Council Bluff Recreation Area

Mark Twain National Forest — lakeside, fishing

Location: Belgrade, MO, MO

Price: From $11 per night

Price range: $11–$22 per night

Rating: 3.6 out of 5 (35 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Council Bluff Recreation Area is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy the outdoors. The Wild Boar Campground and sheltered picnic area, available for individual families or large groups, is next to the largest lake in the Mark Twain National Forest. The area provides ample opportunities for camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, swimming and more.The Wild Boar Ridge Campground offers multiple single-family, large group and walk-in sites, available for tent and RV camping.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/council-bluff-recreation-area to be notified when sites open up.

Council Bluff Recreation Area offers camping next to the largest lake in Mark Twain National Forest with ample opportunities for fishing, boating, hiking, and swimming. Google reviewers praised the beautiful location and hiking trails, with a 4.2/5 rating from 87 reviews.

Wildlife alert: North American Mountain Lion, Wild Boar, White-tailed Deer, American Beaver, Green Heron, Wild Turkey, and Three-toed Box Turtle documented within 8km

Insider tips for Council Bluff Recreation Area: Book early — this is a popular federal campground All boats on the lake must operate at no-wake speed Basic tent camping is $10/night with additional fees for RV sites and parking

Skip Council Bluff Recreation Area if: You need full hookups — no hookups available at most sites; only suitable for self-contained RVs. You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only. You expect pristine facilities — Google reviews mention littering and vault toilet maintenance issues.

Best time to visit Council Bluff Recreation Area: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Red Bluff Campground (Viburnum, MO), Sutton Bluff Recreation Area (Salem, MO), Highway K (ANNAPOLIS, MO), Loggers Lake Campground (Bunker, MO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Council Bluff Recreation Area

Cell signal at Council Bluff Recreation Area (Belgrade, MO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›MO›Council Bluff Recreation Area
Council Bluff Recreation Area — photo 1
Council Bluff Recreation Area — photo 2
Council Bluff Recreation Area — photo 3
See all photos
Mark Twain National Forest — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Council Bluff Recreation Area

Share:
Belgrade, MO, MO★ 3.6 (35 reviews)From $11/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Council Bluff Recreation Area is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy the outdoors. The Wild Boar Campground and sheltered picnic area, available for individual families or large groups, is next to the largest lake in the Mark Twain National Forest. The area provides ample opportunities for camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, swimming and more.The Wild Boar Ridge Campground offers multiple single-family, large group and walk-in sites, available for tent and RV camping.

Best for:AnglersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresNot permitted
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowersBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsElectric Hookups

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need full hookups — no hookups available at most sites; only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only✕ You expect pristine facilities — Google reviews mention littering and vault toilet maintenance issues

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground

All boats on the lake must operate at no-wake speed

Basic tent camping is $10/night with additional fees for RV sites and parking

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: North American Mountain Lion, Wild Boar, White-tailed Deer, American Beaver, Green Heron, Wild Turkey, and Three-toed Box Turtle documented within 8km

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(573)766-5765· Mark Twain National Forest
Getting there →

From Potosi, take Highway P south for 10 miles to C Highway junction. Continue on C Highway for less than a mile to DD Highway junction. Turn left on DD Highway and continue for approximately 7 miles to the recreation area entrance.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Mark Twain National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Mark Twain National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Council Bluff Recreation Area cost per night?+
Council Bluff Recreation Area costs $11–$22 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Council Bluff Recreation Area open?+
Council Bluff Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Council Bluff Recreation Area have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Council Bluff Recreation Area?+
Council Bluff Recreation Area can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Council Bluff Recreation Area?+
Council Bluff Recreation Area is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Council Bluff Recreation Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Council Bluff Recreation Area is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Council Bluff Recreation Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Council Bluff Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$11 /night★ 3.6 (35)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Council Bluff Recreation Area cost per night?+
What season is Council Bluff Recreation Area open?+
Does Council Bluff Recreation Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Red Bluff Campground

Viburnum, MO

From $15/night

Sutton Bluff Recreation Area

Salem, MO

From $10/night

Highway K

ANNAPOLIS, MO

From $14/night

Loggers Lake Campground

Bunker, MO

From $15/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$11–22 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability