Need Some Help - Clear Water Streams Off Of I70

[mic]

I think this is a long shot, but I'm trying to find a public or private campground "about" half way between St. Louis and Kansas City with access to a "Ozark stream or river". I would like to introduce my sister and her family to some of the great Ozark offerings I've found off of I44. Any help would be appreicated, and thanks in advance.

[Brian Sloss]

You will need to go down I44 then. There are not any ozark streams in the Columbia area which is about half way. Rocheport is a neat Missouri rivertown just west of Columbia with neat B and Bs, a winery and a couple of good eateries. I have a friend who does river tours and guided catfishing out of his homemade boat. He can build you one too. www.missouriboatworks.com is his web site. Not an Ozark experience, but a good experience in its own right. You can probably camp there as well, but not sure. Contact Drew at that web site and he may be able to help you find a campground. I know there is one at Coopers Landing about a 20 minute drive from Rocheport, just don't know if there is one at Rocheport. Hope this helps.

[joeD]

Go to Chuck Tryon's "200 Smallmouth Adventures" book and look in the counties you desire. I wouldn't consider these "Ozark" streams, but...maybe they might suffice.

[Greasy B]

I think Cedar Creek offers some bass fishing, I'm not sure about access but it's in the 200 S.A. book. Cedar creek is just south east of Columbia. There is some National Forest land in the area but I'll bet it's all uplands.

[ozark trout fisher]

There are some streams in the Columbia area that have decent fishing, a few that even have a couple smallmouth. I really enjoy fishing some of them. But they aren't Ozark streams by any stretch, and if you're wanting to introduce someone to a beautiful Ozark creek they will disappoint. Not to be blunt, but the reality is that it's pretty bare cupboard as far as stream fishing goes in this area, unless you're willing to fish fairly polluted streams. You would really need to go further south, probably to the Osage drainage I'm afraid.

[eric1978]

Try the Maries. It's a ways south of 70, but you're not gonna find much "clear water" right along 70.

[moguy1973]

I'm guessing the Auxvasse creek is no good?

[Brian Sloss]

The Auxvasse creek is good for what it is. It has some nice bass and sunfish in it, but it is by no means an ozark stream in character and it is not a destination stream.

[Outside Bend]

Rendezvous around Lake of the Ozarks instead- about equidistant drive time between St. Louis and KC, and lots more opportunities. Saline Valley CA is close- typical Ozark stream, lots of public access, dunno if they allow camping or not but it'd be an easy day trip if you base camp in or around Osage Beach. Lots of other places in the area, and Bennett's close too.

[Al Agnew]

Nope, some of the streams just south of I-70 are nice enough in their own right, but they are not quite Ozark in character. None of them are very clear or fast, although there are some bluffs on some of them and some gravel bars in places. Your only real choice is to go south from Columbia and Jefferson City. The South Moreau, Tavern Creek, and Maries River are decent streams, fairly clear and marginally floatable.