Here are some tips to help you plan your trip, so that you can make the most out of your time in the Ozarks and in Oregon County - before, during, and after the eclipse.
If you're still on the fence about coming, check out our Why Come page.
In any case, please go and register here. We can help you find accommodations if you need, and with that sorted we'll help you craft an amazing itinerary!
Driving here makes for an adventure of its own. We will have Google Maps lists with points of interest that are along the drive from major cities. (Register so we can send them to you.) You can read more below about why you should postpone your drive home until after Monday night.
Whichever airport you fly into, you'll want to rent a car so you can get around during your visit. The nearest airport is in Springfield, MO, a 2.5 hour drive away. Allegiant Air is one of the few airlines that fly directly there. The airports in St. Louis and Memphis are both about 3.5-4 hours away. If you find some reason to fly into Tulsa or Kansas City you'll have to drive ~5.5 hours to get here.
Do not plan on flying home on Monday night, there is sure to be crazy traffic headed back to the cities, which is explained more below.
For those folks not afraid to camp without amenities like toilets and showers. Dispersed camping is allowed throughout the Mark Twain National Forest, which includes sites near the Eleven Point River. Leave No Trace.
The advantages of going this route are not needing to reserve anything in advance, and it's free.
Details of our National Forest district (scroll down for camping details)
There are campsites that are first-come-first-served, and there is an eclipse festival of sorts being operated by some locals.
Eclipse In The Boonies Festival Camping
Details of our National Forest district (scroll down for camping details)
Travel light and have quality gear waiting for you for $150
There are limited options for full-weekend rentals at this point. However, many of the local Airbnbs and Vrbos are actually only rented for Sunday night, the night before the eclipse. This means if you're okay with some added logistics, you can do a two-stage stay. First, get a cushy place to be your home base for exploring the area on Friday and Saturday. Then, on Sunday you'd switch to camping somewhere. See above for suggestions on that, including info on how you can rent camping essentials.
The organizer behind this website would also be happy to host some campers on his land near Alton on the nights of 4/7 and 4/8. Reach out through our contact form.
Here are some links to browse rentals in our area that are available for your first two nights:
The nearest city with a few hotels is West Plains. It's a 45min - 1hr drive from West Plains to some of the natural attractions of Oregon County that will make for great viewing locations. If you're seeing a lack of rooms over the weekend, you can try the same strategy mentioned above for Airbnbs - you'll see more availability if you try to book for Friday and/or Saturday nights. And then you'd camp out directly in the path of the eclipse on Sunday night. (See above for info on renting camping equipment.) There are also hotels in some of the other nearby towns, but they have even less availability even for Friday and Saturday night, though you can check.
The first stages of the eclipse will begin 1 hour and 15 minutes before totality, which hits around 1:50 PM. So it's a good idea to have your car parked and start settling in around noon. Then you'll have time to check out an image of the crescent sun with a pinhole "projector" (a leaf with a small hole poked in it will do), and to take a look at it with your eclipse glasses on. Purchase your commemorative pair here!
Many people will leave right after the eclipse. The clever ones will stay Monday night, and not have to contend with the crush of traffic headed for major cities and airports. In 2017 groups that traveled from Chicago down to southern Illinois to watch the eclipse spent 9 hours driving home, when normally it would take 4.
Also, if you stay you'll have the place to yourself and can enjoy the area without the crowds. There are some great natural attractions in Oregon County, and lovely local businesses and restaurants. Check out all the reasons on our Why Stay page.