John Spalding Rec Ar — Center, MO

About this place

Visitors at John Spalding are in the perfect location for recreation on Mark Twain Lake. The day-use area is the only facility within reach of the sandy public beach. It's also directly connected to the Joanna Trail, a 32-mile multi-purpose trail for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.

Tour the birthplace of world-famous humorist and writer, Mark Twain and explore the region that inspired his most beloved stories, such as "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."

Recreation

Swim and enjoy the beach all day, or take a boat out for water skiing and fishing. For hikers and bikers, the lengthy Joanna Trail lines the northern banks of the lake.

Facilities

The day-use area is equipped with a swimming beach, showers and picnic shelters. Shelters have electric hookups.

Natural Features

The Salt River of north-central Missouri feeds Mark Twain Lake, the regions largest body of water, spanning 18,000 acres. A variety of recreation areas surround the lake, including the Mark Twain State Park.

Nearby Attractions

Visit Mark Twain's birthplace in Florida, Missouri or his boyhood home in Hannibal.

The David C. Berti Shooting Range is below the dam and M.W. Boudreaux Visitor Center is above the dam.

Been here recently?

One report per day. Everything you send is reviewed before it appears.

Services

What you can do here

Electric hookupShowersCampground

A dotted outline means nobody has told us either way. It is not a no — it is an honest gap, and the fastest way to close it is a traveller who has been there.

Rates

What it costs

Peak season, May 15, 2026 to September 13, 2026. Outside those dates the site may be closed or priced differently.

Site type	Per night
Group Shelter Electric	$30.00

Recreation.gov booking system · read Aug 19, 2026. Fees change; the booking page is authoritative.

The details, and where each came from

Everything we know

ADA accessible: No

Electric hookup (amps): 15

Number of campsites: 3

Pets allowed: Yes

Phone number: (573) 735-4097

Reservable: Yes

If this one is closed

Other dump stations nearby

Location	Distance	Confidence
RV Dump Station	3.2 mi	Limited confidence
RV Dump Station	9.7 mi	Limited confidence
Hickory Ridge Campground	45 mi	Limited confidence
RV Dump Station	45 mi	Limited confidence
RV Dump Station	49 mi	Limited confidence

Photos

What it looks like

Mark Twain Lake from M. W. Boudreaux Visitor Center — Share the Experience, Catherine DeGrave

Sources for this page. Data courtesy of Recreation.gov (US-PD)
Last updated Aug 19, 2026.

Verify before you rely on this. Facilities close, fees change and equipment breaks. Every figure above shows when it was last confirmed — check those dates before driving out of your way. Something wrong? Tell us — a report from somebody who has been here outranks anything we imported.