Camping in Moody, Missouri

The rural community of Moody, Missouri, is surrounded by rolling hills and farmlands. Visitors to the Moody area can enjoy a wide range of outdoor recreation from bass fishing in the deep waters of Norfork Lake to hiking in the vast wilderness of Mark Twain National Forest. Numerous campgrounds provide accommodations, including remote backcountry tent sites and full-hookup RV parks with all the modern comforts.

  1. Deep in the Forest

    • The Willow Springs Ranger District, about 45 minutes north of Moody, is one of nine separate tracts of land that comprise the 1.5 million-acre Mark Twain National Forest. Camping is available at the North Fork Recreation Area, which includes 20 densely wooded campsites with campfire rings, tent pads and picnic tables. One site has electricity. Drinking water and vault toilets are centrally located in the campground, and the campsites are open to tents and small trailers. Camping is first-come first-served, and no reservations are available. The North Fork Recreation Area provides fishing and canoeing access to the North Fork of the White River, a spring-fed stream with abundant populations of bass, trout and sunfish. The recreation area also serves as a trailhead on the 35-mile Ridge Runner National Recreation Trail, and several other trails are accessible in the area.

    On the Shores of Norfork Lake

    • Straddling the border between Missouri and Arkansas, Norfork Lake is a 22,000-acre man-made reservoir on the North Fork River. The lake is known for its fishing, with abundant populations of striped bass, smallmouth bass, walleye and crappie. A current Missouri fishing license is required to fish the Missouri portion of the lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates several parks and recreation areas along the shoreline with beaches, boat ramps, fishing access, picnic areas and campsites. The Tecumseh Campground, near the northernmost end of the lake, offers seven primitive campsites with access to drinking water, vault toilets and boat launch facilities. Hookups are not available, but the campground is open to both tents and RVs. The Corps of Engineers operates several additional campgrounds on the Arkansas side of the reservoir, including some with RV hookups.

    Quiet and Secluded

    • Rocky Top Campground and Cabins is about 30 minutes west of Moody, spanning 22 acres in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. Twenty tent and RV campsites are available with water and 20- to 30-amp electrical hookups. Each of the shady campsites includes a picnic table and rock fire pit. Modern restrooms, hot showers and an RV dumping station are nearby. If you prefer to have a roof over your head, Rocky Top also includes seven fully furnished rental cabins that sleep two to seven people. Recreation facilities include disc golf, playground equipment and a game room with a pool table and air hockey. Norfork Lake is five minutes away.

    Roughing It on the White River

    • Nestled along the banks of the North Fork of the White River just south of Mark Twain National Forest, the Patrick Bridge Access Site is a perfect destination for campers who want to get away from the crowds and conveniences of a major campground. Patrick Bridge includes 12 primitive campsites, available on a first-come, first-served basis, which include picnic tables, campfire rings and access to drinking water and restrooms. The site is primarily used as a fishing spot launch site on the river, and makes an ideal home base for campers who want to explore the water by canoe or kayak. The nearby Blair Bridge Access site provides a small campground with three similarly rustic campsites.