RV · Originally published January 20, 2015 · Updated November 2026
Not everyone puts the RV away when the leaves fall. The Ozarks are mostly mild in winter, with cold snaps and the occasional ice storm, and lake campgrounds are a lot quieter than they are in July. If you want to keep camping, the goal is simple: keep the water moving, keep the heat safe, and stay off the roads when they're slick.
Many campgrounds close for the season or shut off water at the sites, while others stay open year-round. Around Branson and Table Rock Lake you'll find both, so call ahead and ask:
When you arrive, a site with afternoon sun and some protection from the north wind makes a real difference overnight.
Frozen lines are the most common winter RV headache, and the repair bill can be steep.
Your furnace burns propane faster in cold weather than you might expect, so check levels daily and know where to refill. If you use an electric space heater on shore power, choose one with tip-over and overheat shutoff and watch your amperage so you don't overload the circuit.
Never use the stove or oven to heat the RV. Test your carbon monoxide and propane detectors before the trip, and if you run a generator, point the exhaust away from the RV and any neighbors.
Breathing, cooking and showering in a closed-up RV puts a lot of moisture in the air. On cold walls and windows it turns into dripping water and, eventually, mold. Crack a roof vent, run the vent fan while you cook, wipe down windows in the morning, and consider a small dehumidifier. Insulated window covers help with both heat and moisture.
Ozarks highways are hilly and curvy, with shaded stretches and bridges that freeze before the rest of the road. A heavy, tall RV needs much more room to stop and is pushed around by crosswinds. Check road conditions before you leave, give yourself extra time, and if ice is in the forecast, stay put an extra night. If you're towing, make sure the trailer brakes and brake controller are working and adjusted before the trip.
Deer are active in late fall and winter, especially at dawn and dusk. Our article on deer collisions in Missouri explains how those claims usually work.
A motorhome needs its own policy, with liability for the road and comprehensive and collision for damage to the coach. If you tow a travel trailer or fifth wheel, your truck's auto policy generally provides liability while you're towing, but it does not cover damage to the trailer itself. That takes physical damage coverage on the trailer. Our guide to travel trailer insurance and towing covers this in more detail.
Some RV policies also offer emergency expense coverage that helps with lodging and travel costs if a covered loss strands you away from home. Ask whether yours does.
Planning a winter trip to Branson and Table Rock Lake? Call us at 417.865.4800 or request a quote below, and we'll make sure your RV insurance is ready.
Only if it's a heated hose and the faucet is protected. Otherwise, fill your fresh tank and disconnect the hose overnight so it doesn't freeze.
Your truck's policy generally extends liability to the trailer while you're towing, but not damage to the trailer itself. You need separate physical damage coverage for the trailer.
It can be if you use a model with tip-over and overheat shutoff, keep it clear of bedding and curtains, and don't overload your shore power circuit.
Or send your details and an agent will call you back with options from the companies we work with.