4.39337 reviewsSelect a month, then check for open campsites
Price
$24 - $30/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
67 campsites
Season
Season Opens: March ...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Select a month, then check for open campsites
Price
$24 - $30/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
67 campsites
Season
Season Opens: March ...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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20642 HIGHWAY J
Equestrians, anglers after crappie and white bass, or RVers who want spacious pads with full hookups at $24-30 a night. Fall weekends after Labor Day hit the sweet spot: foliage, fewer crowds, and bald eagles over the water. Site 60 gets consistent praise for privacy.
Tick sensitivity is a serious concern here, multiple reviewers report ticks on boots just walking to the truck. Tent campers also face shaded-site scarcity in summer heat, steep rocky lake access, and restroom cleanliness that swings badly depending on the week.
Context for the broader area surrounding Frank Russell, sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.
Offers a blend of picturesque natural resources and modern recreation facilities to suit everyone. Three campgrounds boast shaded full hookup and electrical sites. The 18, 600 acres of water has a reputation as a great crappie and bass lake. Just 30 minutes from historical Hannibal, Mo (hometown of Mark Twain). Clarence Cannon Dam features a power plant display. The David C. Berti Shooting Range is located below the dam in the Warren G. See South Spillway. Northeast Missouri offers visitors an abundance of diverse recreational possibilities.
Located 28 miles southwest of historic Hannibal, MO and 120 miles northwest of St. Louis, MO.
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Best season: fall. Fall offers the best combination of comfortable weather, vivid foliage, and quieter campsites — daytime highs typically range from the mid-50s to mid-70s°F (12–24°C) with cool nights in the 30s–50s°F (2–10°C). Trails through the rolling bluffs and woodlands are at their most scenic for hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing, and fishing remains productive as lake activity calms. Crowd levels drop from summer peaks, especially after Labor Day, making September and October ideal for a relaxed lakes‑ Peak months: October, September, May, April Avoid: November, December, January, February
Fall is described as most reliable; foliage peaks Sept–Oct and crowds thin afterward.
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Frank Russell Campground is well-equipped with amenities that cater to a wide range of camping needs. "Campsites are equipped with electric hookups, paved parking, grills, and picnic tables." Other amenities mentioned include showers, playgrounds, vault toilets, a dump station, horse corrals, and trailheads. User reviews highlight mixed experiences regarding the amenities, with some praising clean shower facilities and hot water, while others mention issues with bathroom cleanliness and the removal of smaller bathrooms along the loops. A user noted, "Free showers! Quiet and peaceful." Another user pointed out, "The restroom and showers were not clean - very dirty."
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