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, so bring a jacket and comfortable shoes. Onondaga Cave tours run daily from April 1 through October 31, and visitors can tour Cathedral Cave on weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Above ground, Onondaga Cave State Park has hiking trails, Meramec River access for fishing and paddling, and the Vilander Bluff Natural Area overlook.

The prime camping window runs April through October, driven by both weather and the operating calendars of the main parks. At Onondaga Cave State Park the campground is open year round for walk-ups, and reservations are offered April 1 through October 31. During the off season, water is not available at campsites and showerhouses close. Hot showers and laundry facilities are available April through October. Summer is peak season. Weekends fill early at the private river resorts because float-trip demand and family camping overlap. Weekdays are noticeably quieter. Spring can be chilly, with the warmest temperatures found in late summer, and fall is particularly scenic as colors generally peak in October. Late spring brings the wettest weather and the highest river flows, which can occasionally cancel float trips after heavy rain. Winter camping is possible but bare-bones. Cave tours pause, most river outfitters shut down, and state-park amenities are limited to frost-free spigots and electric hookups where offered.

Sites near Bourbon fall into two camps. The private river resorts are activity-heavy, family-oriented, and can get loud on summer weekends. Campsites are equipped with essential amenities such as picnic tables, fire rings, and grill facilities, and full-hookup pads with 30 and 50-amp service are widely available. Expect coin showers, a general store, and shuttle service for floats. The state park experience is quieter. Unlike many Missouri state parks, electric/water sites are available at Onondaga Cave, though sewer hookups are not, so plan on using the dump station on the way out. The area sits well off the interstate, so wi-fi and cell service can be hit and miss. Bring layers year-round for cave tours, closed-toe shoes for rocky river bars, and drinking water when arriving off-season. Firewood is sold on site at most campgrounds; check current firewood advisories before hauling your own.