I had such a lovely time hiking here! Beautiful nature and great trails! Just know that summertime…read morebrings a plethora of ticks. Prepare dutifully, friends.

We reserved a 50 amp electric only camp site (the ones with water hookups were already reserved)…read morefor two nights at the Pittsburg campground. We initially ended up at the Hermitage campground (after dark pulling a 38' fifth wheel) and couldn't find out spot. There was a park ranger that was driving around and lead us to the Pittsburg site and we were thankful for his assistance. Filling the fifth wheel with water was easy as the water supply was located in a large area near the entry. Check in was a breeze as it was done with your mobile. I do wish the campsite itself was longer and had more parking. The site barely fit the fifth wheel and truck on the paved area and there's no parking in the grass, so we had to park our second vehicle near the entrance with available parking. Backing in a fifth wheel in a pitch-black campsite is always fun, but thankfully it only took 1 try. The site had a covered picnic table and lots of shade which was nice. Out site was a bit far from the bathhouse so it was a trek to shower/use facilities. We used the camper most of the time, but without water hookup, tried to use the water in the tank more sparingly for dishes and cooking. There was a nice little playground area with equipment for the kiddos. The beach was nice sized and some had trees so you didn't burn up in the sun. If you hit the beach, bring water shoes because it's very rocky and they are sharp. For $25 a night, I was satisfied with the campground and enjoyed the time with my family.

We had a great time at NRO. We saw hummingbirds on the porch by check-in. We liked that we got two…read morenights free primitive camping with purchase of a float. We stayed Saturday and Sunday night over Memorial Day weekend. We had great weather. We also were able to bring our dog and he did great floating. Our two year old loved it, as well. Our raft was great. We liked that we could purchase fire wood at the shop. I gave four stars rather than five because there could be room for improvement. The campsite picnic table was a little old and flimsy, so basically we used it to set things on but sat on our lawn chairs instead. Not the campsite's fault but there was a very noisy motorcycle that drove through the campsite at 4am waking everybody up. Also, we knew ahead of time it was party central in campground A so we knew what to expect and stayed away. We found a nice spot away from the partying. Just be prepared to see a little craziness floating. Overall, we had a good experience. My son liked riding the busses to and from floating!

Niangua River Oasis is one of the closer float trip options for anyone living in Kansas City. It's…read morea little bit of a drive to get to, but this is a place where I've had a lot of fun. Beware of the turn off from MO 64 and the gravel road you have to take to get to it as traffic can be fast and people drive crazy. It's pretty well signed so you won't have much trouble finding it. Also there is a VERY STEEP hill that you have to go down to get to the office and the riverfront. Very Important Note: GLASS is BANNED by Missouri State Law on the River. (Not the capmground though.) Plan Accordingly. Float Trips: NRO has several options of canoes / rafts to choose from. Classic Aluminum Grumman / Osagian canoes, 4 and 6 person rafts, kayaks (which are a blast), and yes they offer private shuttles if you have your own canoe or kayak. NRO used to offer 3 different float lengths but they have stopped offering the float that puts in above Bennett Springs. They now offer just two floats, NRO to Rendezvous Point which takes about 4 hours, and NRO to Oldham's Riverview which is pretty much an all day float. The longer float has less rapids and more deep pool areas if you want to spend a little more time just letting the current carry you. The NRO to Rendezvous Point float has rapids, deep pools, and is not the same from year to year as the river changes it's course in some spots. Pickup after your float is usually prompt, and you ride back in big yellow former school buses that will make some of you glad you're not in school anymore! Camping: Yes they offer nice but expensive cabins. I've tried them, it's not for me. The fun is in the campgrounds. A CAUTION for parents: The campgrounds especially on the weekend often turns into a big party atmosphere. It can be a problem if you want the kids to sleep. If you want a quiet camping experience especially on weekends you might want to look elsewhere. Showers: The showers aren't bad, the hot water keeps up with demand. The problem is they don't always have enough shower stalls to meet the demand so sometimes you have to wait. Camp Store / Office: They have basics, a few odds and end fishing and expensive camping supplies, ice, and firewood. Service can range from friendly to surly. Don't be an idiot, you won't get treated like one. Law Enforcement: The Dallas County Sheriff, MO Highway Patrol and MO Water Patrol, along with Conservation Agents patrol NRO's campgrounds. They have set up checkpoints on the water to look for underage drinking or other indulgences. They operate "waterjet boats", give them 2 inches of water and they can travel upstream without fuss. For the most part they won't give you trouble, but there have been occasions where they have a seriously bad attitude. If you encounter this make sure and contact the appropriate agency and complain when you get home. Summary: $40 will get you a wonderful day on the water that you will enjoy. Don't forget the sunscreen, that Ozarks sun will sneak up on you after spending 4 hours on the water. A sunburn while riding in a bouncy school bus heading back to camp is no fun!.

