U.S. Forest Service · Mark Twain National Forest · Missouri

Deer Leap Recreation Area

The Deer Leap Recreation Area is situated on the east bank of the Current River, this site is not one of the busier campgrounds so is often a great place to get away from the crowds. Expect some activity of outfitter-guides utilizing the non-motorized launch in the campground, though. Deer Leap provides primitive camping, a boat launch and floater access/tuber launch. When you veer off the road, the boat launch is a short 80 yards from the Y. When you head to the campground, the road follows the river for a short distance before entering a stand of pines. The campground is shady and quiet. There is a busy canoe/tubing launch in the center of the campground.

More like this: first-come in Missouri · tent only in Missouri · accessible sites in Missouri

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesDay Use Fee Boat Ramp - $3/vehicle. Campground $12 fee for single campsites and $20 for double campsites. Fees will be paid at the fee tube provided.
AccessibilityCampground. tables. fire rings. toilets. pedestal grills

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

SeasonApril 1 to October 1
ForestMark Twain National Forest
FeesDay Use Fee Boat Ramp - $3/vehicle. Campground $12 fee for single campsites and $20 for double campsites. Fees will be paid at the fee tube provided.
RulesNo OHVs/ATvs/UTVs are allowed to operate within the Deer Leap Recreation Area. Overnight camping is allowed at the seven (7) campsites. Fireworks are prohibited. No glass within 50 feet of the shoreline. More specific restrictions are located on the provided recreation bulletin boards.

Mark Twain National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Deer Leap Recreation Area30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.41 inches of precipitation, 1.7 inches of snowFebruary: 3.81 inches of precipitation, 2.4 inches of snowMarch: 4.66 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowApril: 5.59 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 5.69 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.52 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.63 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.77 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.70 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.86 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 4.87 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowDecember: 4.15 inches of precipitation, 1.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.1°F averageFebruary: 39.0°F averageMarch: 47.4°F averageApril: 57.3°F averageMay: 66.2°F averageJune: 74.8°F averageJuly: 78.8°F averageAugust: 77.6°F averageSeptember: 70.0°F averageOctober: 58.1°F averageNovember: 46.6°F averageDecember: 37.8°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Doniphan, 6 miles from the campground at 289 feet, station USC00232289 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 52 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 8 inches a year on the same inches scale. The shaded span is the published season, April 1 to October 1.

Getting there

Coordinates36.6743° N, 90.8858° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗35.6 mi
Outdoor gearAlley Spring Store ↗44.7 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Video of Deer Leap, MO from N I.

  • 0.7 mi
    White Oak
    1.4 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.7 mi
    Woodchuck
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 1 mi
    Wells Branch Fen
    0.1 mi trail · hiking

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Mark Twain National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for Missouri

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping - Missouri and the Ozarks
    Steve Henry, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Rail-trails Iowa & Missouri
    Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • The Ozarks: 43 spectacular hikes in Arkansas and Missouri
    Jim Warnock, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to camp at Deer Leap Recreation Area?

Day Use Fee Boat Ramp - $3/vehicle. Campground $12 fee for single campsites and $20 for double campsites. Fees will be paid at the fee tube provided.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Deer Leap Recreation Area?

Deer Leap Recreation Area is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

Are there accessible sites at Deer Leap Recreation Area?

Campground. tables.

Source: Forest Service

What if Deer Leap Recreation Area is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Float Camp Recreation Area (1 mi), Fourche Lake Recreation Area (9.8 mi, first-come), and Pinewoods Lake Recreation Area (17.8 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby