Bennett Spring State Park

If you are a fly fisherman, you absolutely must visit this park. They have restricted, segregated fishing in the streams at this park. Some are strictly catch & release. There are cabins, some quite close to the fishing. The campground is small, compact, modern, virtually treeless, well maintained, and strictly managed. It has a single heated restroom and shower. I stayed one night here prior to floating the Niangua River. We were allowed to leave our vehicles in the parking lot next to the boat ramp. It was perfect!

I have been going here since my mom was pregnant with me. We haven't missed but 1 or 2 years. It's such a great place for people to learn to fly fish as well.

Modifying my last review where this time I got to enter the park, Park is great for different activities such as fishing swimming hiking, I stayed there for an hour as it was on my way! Beautiful nature and amazing scenery, I recommend visiting!

Consider this a solid 4.5 🌟, only knocking off a half star due to the construction project, down at the hatchery pools. The staff and campground host made this a lovely experience. I stayed overnight in campground 300 loop and it was quiet and so peaceful. Granted, I was there mid week but my specific site was level and spacious; I'll be booking it, again. The grounds were well kept and the restroom was clean.

I've been coming to Bennett Springs since 1978. Everything there is so peaceful. And fly fishing ain't bad either

Large large beautiful state park. Lots of campsites to choose from. Of course the water is crystal clear and you can see the dozens and dozens of fish ready to be caught.

Bennett Springs is one of the most beautiful natural springs in Missouri. The trout fishing is just amazing! One of my favorite places to visit.

This is a great park. Great fishing and picnicking. The breeze off cool water feels like outdoor air conditioning in the summer. Beautiful and well maintained.

Do not come here for tent camping. These campgrounds are not hospitable for tent stakes. We bent 5 stakes 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.

Wow it has been a decade since I went back to Bennett spring state park. This place looks the same overall, 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.

We have been here more than twice and enjoyed. This trip was a disappointment. The construction of the fish hatchery seems to have lost folks interest in trout fishing, including ours. Also, we needed a 1lb propane canister and AAA batteries which the camp store does not stock, nor anywhere else close. Trips to Lebanon aren't usually a favorite pastime. Won't be back until next year after construction is complete.

We enjoyed a brief stay in a cabin this week and it was nice for a getaway. The booking and check in process was easy. (Although, very few guests were masked up and no staff as far as I could tell.) Because of Covid, the dishes and small appliances had been removed from the kitchen. That was known upfront, so it was expected, although it did surprise me that no discount was offered (the pool was also unavailable.) The cabin was rustic and tidy - with housekeeping included in the cost. The trails were well maintained and the nature center was a fun way to get a break in the A/C for a little while. If you're interested in trout fishing, this is the place for you. We waded in the river instead and enjoyed the time on the banks. There is a small shop for essentials, although we packed food and drinks. If you're looking for something different from the Lake, this is a good low-key option.

Not my favorite state park so far. I've been to a few, and although this places has a ton of amenities, I feel like it is capitalizing on every aspect as often as possible. You would think that swimming would at least come with a purchase of a campsite... Campsites are very limited for basic site campers who simply want to pitch a tent (Literally four sites available). Despite the fact that they don't look too terrible, they're right next to each other in a crowded string of campers. The park includes a playground, plenty of places to fish, as well as a store and a restaurant. As far as the restaurant goes, I was less than impressed. You're definitely better off packing your own food. It's not that it's terrible, it's just that it's certainly not worth the high prices they charge. It was my assumption that the rainbow trout would be a bit cheaper since they just have to go to their backyard to stock up. $14.99 isn't the worst price, and probably worth it since its fresh, but I feel weird paying anything over $9.99 for something of that nature. They offer a (One Trip) salad bar with the purchase of any entree (An average of $10 a meal). The quality of which is comparable to your local buffet. Though, if paying more for this buffet quality somehow makes you feel better, you'll be sure to enjoy! Not the best customer service either. When we came to the Park Office to get our Centennial book passport stamped, they acted as if we were doing something illegal. Every state park we've been to so far has had their stamps within the office, so we were simply confused. Yet they rudely instructed us to go to the store instead. All this after we struggled to find the office in the first place due to their inability to properly place signage. As we got our stamps, we found out about the pricing of canoeing ($45). Which was absolutely absurd since we just had a camping and canoeing package at a neighboring park for $24 altogether. At the end of the day, it's a large park with a lot of ammonites, but there are certainly better parks out there. I've seen a lot smaller ones (Like Johnson Shut-Ins) so far more with far less. Don't let this keep you from trying it yourself though. I urge you to come and check it out for yourself, but it just wasn't for me.

