Pinewoods Lake Rec Area

About this campsite

Overview

Pinewoods Lake Recreation Area sits next to Pinewoods Lake in southeastern Missouri. It is an ideal location to enjoy lake fishing and scenic trails.

Recreation

A 1.3-mile walking trail surrounds the lake. Most of the trail has a concrete surface and is accessible. The entire trail is relatively flat, with no difficult sections. Circling the 32-acre lake, the trail provides views of the lake, songbirds and wildlife, and an abundance of wildflowers.

The lake offers a floating fishing pier and a concrete boat ramp. Anglers can enjoy fishing for bass, sunfish and catfish.

Facilities

The day-use picnic shelter can accommodate up to 75 people. It is equipped with tables and large grills. Accessible vault toilets are provided. Trash collection service is not available; visitors must carry out all garbage.

Natural Features

The lake is located on the southeastern quadrant of the Mark Twain National Forest. The area is densely wooded.

Nearby Attractions

Ellsinore is the closest city to the campground, just 3 miles away, with a few dining options, a grocery store and fuel station.

Location

PINEWOODS LAKE REC AREA•MO

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Weather Forecast

via Open-Meteo

FRI🌧️

22° / 16°

💧 99%

SAT☁️

22° / 15°

💧 6%

SUN☁️

28° / 13°

💧 4%

TODAY☀️

25° / 13°

—

TUE☁️

25° / 9°

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Nearby Campsites

within 50km

17.3 km away

MARKHAM SPRINGS

Overview Markham Springs Campground is set on the Black River in a scenic and historic recreation area in the southwestern corner of Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest. The area provides access to multiple trails and recreational opportunities. Markham Springs Recreation Area gets its name from former owner, M. J. Markham, who acquired the property in 1901 and operated a lumber mill at the site until the 1930s. The Fuchs House, a five-bedroom concrete and native stone home, also sits on the property, along with a neighboring mill. At times, it is also available for rent. Recreation River and stream fishing are popular activities near the campground. The Black River boasts bass, sunfish, walleye and catfish. Many anglers fish from boats, but others fish from the riverbanks. Canoeing and kayaking is also possible on the river. Various day hikes within the Markham Springs Trail System are accessible from the campground. Eagle Bluff Trail is a 1.5-mile loop along the river, where birding and wildlife viewing are favorite pastimes. Facilities The campground offers single and double sites for tent and RV camping. Some rather primitive sites are located in a wooded setting near the river. Electric hookups are provided, as well as tables and campfire rings with grills. Lantern posts are also available. Accessible vault toilets, drinking water, showers and trash collection are provided. Natural Features Located adjacent to the Black River, the recreation area contains a small pond that dates back to the 1800s. The area is covered by a dense forest of colorful trees, including ash, elm, maple and poplar. Nearby Attractions The small town of Williamsville is just 3 miles from the campground, offering a general store and fuel station.

17.3 km away

FUCHS HOUSE

Overview In the late 1930s, Rudolph Fuchs built a five bedroom concrete and native stone house for his family, and also built the present wheel house to produce electricity for his needs. Power was obtained by building a dam in a semi-circle below a large spring forming a small pond. The water was to pour through a chute on the wheel to produce electricity; however, electricity arrived to the site before the wheel ever needed to do its job. The area had an undershot wheel providing power to a grist mill in the late 19th century. Recreation The Black River boasts bass, sunfish, walleye and catfish. Many anglers fish from boats, but others fish from the riverbanks. Canoeing and kayaking is also possible on the river. Various day hikes within the Markham Springs Trail System are accessible from the campground. Eagle Bluff Trail is a one and a half mile loop along the river, where birding and wildlife viewing are favorite pastimes. The day use area has a two-acre, 20 foot deep mill pond that dates back to the 1800s, several picnic sites, open fields; river access for boating, fishing and float tubes and canoes; and short hiking trails that provide views of the river, the pond, the springs and the uplands. Facilities The house has two downstairs bedrooms with queen beds, a single bed and a shared bathroom. Upstairs has a bathroom and three bedrooms each with a bunk bed and twin bed. The kitchen comes fully furnished as well as all the other rooms; however, you must bring your own linens, pillows and towels. Natural Features Located adjacent to the Black River, the recreation area contains a small pond that dates back to the 1800s. The area is covered by a dense forest of colorful trees, including ash, elm, maple and poplar. Six springs pour almost five million gallons of water per day into the pond, and the bubble spring, a smaller outlet of Markham Spring outside of the pond that has air with it which rises in the soft sand forming unique air bubbles. Nearby Attractions The Fuchs House is located in the Markham Springs Recreation Area. Camping with both electric sites and primitive sites, day use, and pavilion rental is available. The town of Williamsville is three miles from the Fuchs House and offers a general store ad fuel station.

