Appendix Passage, The Campsites. Missouri: Alley Springs Campground, NSR. A Wayƒarer′s (CRS)

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The Alley Springs Campground, Ozark NSR, Missouri

The Campsite

Alley Springs Campground, Ozark National Scenic Riverways

The campground is located on Missouri highway 106 between Eminence and Summerville at the bridge over the Jacks Fork River on the south bank.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways is the first national park area to protect a river system. Both the Current River and Jacks Fork River are two of the finest floating rivers you will find anywhere. Spring-fed, cold and clear they are a delight to canoe, swim, boat or fish.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways (37.1907, -91.2763)

The Ozark National Scenic Riverway is a recreational unit of the National Park Service in the Ozarks of southern Missouri in the United States.

The park was created by an Act of Congress in 1964 to protect the Current and Jacks Fork rivers, and it was formally dedicated in 1971. The park's 80,000 acres (324 km2) are used for many forms of recreation and are home to abundant animal and plant species. 1.3 million recreational visits are estimated annually. Canoeing is one of the most popular activities. Kayaking and inflatable rafts and tubes add to the volume of river floaters. Motorized boating with jonboats is also a popular activity of locals and nearby Missourians. Other activities include horseback riding, hunting, hiking, fishing, camping, birdwatching, nature photography, and sightseeing.

The park service promotes the Current River as one of the midwest's best float streams, in part due to the contributions of some of the nation's largest springs. The headwaters of the Current River begin at the confluence of Pigeon Creek and Montauk Springs in Montauk State Park. Other notable springs along its course include Welch Spring, Cave Spring, Pulltite Spring, Round Spring, Fire Hydrant Spring, Ebb and Flow Spring, Blue Spring, Big Spring, and Gravel Spring. The park contains the United States' largest concentration of first magnitude springs (which are defined as having average flow of more than 100 cu ft/s (2.8 m3/s)) in dolomite rock. The only comparable spring collections are the limestone springs of North Florida near Gainesville and the igneous-based springs of Idaho's Snake River.

Description:

The park includes many caves, including Round Spring Caverns, which offers ranger-led tours in the summer. Other notable caves include the Devils Well sink and Jam-Up Cave.

The park is traversed by the Ozark Trail, a popular long-distance hiking trail that passes Rocky Falls and crosses the Current River on Highway 106 at Powder Mill.

The park has resident feral horses and elk have been reintroduced on state lands nearby and are expected to eventually populate the park.

Historic sites include Alley Spring and Alley Spring Roller Mill, Buttin Rock School, Walter Klepzig Mill and Farm, Reed Log House, Welch Hospital and many CCC structures at Big Spring.

The Mountage Passage, The Modern Man The Campsites: Missouri: The Alley Springs Park

(m0maps-us-camp-mo-alleysprings) The Alley Springs Park Campground

The Ozark Trail

Managing Organization: National Parks Service

Coordinates: 37.1483824, -91.4498598

Elevation: 679 feet

Hours: Open year round

The Amenities

Onsite:

The Alley Springs Campground has one of the newest hot shower facility in the National Parks Service, being just completed during the summer-fall of 2017.

Nearby:

Ozark National Scenic Riverway is home to both the Current river and Jacks Fork river, but the park is also home to hundreds of freshwater springs, caves, trails and historic sites such as Alley Mill.

The Camping

General Information:

The Alley Springs Campground is found in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways on the bank of the Jacks Fork River, which is a tributary of the Current River in Missouri.

Alley Springs Campground is managed by the National Parks Services Headquarters located in Van Buren, Missouri.

Federal Parks Passes:

Include: Access, Annual, Gold Star, Military, Senior, Veterans and Volunteer.

