Sutton Bluff Recreation Area

Mark Twain National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Salem, MO, MO

Price: From $10 per night

Price range: $10–$40 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (101 reviews)

Season: May through October

Roomy campsites surrounded by open lawn and natural shading, cool breezes, abundant songbirds and scenic views all await visitors at the Sutton Bluff Recreation Area. The campground is a popular site for those using the nearby designated Sutton Bluff off-road vehicle trails. The small mining town of Centerville is located roughly six miles from the campground.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Electric Hookups, Fishing

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

Roomy campsites with natural shading and scenic views in Mark Twain National Forest. Popular for off-road vehicle trails and the Ozark Trail backpacking route, with amenities including flush toilets, showers, drinking water, and fishing access.

Wildlife alert: Southern Flying Squirrel, Hoary Bat, Eastern Chipmunk, American Goldfinch, Orchard Oriole, Red-eyed Vireo, American Redstart, Three-toed Box Turtle, Ringneck Snake, Western Ratsnake

Insider tips for Sutton Bluff Recreation Area: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand Use paved routes to access campground; avoid dirt roads like Dirt River Road Off-road vehicle permits are required; a 20-mile designated trail is accessible from the campground

Skip Sutton Bluff Recreation Area if: You need water or sewer hookups — only select sites have electric hookups, no water/sewer available. You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only. You prefer quieter camping away from 4-wheel vehicle activity.

Best time to visit Sutton Bluff Recreation Area: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Loggers Lake Campground (Bunker, MO), Council Bluff Recreation Area (Belgrade, MO), Highway K (ANNAPOLIS, MO), Bluff View(Clearwater Lake) (PIEDMONT, MO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Sutton Bluff Recreation Area

Cell signal at Sutton Bluff Recreation Area (Salem, 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.

CamperWatchMOSutton Bluff Recreation Area
Sutton Bluff Recreation Area — photo 1
Mark Twain National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Sutton Bluff Recreation Area

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Salem, MO, MO4 (101 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Roomy campsites surrounded by open lawn and natural shading, cool breezes, abundant songbirds and scenic views all await visitors at the Sutton Bluff Recreation Area. The campground is a popular site for those using the nearby designated Sutton Bluff off-road vehicle trails. The small mining town of Centerville is located roughly six miles from the campground.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife 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 RV76 ft
Hookups14 electric sites
ADA sites34 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowers
Family & Pets
Flush 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 water or sewer hookups — only select sites have electric hookups, no water/sewer availableYou're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations onlyYou prefer quieter camping away from 4-wheel vehicle activity

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand

Use paved routes to access campground; avoid dirt roads like Dirt River Road

Off-road vehicle permits are required; a 20-mile designated trail is accessible from the campground

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months 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: Southern Flying Squirrel, Hoary Bat, Eastern Chipmunk, American Goldfinch, Orchard Oriole, Red-eyed Vireo, American Redstart, Three-toed Box Turtle, Ringneck Snake, Western Ratsnake

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
573-729-6656· Mark Twain National Forest
Getting there →

From Centerville, Missouri, travel 3 miles northeast on Highway 21. Take County Road 907 northwest for 7 miles, then turn on County Road 849 and travel south for 3 miles to the campground.

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 Sutton Bluff Recreation Area cost per night?+
Sutton Bluff Recreation Area costs $10–$40 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Sutton Bluff Recreation Area open?+
Sutton Bluff Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Sutton Bluff Recreation Area have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Sutton Bluff Recreation Area?+
Sutton Bluff Recreation Area can accommodate RVs up to 76 feet.
How do I make reservations at Sutton Bluff Recreation Area?+
Sutton 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 Sutton Bluff Recreation Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Sutton 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 Sutton Bluff Recreation Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Sutton Bluff Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Data sources on this page
Recreation.govLive site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather ServiceLive hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality APILive AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalistResearch-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen APIToday’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband MapVerizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.orgSunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street ViewCampground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDBADA 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.

$10 /night4 (101)
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 Sutton Bluff Recreation Area cost per night?+
What season is Sutton Bluff Recreation Area open?+
Does Sutton Bluff Recreation Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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