Location – 5/5
We visited Sam A. Baker State Park for Memorial Day weekend, our first car camping of the season. The state park is located in Patterson, MO off Highway 67. The drive was straight forward and very easy.
Campground – 3/5
We camped on the largest camping holiday weekend of the year, so it may have been a bit more crowded than usual, but the entire campground was packed! This included very drunken, loud and large groups, RV generators, and screaming children. Unfortunately it was very loud and made it difficult to relax. It wasn’t too overbearing as long as you know what you’re getting into, especially camping at a popular spot during a holiday weekend. There was no level of privacy and your closest neighbors were only a few feet away. We stayed at site 158, which was in a small loop of basic (non-electric) sites. An RV next to us had also booked there and ran their generator 24/7. The ground was sandy and soft so hammering in stakes was relatively easy. Each site was skinny and there was not enough trees to hang a hammock at most sites, so we had to get creative.
Activities – 4/5
Biking, Fishing, Kayaking
As with most state parks, the are plenty of activities to do. If the weather was nicer, we would have spent the entire time swimming and hanging out in the big creek. There was a large bike path separate from the roads that spanned the entire area. Fishing, kayaking, basketball, and a children’s playground were all popular activities.
Hiking – 4/5
The only trail we were able to complete was the paved bike trail, which was definitely a great feature to have. According to the map there are quite a few hiking trails to take from Campground 2. The distances were mostly in the 1-2 mile range, with the exception of a couple trails. We will definitely have to come back in the future to try these out. For the time being, we will score the hiking as a 4/5 due to the availability of trails.
Amenities – 4/5
Bathrooms
The bathrooms right next to the campsite were vault toilets, but a short walk up the road lead to flush toilets with showers. Everything was clean, which has been standard for Missouri State Parks.
Firewood and Shopping
Firewood was available at the camp store for $5 per 10 pieces. The pieces were relatively small, but pretty standard for camp site wood. There was a small place 5 minutes out of the entrance to the park that was selling 15 pieces for $5 if you wanted to save a little money. The wood was slightly damp when we were there and it took about 10 pieces to burn 4-5 hours which was pretty good. The store had most anything you may need including a grocery section if you need more bacon. Attached to the store was a concession stand that sold breakfast, lunch, and dinner food, as well as ice cream.
Overall Rating – 4/5
Sam A. Baker is a popular camping destination for Southeastern Missourians, especially on Memorial Day weekend. There was so much we didn’t end up doing, due to weather, but we will gladly go back at a warmer, quieter time to experience more of the nature hikes and swimming holes. Overall we give this site 4 out of 5 even though we weren’t able to experience it all.
