Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer and in the past, it always marked the beginning of our family camping season. The three-day weekends often included some soaking rain, but we made many great memories and had a whole lot of fun nonetheless.
A half-dozen or so pop-up tents in the group camping circle was party central, but the area was also dotted with playpens, bicycles and tricycles, yard games and more. The fire ring hosted s’mores and stories that grew through the night and over the years.
I was reminiscing about those days after an email from a reader who wanted to find dispersed camping opportunities near Jefferson County. Also known as walk-in camping, such places are limited on state Department of Conservation properties and in state parks, where designated campsites are reserved, often months in advance.
The sites that can be reserved come with a nightly fee, while dispersed camping is usually free, but the cost of a camping site is minimal compared to all the other expenses to prepare to camp.
These days, it may cost more in gasoline to drive a few hours to a campground than to spend the weekend there. The campsites usually provide amenities like hot showers, flush toilets, trash dumpsters and mown grass.
Walk-in camping offers solitude and serenity but managing everything about the experience is on the user. While the rules are not necessarily posted, the protocols are dictated by common sense, respect for nature and consideration for the next person to take the road less traveled.
The “leave no trace” guideline sums up the responsibility of dispersed camping. Campers are supposed to be at least 100 yards from a road, parking lot or trail and should not set up their tents or other equipment in ways that damage vegetation.
Everything that gets packed in needs to be packed out.
Human waste should be buried in small holes dug into the ground and buried at least six inches deep. Those “cat holes” need to be at least 200 feet from any trail and in inconspicuous areas that are not likely to be encountered by others.
Some areas do allow campfires, but if permitted, fires should be built in ways that do not damage the ground where they are set. Never burn trash in a campfire, and be sure that the fire is completely extinguished before leaving the area. Choose only dead wood that can be gathered near the campsite. Cutting wood for fires is prohibited.
The only way to ensure that water from a natural source is safe to drink is to boil it, use purification tablets or a water filtration system. Making sure your waste and other activities are not negatively affecting water quality also is an important consideration.
Some wilderness areas have additional restrictions and may not allow camping at all. One consistent rule for both state and federal land is a limited length of stay. Campers cannot set up residence for more than 14 days over a period of 30 days in an area.
Walk-in opportunities on state Conservation Department properties in southeast Missouri can be found at Amidon Conservation Area in Madison and Bollinger counties, Apple Creek CA in Cape Girardeau County, and Angeline CA in Shannon County.
Most areas in the Mark Twain National Forest in southern Missouri allow dispersed camping, and spots can be found along the Ozark Trail. Streams like the Current, Jack’s Fork and Eleven Point in the national forest have designated campgrounds and gravel bar options for float-in overnight stays for do-it-yourselfers.
John Winkelman is marketing director for Liguori Publications near Barnhart and associate editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas to share for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.