If you’re looking for an affordable and surprisingly convenient place for camping on Route 66, Baxter Springs Campground ended up being one of the most memorable stops of our trip. We stayed here for 6 nights during our Route 66 travels and used it as a spoke-and-wheel style basecamp to explore towns all across the Kansas-Missouri-Oklahoma tri-state area, including Galena, Joplin, Carthage, and Miami. What we found was a very local, small-town kind of campground with friendly people, laid back vibes, and the kind of hospitality that made us feel genuinely welcome.
This Baxter Springs Kansas campground definitely feels more like camping in a city park than a traditional RV resort, but that’s honestly part of the charm. Between the cheap full hook-up sites, quiet nights, riverfront setting, and easy access to Route 66 attractions, it worked out really well as a long stay spot while road tripping through the area. In this guide, we’re sharing everything you need to know about camping at Baxter Springs Campground, including how to camp here, campground amenities, nearby things to do, and our full honest review after nearly a week staying here in our RV.
About Baxter Springs Campground & How to Camp There
If you’re road tripping down Route 66 through southeast Kansas, Baxter Springs Campground is one of those simple little stops that makes travel days easier. This city-run campground sits right in town and is split into two sections on either side of the highway, giving it more of a practical overnight-stop feel than a secluded nature campground. Still, it’s quiet, convenient, and surprisingly affordable, especially if you’re traveling in an RV full time like we are.
Camping here is first come, first served, with no reservations available. Water and electric sites cost just $15 per night, while full hook-up sites are $20 per night, making this one of the cheapest full hook-up campgrounds we’ve stayed at on Route 66. There’s a 72-hour stay limit unless you get approval from the ranger. The campground has a dump station, port-a-potties, and picnic table.
The check-in process is pretty laid back too. You simply grab an open site, and later on a ranger or local police officer will come by to register you. Payment can be made by cash or check, which definitely gives the campground a small-town, old-school feel.
Things to Do at Baxter Springs Campground
One of the best parts about Baxter Springs Campground is that it’s more than just a place to park for the night. The campground sits along the river, so there are opportunities for boating and fishing if you want to spend some time outside instead of just using it as a quick overnight stop. There’s also a boat launch right at the park, which makes it convenient for anyone traveling with kayaks or a small boat.
The campground also has a disc golf course, plus a playground for kids. And if you walk across the street, there’s an even bigger and nicer playground along with basketball courts. We always appreciate campgrounds that give you somewhere to stretch your legs after a long drive day, and this park definitely has more amenities than we expected for the price.
Our Review of Baxter Springs Campground
Our first impression of Baxter Springs Campground was honestly a little hard to figure out. It feels less like a traditional campground and more like you’re just camping right in the middle of a city park. The campground itself is pretty small, and parts of it definitely show some wear. At first, we weren’t quite sure what the vibe was going to be.
But the longer we stayed, the more we ended up liking it.
Even though some areas of the park feel older, there are also newer additions that show the town is still investing in it. The disc golf course looked pretty freshly installed with nice tees and signs, and the other side of the park near the playground felt newer and well maintained too. We actually ended up playing several of the disc golf holes on the campground side of the highway, and it was a genuinely fun course with creative features like a hanging basket.
Almost immediately after we pulled in, a Jeep came driving into the campground behind us. It turned out to be the local police officer who also acts as the campground ranger. He got us registered, and when we asked about staying longer than the normal 72-hour limit, he hesitated a little at first but eventually approved it. Throughout the week he checked in on us a few times and was always extremely friendly.
There was definitely a decent amount of daytime traffic coming through the park, but we always felt safe and comfortable there. Honestly, most nights it was surprisingly quiet. When we first arrived, there was a group of guys wrapping up a fishing trip, and after that there were only one or two other campers who stayed a night here and there. Most of the week, we basically had the campground to ourselves.
One thing we kept hearing from locals was people referring to it as camping “down by the river,” and everyone we talked to seemed genuinely fond of the park. That pretty much matched our experience with Baxter Springs in general. We ended up really liking the town and met friendly locals everywhere we went.
The only stressful part of our stay came during a stormy night when severe weather and possible tornadoes were moving through the area. We spent most of the day monitoring the forecast, and early in the evening the ranger stopped by to let us know that if we needed shelter, we should head to the fire department since there aren’t storm shelters in the campground. Later that night, once the rain really picked up, a county sheriff came through and told us the river was rising and recommended that we move.
Even though the river didn’t look especially concerning at the time, we figured the locals would know best, so we packed up and moved down the road to Downstream Casino Resort RV Park for the night. When we came back the next morning, the river had barely risen and we probably would have been totally fine staying put, but we’ll always choose trusting local advice over taking chances during severe weather.
Things to Do Near Baxter Springs, Kansas
If you’re using Baxter Springs Campground as a base for exploring Route 66, there’s actually quite a bit to see nearby. During our stay, we explored several classic Route 66 stops around Baxter Springs, including the Baxter Springs Heritage Center & Museum, vintage gas stations, murals, and fun roadside photo ops around town. Baxter Springs has a lot more Route 66 history and charm than we expected before arriving.
It’s also an easy jumping-off point for exploring some of the most famous Route 66 towns in the region. Nearby places like Galena, Joplin, Carthage, and Miami all make great day trips filled with classic diners, restored neon signs, quirky roadside attractions, and historic Route 66 landmarks. If you want to see everything we explored in the area, check out our full Route 66 trip recap for all our favorite stops nearby.
Unique Stops on Route 66 in the Kansas–Missouri–Oklahoma Tri-State