18.3 km away

Gooseneck Campground

Campground: Gooseneck Campground. Operated by NPS.

18.4 km away

BIG SPRING

Overview In the rolling, forested landscape of Big Spring, two of America's most beautiful spring-fed rivers combine to make up the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. As the first national park area to protect a wild river system, visitors have plenty of scenic water activities to enjoy as well as hiking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Recreation The Current River flows past the campground, offering excellent canoeing, tubing, swimming and fishing. Over 130 miles (209 km) of waterways exist within the park. Canoe and kayak rentals and outfitters can be found nearby. Several miles of hiking and horseback riding trails crisscross the region, include the Alley Overlook Trail, Chubb Hollow Trail, Ozark Trail, Cave Spring Trail and Big Springs Trail. Facilities This year-round campground has flush toilets and shower facilities available. Picnic tables, fire rings, and grills are provided. Roads and parking spurs are paved. Ranger-led campfire programs are offered in the campground amphitheater during summer months. Reservations are accepted for three different group picnic areas. Be sure to specify which picnic area you desire. Big Spring Group Picnic Site is at the spring; Peavine and Chubb Hollow are along the river. Natural Features The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is known for its caves, springs, sinkholes and losing streams, and features over 300 identified caves within its boundaries. The caves range in size from a rock overhang to almost seven miles of identified passages. Eight caves, including an open sinkhole, have been designated as outstanding natural features. The Ozark forest is mostly White oak and Shortleaf pine, Missouri's only native pine species. Along the rivers, Sycamore, Cottonwood, River birch and maples are common. Redbud and dogwoods are also abundant, putting on a spectacular show during most spring months. Contact Info This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (573) 323-4236. Nearby Attractions Scenic Big Spring is the largest freshwater spring in North America and produces an outflow of 280 million gallons a day. Round Spring Cave is nearby, with ranger-guided tours offered daily during summer months. Historic and picturesque Alley Mill and Alley Spring are also nearby. The mill is open daily in the summer and ranger-guided tours are available upon request.

22.8 km away

WATERCRESS

Overview ***Watercress sustained substantial damage to the pavilions during the 2017 flood, they are not reservable at this time, however the boat ramp is still open for public use.*** Watercress Campground lies on the banks one of the forest’s greatest treasures; the Current River. Floats on the river provide views of southeastern Missouri that otherwise can't be seen. The area is home to a variety of birds and wildlife and recreation opportunities are plentiful in the surrounding area. Recreation Boating and canoeing on the Current River, as well as on other nearby rivers, are popular activities. A boat ramp for both motorized and non-motorized boats is available on the east bank of the Current River. Anglers enjoy fishing for bass, walleye, sunfish and the occasional catfish. Big Spring, Missouri's largest spring, is just five miles from the campground. Hikers at Watercress area enjoy the Songbird Trail, a 1.2-mile loop that leads to Watercress Spring, passing remnants of Civil War-era earthwork that overlook the Current River. Facilities The campground offers 17 campsites for tent or RV camping and the sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Two group picnic shelters which can accommodate up to 75 people each are located alongside the river. Each is equipped with tables and grills. A seasonal trash collection dumpster is also available between April 1 and October 1 at the campground entrance. Natural Features Located within the town of Van Buren, the campground and day use area are adjacent to the Current River, which flows past scenic bluffs, springs, caves as it meanders through the Mark Twain National Forest toward Doniphan, MO. Nearby Attractions The campground is adjacent to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, which is a series of protected rivers in the area managed by the National Park Service. More information about the National Park Service sites can be found here .