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The Basswood Resort, located about five miles west of Smithville, recently joined the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce.

“We have members outside the city limits,” said Kim Palmer, executive director of the chamber of commerce. “And Basswood does benefit Smithville.”

When people come to Smithville, Palmer said she recommends the local motel, bed and breakfast or the campgrounds at Smithville Lake. But some people are looking for cabins.

Located at 15880 Interurban Road, the secluded 73-acre resort has cabins, a lodge and a cottage in addition to its recreational vehicle and tent sites. It’s open year-round.

“We joined (the chamber) because of our location halfway between Platte City and Smithville,” manager Kerry Wallskog said. “We get a lot of Smithville people here.”

Wallskog said she and her husband are from Minnesota. They have managed places in Texas and elsewhere for many years. She said Basswood keeps them closer to relatives.

“We like people,” she said. “(Working here) gives us a variety of people.”

Wallskog said people come from all over to Basswood. According to the resort’s Web site, a number of celebrities have visited Basswood, some before it was the resort it is today. The Celebrity House contains four suites named after well-known visitors.

The Truman Lodge is named after the former president, who “frequently” visited with wife, Bess. Other suites are named after Bing Crosby, Rudy Vallee and Charley “O” Finley, former owner of the Kansas City A’s. Another suite is named for Matthew McConaughey, who parked his RV for a few days in 2005 at Basswood while he was traveling the country to promote the movie “Sahara.”

“Got to Kansas City and found an awesome park north of K.C. that is right on the money — in the hills, on a lake, in the middle of nowhere, can hear nothing but the birds, the water and the occasional plane flying overhead from the local airport,” McConaughey wrote in his journal, according to the resort’s Web site.

Wallskog said the resort has 25 cabins, which all have heat and air conditioning. They vary in size. Deluxe cabins include a full kitchen or kitchenette, cable television and full bathrooms.

Pets are welcome in Basswood’s sleeper cabins. These cabins do not have cooking facilities or bathrooms; however, bathhouses are accessible 24 hours per day.

The Mother-in-Law Cottage, which can sleep six, overlooks one of Basswood’s four spring-fed lakes. It has a wood-burning fireplace, full kitchen, bathroom, gas grill and cable television.

The Basswood Lodge can sleep up to 20 people. It is two stories and boasts a fireplace, sunroom, Jacuzzi room, full kitchen, dining room, pool table, piano and deck with a gas grill overlooking its own private lake.

The resort has an outdoor pool, two shelters, two playgrounds and walking trails. Wallskog said they built an outdoor theater this year and show children’s movies on Friday and Saturday nights.

“When it’s cool, people drive their cars down here,” she said. “It’s just like being at the drive-in.”

For large gatherings, such as wedding receptions or family reunions, Basswood has two large buildings with full kitchens for rent to the public.

The lakes are stocked with catfish, bass, crappie, bluegill and carp. No Missouri fishing license is required, but Basswood charges a re-stocking fee.

Basswood Country Store carries worms and other fishing equipment. They also sell propane, RV supplies, some groceries, gifts, liquor and firewood.

For more information, visit www.basswoodresort.com or call 858-5556 for reservations.

Staff writer Kathy Crawford can be reached at 532-4444 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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