0
Pull-thru
USACEMark Twain Lake · Missouri
Frank Russell
Overview Frank Russell Campground, set near the picturesque Mark Twain Lake, has a location near the dam, providing campers with easy access to the lake, river and surrounding attractions.
Sites72all reservable
Elev.702ft
Comf.Mar-Nov9 months
Max rig88 ft
Electric7267×50-amp
From St. Louis2h38real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 702 ft, Frank Russell has a 9-month comfortable window (Mar-Nov). Winter nights average around 23°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 72 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Of the sites, 67 with 50-amp, and the longest takes a 88-ft rig. Within about 4 miles: lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and shade. Softest on roomy sites.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Nov
Mar-Nov
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
76%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Apr 9
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 29.
70°F
Average July low.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
St. Louis
125 mi
2h38
02
Kansas City
203 mi
3h57
03
Springfield
223 mi
4h28
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 5.2 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 72 SITES
Color byShow only
72 mapped sites · dot color = seclusion · click a dot for details. Basemap © OpenStreetMap.
0
Walk-in
67
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
72
Sites
★ The standout
Site 058
FRID.
To neighbor
140 ft
Max rig
76 ft
Type
Standard
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
98
Viewpoints
1
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
5.2 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.