Bennett Springs is a great place for your Missouri trout fishing. Looking for a nice getaway to slay some trout in Missouri, Bennet Springs is the place to go. The trout are fair sized with some lunkers out there and the water is crystal clear. There are plenty of areas in each zone to find a place to fish. Bennett is pretty crowded compared to some other Missouri and Arkansas trout fishing areas, but it works out okay. The lodge is pretty basic, but is perfect for a fishing trip. The state park is set up nicely to get to different zones of the river, to lodging, and to the other building pretty easily. Beautiful part of southern Missouri to visit for trout fishing.

Bennett Springs State Park is nice, if you are into Trout fishing. They have a hatchery and release every day fish into the stream. The number of fish is depending on the number of tags sold. You can rent a cabin, a hotel room or you can camp. They have a swimming pool, if you want to cool down. However the "Lifeguards" kids running it, will close it as soon they see dark clouds, Downside: Since the fish is stocked, your catching achievement is somewhat low. Also, in the morning there are more than 1,000 fishermen on any given summer day in the stream, on a busy weekend , they sell more than 2,500 tags.

A friend and I set out on Natural Tunnel Trail (the longest trail in the park at 7.5 miles). We tacked on another 2.5 miles with the Savanna Ridge trail. The combination of these two trails was estimated by park maps to take 6 hours. We completed all 10 miles in 3 hours. Though Natural Tunnel Trail is lengthy, the tunnel and the views along the way are well worth the trip. Walk through the tunnel and enjoy your lunch on some conveniently placed boulders. The park is well maintained and offered several shorter trails in addition to fly fishing. The trout is raised in a hatchery within the park. Rating 4 stars because fishing is the main attraction of the park which we did not partake in.

Beautiful place, great fishing. I've been coming here for 69 yrs, but avoid the state park restaurant like the plague. We are there twice, once for dinner and once for breakfast. Both times the food was cold, overcooked ant just plain poor tasting. When you can mess up scrambled eggs, there is no hope. Six of us had breakfast and all of our eggs were cold, and the biscuits tasted as if they were baked the day before . All in all a miserable experience.

Housekeeping does not come by daily, even though they do put tip envelopes in your rooms. When I asked the front desk for extra towels and trash bags they did respond to me " well if you treat them right right, will treat you right". Meaning , if you want fresh towels or trash bags.You must tip them. Front desk has no patience for daily questions or fishing questions. They have kindergarten intelligence when it comes to basic communications. Using words such and communicating in such a way that makes you question their intelligence. Beware if you intend to spend more then a fishing weekend here. You will not get the customer service expected.

Review #300 needed to be special and so I saved one of my all time favorite places for it. One of Missouri's very first state parks is still one of it's crown jewels even today. Since the mid 1800's people have found the cool waters of Bennett Springs and the fishing to be irresistible. 150+ years later I'm just as hooked on this place as one of the many trout that gets hooked every day. This was the first trout hatchery I ever saw when my grandfather took me as a boy, and now I've taken my son here as well. Bring some cash so you can buy fish food, letting the kids toss it into the pools of fish at the hatchery and watching the fish jump out of the water for the pellets always brings a smile to any kid's face. If you like to fish they've got 3 different zones along the stream to accommodate any kind of fishing style you would want. While there's no swimming in the park I always try and wear sandals here and I always seem to end up with my feet in the water. I can't explain it, but it just always happens! There are various trails along side the stream and up on the bluffs that can be quite fun. The spring itself is easy to get to, it even has ADA compliant access if needed. The park rangers here are nice, but don't take any flak either. Be respectful and compliant, and you won't be hassled. Just outside of this park is the Niangua River. While it's not quite as scenic as the Current River the Niangua offers seriously fun canoeing and kayaking. There are many outfitters who can help you add a float to extend your fun here. Overall, this was my first Missouri state park, and it's still my all time favorite. Naturally, 5 Stars, and a placement on my Mythical 6th Star List. I love it that much!

Just finished camping here in a pop up. We stayed in campground 4. It's a nice size loop. Nice facilities, shower houses, and store. The store has soft serve cream. That's where the line was at night! Also a dining spot too. Swimming pool, hiking, fishing, hatchery, and much more. Lodging looks nice as well. Floating trips here are great! We dropped in at Moon River and came back to car. No crowds and very scenic! A great place for everyone!

We've stayed here three times now! Beautiful and plenty of things to do with the kids! Nice restrooms with showers that are never too far away. Nice fishing of course!

