This Secluded Campground Near the Ozark Riverway Is One of Missouri’s Best Kept Secrets

Glacial blue water trickles around my toes, catches a ray of sunshine, and sends flashes of light dancing around this magical, secluded campground in Missouri. I’m transfixed with the fairytale forest, and I can hardly wait to doze off to the sound of trickling water and evening birdsong. Even the name of the town where it’s located sounds ethereal: Eminence, a word that means prominence and prestige. It’s clear that here at Alley Spring Campground along the Ozark National Scenic Riverway, it’s an honorable title for the purest kind of nature experience. 

Where This Secluded Campground in Missouri Is and How Close It Is to Ozark National Scenic Riverway

This hidden campground in Missouri sits directly on the Ozarks Scenic Riverway, just across the river (Jack’s Fork) from the nearby Alley Mill Spring. Alley Mill is an icon of the eastern Missouri Ozarks. It’s the lesser-visited side of the Ozarks, and you won’t encounter crowds like you would in the Branson area. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a secret, and Alley Spring Campground is a beloved local gem. Its rural location adds to the charm, and after putting up stakes here, I can’t imagine staying anywhere else in the area. But I never would’ve known about it if my son hadn’t asked if he could swim in the spring at Alley Mill. It was clear that we couldn’t enter the clear, bottle-blue water beneath the mill waterfall, but we quickly learned that Alley Spring Campground is essentially the loophole for accessing the same magical Missouri water. 

What To Expect When You Camp Here

I was further stunned to discover that what I consider one of the best campgrounds in Missouri doesn’t fully book out in advance. You’d never guess from the river’s edge, but Alley Spring Campground features at least 160 sites, ranging from $10 to $45 per night. It’s relatively easy to find an available site and book it online. The sites are nothing overwhelming, plots of grass with paved pull-throughs, surrounded by lots and lots of bushy, green trees. It feels wild and primitive, but there are lots of other campers nearby, electricity, water, and flush toilets in the bathrooms. Other than eating and sleeping, we didn’t spend much time around camp because there is just so much to do in the area. The water was what drew us in, so every moment of downtime was spent galavanting in or near the water. But the water is nothing short of freezing, so it’s good to have other activities planned for when it gets too cold to thaw out your toes.

Things to Do Nearby: Alley Spring, Caves, Hikes, and River Trails

Eminence and the surrounding Ozarks National Scenic Byway do feel remote, but there’s a shocking amount of things to do, especially outdoors. We even went to town for lunch one day at Dos Rios Mexican Grill and were stunned at how crowded the tiny town was, despite how quiet the campground was. The top Ozarks attraction is the area is Alley Mill, a historic red mill perched over the spectacular natural springs. Blue Spring is also about 25 miles from the campground. Additionally, kayaking and fishing are also quite popular, plus the surrounding Ozark National Scenic Riverway offers several dozen scenic hiking trails. Many of them lead to caves, springs, and Missouri waterfalls.

If you are looking for camping near the Ozark National Scenic Riverway, there are nine campgrounds along the 35-mile route. It’s fun to hop between them all to see all the different perspectives of this incredibly scenic area, but after seeing several others, the Alley Spring Campground, near the beginning of the route, was our favorite. Its convenient location, nearby towns, and endless natural attractions made it the perfect place to stay over and soak up the scenic eastern Missouri Ozarks. It may even be one of the best campgrounds in the U.S.