JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 16, 2022 – Since 2019, campgrounds throughout the state have been closed because of major flood damage. But repairs and improvements have been made and sites have been cleared of debris, allowing campgrounds to reopen.
Once levee repairs were completed at Big Lake State Park, work began on getting campsites reopened. Thanks to park team members and the Missouri State Parks northern construction crews’ hard work cleaning and repairing the sites, the campground will be open starting May 16.
Two new liners have been installed at the lagoon in Big Lake State Park. The damage to the lagoon prevented any generation of wastewater at the facility, which in turn prevented any overnight camping guests. With the liners now in place, the lift stations will once again be operable, which will allow camping to return this season.
Campsites open and available for reservation include sites 1 through 8 (50-amp electric), sites 10 through 15 (30-amp electric) and sites 17 through 30 (30-amp electric). The camper cabins and all other campsites in the Big Lake State Park campground remain closed for repairs and upgrades. The north campground shower house and restroom facility will be available to campers. The freshwater fill-up and dump/clean-out station are also available for customer use.
Lewis and Clark State Park also suffered from the 2019 flood. Repairs to the levee protecting the park were completed in the fall 2021. Immediately after, work began on getting the campsites open. In addition to repairs, improvements have also been made, such as a new mobile shower house.
This campground will also be open for the season, including campsites 34 through 42 (30-amp electric) and sites 43 through 63 (50-amp electric). All other campsites in the Lewis and Clark State Park campground remain closed for repairs and upgrades. There is a temporary shower house and restroom facility available to campground patrons. The freshwater fill-up and dump/clean out station are also available for customer use.
“We are excited to have the campgrounds back in service again,” said David Kelly, director of Missouri State Parks. “These are just some of the many ongoing maintenance and repair projects happening across our state parks system.”
While reservations are strongly recommended due to limited capacity, they are not required. Reservations, including same day reservations, can be made by contacting the Reservation Call Center at 877-422-6766 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or by visiting icampmo.com.
Big Lake State Park is located at 204 Lake Shore Drive in Craig. For questions, contact the park at 660-771-6341. Lewis and Clark State Park is located at 801 Lake Crest Blvd. in Rushville. That park can be reached at 816-579-5564.
For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.