Harry S. Truman State Park. Clear waters, dramatic bluffs and vibrant summer and fall colors make…read moreHarry S Truman State Park an ideal place to vacation. Located on a peninsula, the park offers a marina, ample fishing and boating opportunities, and water that's perfect for every kind of swimmer. Hiking trails, picnic areasand campsites dot the park's open oak woodlands and provide a home for abundant wildlife. Info came from www.mostateparks.com

Recommend that you DO NOT RENT ANY BOATS from the ricks now running the Truman State Park Marina,…read morewho LIED to us about the terms of the renting agreement that they stated on telephone conversations. Notice no price information listed anywhere on website. Do not leave a deposit, do not use a credit card, but if you decide to anyways, GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING FIRST. Charged us for the max 8 hours when we requested 4 hours, and LIED about what boats were available (even LIED about how much gas we supposedly used.) The Truman State Park Marina management needs to be investigated by the State of Missouri in my opinion.

Nice and peaceful, just wondering if the mercury level is good to fish for?…read moreThere are lots of places to jog from. and plenty of shade and great people.

Beautiful walking trails. Many different routes to take. Definitely for beginners. Lake are…read moreextremely peaceful. Nice place for a picnic!

Katy Allen Lake is a nice little stop in Nevada. We picnicked there after grabbing burgers from the…read moreWhite Grill, and liked the overall vibe well enough. There are picnic tables and one shelter (that I noticed) and it all seemed pretty well kept. There's also a gravel dam that looks like you can go for a walk around the lake. It seems like it's a popular spot for fishing, as we saw a handful of fishermen during lunch hour. The water from this used to be used to refill steam locomotive boilers for the famous MKT (Missouri-Kansas-Texas, known at the Katy) train line that passed through here, and gives the park its name. All in all, we needed somewhere relaxing and outdoors and this was a great fit for it!

Staff was very friendly. Can get multiple kinds of vessels, they have food for the fish and vast…read moreparking. Although it is a hill so will have to carry your items to the car

Me and my church family got kicked out due almost 12 am because they didn't like our skin color…read morethey don't not tell us why we were being kicked out they just said it was over our heads. Save your time and money P.S Their "DEFFENBAUGH"

I will say that the fishing here is great but the playground is not. If you're a fisherman like…read moreme, you would love this place as I myself have caught tons of fish and even quite a few turtles. I will say, though the playground is almost nonexistent, so this is not the best place to go with kids. Obviously not a problem for me, but for the little kids, I would go to a different park. Other than that, the park is very crowded and very nice.

Grossest bathrooms. We are on a cross country driving trip. Stopped for a picnic driving break. No…read morewaterfalls, lots of goose poop, most unclean bathrooms ever. No way I'd let my kids play here.

The campground hosts are awesome. Campgrounds are beautiful with woods and the lake... well cared…read morefor (only downside is no water hookup on each site, but water is available to fill rv tank). Don't do the buffet at the marina cafeteria. It was disgusting and ridiculously priced for what you get (hard as a rock fried chicken). Service was good at my table, but friends who ate there just before us had zero service. They had to go find a waitress to get water. I heard that the food was better from the menu.

This restaurant is not well advertised, but it's the only game in town in terms of dining on the…read morewater: drive up in your car or boat. Stick with the standard fare: burgers & fries. The salad bar is iceberg lettuce. Nice seating out on dock area. Really good service. Wine & beer available.