Benefits: All Federal Parks Passes covers entrance fees at lands managed by: National Parks Services (NP) and US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS). Also, a Federal Park pass will cover standard amenity fees (Day Use Fee) at lands managed by: the National Forest Service (NF), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation (BR) and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Alley Spring Campground:

Park Seasons:

Regular Season:

16 April to 15 October

All Loop Water Spigots: Turned on

All Loop Restrooms: Full Operation

Restroom/Shower House: Full Operation

Winter (Off) Season:

16 October to 15 April

Restroom/Shower House: Limited Operation

All Loop Restrooms: Closed/Locked

Water Spigots available only at Restroom/Shower House

All Loop Water Spigots: Turned Off

Fees/Permits:

Entrance Fees:

Free

Reservation Fee:

$3.00 at reservations.gov

7 days advance reservations required

Most, but not all sites are reservable

Camping Fees:

Federal Parks Pass Holders

Pass Holders receive Half Off Camping Fees on Standard Sites Only

Standard Electric Sites: 26 sites

Regular Season: $ 30.00

Winter Season: $ 20.00

Standard Non-Electric Tent Sites: 100 sites

Regular Season: $ 20.00

Winter Season: $ 10.00

Cluster Sites: (7-20 people, 4 vehicles)

Regular Season: $ 45.00

Winter Season: $ 10.00

Group Sites: (7-45 people, unlimited people, vehicles as space allows)

Regular Season: $ 140.00

Winter Season: $ 50.00

Campground Includes:

Loops:

The Alley Sprigs campground has nine campsite loops

All campsites have a fire grill-pit, picnic table, and lantern post

Each Loop has a restroom with flush toilets

Each Loop Restroom has an outside water spigot.

Loop 600 RV Campsites

Loop Six (hundred) has 26 RV campsites.

Sites have 20/30/50 amp electric and water hookups but no sewer hookups.

Rest rooms have flush toilets and hot showers.

Campground:

Campground has trash dumpsters, concessionaire store and a dump station.

The 2026 Journey, Alley Springs Campground

Sunday, 12 April 2026, Ozark, Missouri.

(Day 791 TS) 65°F. 7:00 am, overcast

Journey On™, Day 57

At about eleven-twenty this morning, I pack out of the cafe, leave north out of Ozark, Missouri on US 65 and drive back to the southeast corner of Springfield where I then take the entrance to eastbound US 60 and begin a two hour long drive of over 125 miles to my next stop on this journey, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways campground of Alley Springs. I selected this campground because in 2027, I had stopped here and was impressed by it having a nice hot shower.

Upon arriving in the campground, I drive first to the shower house, park, walk up to the building and check to see if it is open. I find that about half of the doors are open, so I grab my shower bag and go into one shower room and get into the medium hot water. Immediately after my shower, I drive to my campsite and plug my electrical into the receptacle and change my inside wires to run on the outside electrical connection rather that my 12 volt battery. Next, I take a couple of photographs of the campsite and then have something to eat.

(m4camp-06-mo-alleysprings-2026-0412.1630) Jammer at the River Camp

(m4camp-06-mo-alleysprings-2026-0412.1631) Jammer at the River Camp

(m4camp-06-mo-alleysprings-2026-0412.1952) Sunset at the River Camp

Conical Billed Song Birds American Goldfinch

(m3an-chb-soco-150am-2026-0413.1418) Goldfinches at the River Camp

Monday, 13 April 2026, Eminence, Missouri.

(Day 792 TS) 50°F. 6:30 am, sunny

Journey On™, Day 58

Awake, arise, unplug my electrical cord and then drive to the restroom, which is about 150 yards, as the bird flies, but closer to 300 yard by car and so, I must needs get into the drivers seat, start the jammer engine and proceed to take care of my morning call. As I am walking back out to the jammer, I see that the only other RV in the park has also driven here and the man asks me, Are not there toilets here, All I see are shower rooms.? I answer, Yes, the mens toilet is all the way around on the back side of the building. He thanks me and then walks to the back of the building. When I turn to get into the jammer, I see that the sunglow is now on the eastern horizon, and pause to take a photo.

(m4camp-06-mo-alleysprings-2026-0413.0642) Sunrise at the River Camp

Then, I, get into the jammer to return to my campsite but decide to drive first to the river for a photograph here as well.

(m4camp-06-mo-alleysprings-2026-0413.0646) Sunrise at the River

Finally, I drive back to the campsite to begin my daily routine.

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This Page Last Updated: 31 August 2026

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