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!.

Wow it has been a decade since I went back to Bennett spring state park. This place looks the same…read moreoverall, which is good. Who doesn't want fresh air and a break from the hustle and bustle of the major city. This place has great fishing. You can see plenty of people trout fishing and all the trouts swimming in the clear water. Nature at its finest. If you are ever near Lebanon Mo, I definitely recommend to visit this great place if you are a nature lover.

Do not come here for tent camping. These campgrounds are not hospitable for tent stakes. We bent 5…read morestakes and spent two hours trying to find a spot that would work at our sight (310). The ground is full of rocks and gravel. We saw some people that were able to pitch their tents, but they were few and far between. I'd say it was 95% RVs, 5% tents. Additionally, come to find out that our sight was right under electrical lines, which is not safe to sleep under, and on a curve with no barrier protection. So your choices are sleep under the lines or worry that an irresponsible driver is going to run you over. We talked to the supervisor on duty who gave us the option to switch to a different sight that they keep open for these situations or get a refund on one of the two days we reserved (there were no other sights available here or any other local campgrounds). Checking out the alternative sight, we found that is was basically all gravel with a small patch covered in leaves. Who knows what was under them but it wouldn't have been big enough for our tent. We sat for a moment to decide what we wanted to do and a woman in an RV next to us came over and we find out her friend had reserved the sight but couldn't make it so she cancelled. So the sup fibbed in telling us they keep one sight open. In the end, we had to turn around and drive the 3.5 hours home. They need to update their site to advise if a sight is not pitch-able for tent camping. Oh also, there were way too many people fishing. Apparently this place is crazy popular and there's a fisherman every 5 ft or so. Does not make for a good time.

Amazing pork tenderloin, will definitely get it again! Food came out fast and we had great service…read more They had pies/desserts and daily specials that aren't shown on the regular menu (as they change daily). Really great restaurant.

Camping here is GREAT! Dining out, eh... I had fried chicken strips and the breading had hardly…read moreANY flavor. The mac and cheese wasn't anything to write home about. Our server didn't even ask if we were interested in dessert before handing out our checks. Quite underwhelming, but not horrible.

We have been going to Bennett Springs for the last 6 years. Sadly the fishing was rather slow and…read morethe spring was not stocked very well. That is all due to them rebuilding the hatchery and what I would assume is happening is they are trucking in trout to stock the stream. They are making large improvements throughout the park and I hope that by next spring it will be completed.

Its a nice park, but not if you want peaceful fishing. It is so congested that there will be maybe…read more25 feet at most between people fishing, all along the river in the fishing zones. Then the current moves the line from the person upstream in front of you. Fishing is a mess. The park itself is nice.

Everything went well. Had all the formalities done up front and when we arrived everything was…read moreready to go. All we needed to do was register operators. They moved the boat from the hoist and made it ready for us to board. They went over some of the more basic rules. The pontoon we rented was a tri-hull. The boat was relatively new and everything worked well. I especially like the dept finder whereas we were suspect of shallow waters. Got our deposit back quickly. We also took a pull behind water tube for the kids. The staff was kind, friendly and very knowledgeable. When we returned the boat it was very easy.

Pirates Point for gas. Called ahead since it's out of season & the owner, Kent said he'd meet us…read moreto get gas. I called to let him know we were 15 minutes out & he was waiting for us at the dock! So much help. Pirates Point also offers rentals.

This is what my dream shop would look like! The selection of tying tools, materials, threads,…read morehooks, gorgeous fly reels and the biggest selection of fly rods I have seen in one shop. Best shop I have ever been in! If your a fly shop junkie like I am, don't pass up the opportunity to stop in if your in the area. M.P.

I have to agree with the previous reviewer. I am a fly fishing junky and stop at most fly shops I…read morehappen to be near. This is quite possibly the greatest fly shop on earth. The selection is eclectic. You will see stuff here that you will not see anywhere else. Charlie will talk your ear off if you ask for help. He is incredibly knowledgeable.

We want to thank James and staff for making our stay the best RV camping experience we have had so…read morefar. We are in our RV, on our way from California to Chicago to visit family. We found Gasconade Hills Resort on the RVLife app. We pulled up at about 5:15 PM and called the phone listed. James showed up within a couple of minutes to check us in. We did not have prior reservations so we were able to drive around to pick a spot we preferred. We set up quickly and were able to enjoy the very clean, nice size pool. The bathrooms at the pool were also very clean. Afterwards, we decided to order pizza and although it was very close to closing time, James took our order and delivered to our camping site. WE LOVED IT HERE! Can't say enough good things about it. Wish we had time to do the river floats. We are already planning to come back and stay for a few days.

Came here for a mid-week float trip. Very quiet & well kept resort, everything extremely clean. We…read morestayed in a cabin, which had everything you need to cook nice meals, freshly washed linens & extra blankets. Beds are full size cots, which are uncomfortable but is in line with the camping experience. Went on the 6 mile float trip, our first time doing a canoe & taking our dog. Very relaxing river, only had 1 dicey moment with some tree branches. Saw bald eagle nests, & a bald eagle fishing in the river right in front of us. Met great people on our trip, great convos. We had lunch on a rocky beach. The beavers running around the property were funny to watch. Had a great time, very relaxing. Highly recommend, would come back.