Great park to just walk the trails! We were looking to kill some time waiting on friends and were impressed. It was quite busy but still enjoyed a scenic walk. The fishable waters are crystal clear, the rest is quite muddy. I would absolutely stop again if it was on the way.

Getting really bad over the years. Too many people and not enough people caring about keeping it nice. Really don't feel like freezing my stuff off trying to catch fish. So I go right out side the park and fish, same fish and not elbow to elbow. Don't keep the fish so don't know how they taste.

My family has been coming here for our annual fishing trip for over 30 years. The lots are spacious and fit your campers nicely. Each lot has a picnic table, grill, and is wired for electricity and water. Fishing starts at 6:30 AM and the limit is around 4 fish per day every year. Everyone on the campgrounds is friendly and helpful. My family always goes to the Susie Hole. Make sure that you bring your water though, the past two years, it has been incredibly hot.There also are a couple of companies near the State Park that allow for float trips down the river!

Spent 4 days and 3 nights tent camping at Bennett Springs with my significant other last week. It is a simply beautiful, generally well kept park. Sparking clear water, the greenery was mostly maintained (the area around the back of the campsites was getting a little overgrown), and the facilities were all very clean. There are also very frequent patrols of all the campsites all day and all night long (about 20-30 minutes apart). The shower houses and bathrooms were all just renovated within the last month or so, and they were so bright white I thought I might go blind! There are a LOT of handicapped accessible places here, even some really nice ones in some good fishing areas. The firewood we had to purchase was damp and would not light. They also started cutting the weeds in the water mid morning with no signs or warning like our friends mentioned usually happens. That ruined our fishing for the day, as weeds and algae just kept floating downstream and kept getting caught on our hooks. Also (at no fault of the park), the ground is just filled with rocks and made getting the tent stakes in the ground appropriately very difficult. The whistle everyone talks about to signal open and close of fishing for the day is hardly a whistle. It sounds like a severe weather siren and woke us up every single morning! We made several trips to the campus store. We found everything we could need, although as expected, some of the items were marked up pretty steeply. You purchase your daily fishing tags here, and can also purchase worms and minnows for bait (we got minnows 1.99/dozen). The employees were mostly unengaged from helping anyone, and they spoke a bit rudely to us when we asked something that was I guess deemed a stupid question to them. We aren't outdoorsy people and this was our first extended stay here, and getting help from anyone was difficult and we were scoffed at a bit. We had breakfast twice at the lodge. Very fast, very delicious, and very reasonably priced. It was a pleasant atmosphere, and they have hummingbird feeders at every window, for the lucky folks who get to eat by them. We went too early for the salad bar and were not there to see the breakfast buffet. The service was also quick, but the servers seemed uninterested and rushed, even when they were only caring for 2-3 tables at a time max. The nature center is legally no longer allowed to keep live animals inside, so the small aquariums are empty and closed. There is still plenty of educational things to see and read, but little ones will very quickly get bored here. It's also nice to stop in and cool off on a hot day. Finally, the fish hatcheries are relaxing and very neat to see all the trout and where they begin, even the dam that opens to do the yearly release into the spring. For 25¢ you can get a heaping handful of kibble to feed the fish. We even got to see a very rare blue trout in one of the hatchery runs!! Overall, the park is 5 stars. Beautiful, clean, safe, and fun. Employees and ground keepers weren't very pleasant, so taking one star away for that.

This state park is a little gem! Well maintained and cared for! We camped here last night and were really impressed with the amenities. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because of the showers - you couldn't control the temperature of the water which I was ok with being that it wasn't too hot or two cold but what annoyed me is that it shut the water off automatically. Not knowing this I was still lathered in soap. I assume this is in an effort to conserve water but since I was still soapy I hit the button to turn the water back on, rinsed off and then I would have turned off the water but there was no way to turn it off...so the water just ran for several minutes until it shut off - such a waste of water!!

We stayed at campground #1 in October 2015. There is 1 restroom for the entire campground there is 1 shower for the entire campground. The shower has nothing but a shower in it not a sink not a mirror and not a toilet. We were told the showers in campground #5 were nicer so we went there. There was more than one! The showers had a mirror! They had a sink and a toilet! There was NOT one hook or shelf to put your stuff ( if you have ever camped before you take your clothing, shampoo,toothbrush,etc to the shower) the only place to put stuff was in the sink or balanced on the "clean?" trash can. Your state is beautiful but this park is not concerned with the park patrons or they would put at least a couple hooks in their shower rooms and have more than one restroom for 30 or more campsites.