Traveler I
Dispersed Camping in Missouri
- Thread starter Jon Tyler
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- camping dispersed camping
Contributor III
Man I was hoping you would get some hits on this. I’m looking at taking the kids out this weekend for their first camping trip and was hoping to try some dispersed car camping. I live is the SW part of the state so I will probably just end up in Arkansas for the weekend but I have heard any of the Mark Twain forest areas have potential. There is also some “overland trail” in Missouri. I think some guys from Tacoma world forums are going to drive part of it this weekend. I don’t know squat about it though. Completely new to all of this.
Contributor III
Contributor III
Yeah in the Midwest bs thread there are some active guys. They drove part of it a while back.
My wife and I have started running parts of it as short day trips as we learn our vehicle and what not. If you good Missouri overland trail or something like that you will find a site called basherdesigns with a map and some extra roads to connect the route to Arkansas.
We have done some of the new connector trail and have not hit the “official” overland route yet. It will make sense when you see the map. Found some really awesome stuff on the connector route that was completely unexpected.
Did you ever find anything out about overland trails in MO or NWA? I am in the SW part of MO too and would like some places to take the family.
Contributor II
Might check some MDC areas the website should say if they permit primitive camping.
Camping | Missouri Department of Conservation
Contributor II
Contributor II
Contributor II
Glad to help! I'm trying to plan a short trip this fall!
My family has been knocking out bits of this route, the green portion as that is closest to us. Some of it has been awesome and some has been an epic dud. The green route is definitely outdated and needs to reworking but the parts that are still there and passable are cool. We haven’t done the southernmost part of the green yet either so might knock some of that out has been good for little day trips in the summer to see if the kids can handle long drives in the truck and also has given me a couple opportunities to test some of the capability of the truck it’s self.
Contributor II
I have been doing more research! I have a couple of contacts at national forestry department. With there help I'm down loading maps and trying to put together a 60 mile track to start leave out of ozark mo. First trip should be in September. I'm going to record routes. This will be my first time overlanding I guess. Camped and hunted all my life.
I would love to see this! Keep me informed! Wife and I are going down to Arkansas Saturday to try and drive some of the routes from the OB rally that was down there a couple months ago.
Contributor II
I think they where at byrds adventures park off of pig trail out of Cass ARK pretty country been down there at a few chuckwagon races. You'll have a good time!
Enthusiast III
I’ve done a lot of the Trans Missouri Overland Trail.
Also we camp a lot in the Mark Twain Forest.
Also we camp a lot in the Mark Twain Forest.
A friend and I did a 3 day, 2 night trip to the Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) a few months ago. We had a great time and were able to camp in some really nice areas. We used a few resources for navigation and finding spots.
First up was downloading the motor vehicle unit maps (MVUM) for where we were headed.
They can be found here:
They are downloaded as PDF files. Then I downloaded an app called Avenza which makes the pdf a navigable map, when used on a GPS enabled device. This worked very well and kept us on acceptable/established/legal trails.
We also used Gaia gps, although it showed every trail, whether or not it was a legal route according to the MVUM, easy way to get in trouble...
Attached is the map I made while planning, and we mostly stuck to the routes on it.
We had a great time and I would not hesitate to head out that way in any vehicle with decent ground clearance and or a skilled driver.
For reference I was driving a stock 2013 JKUR and my friend was in a stock 2019 JLUR.
There is also dispersed camping at the Noblett lake area, it used to be a full on campground and as such still has flat sites and easy paved road access. There is also a vault toilet at the lake, although we stay below the dam next to the river.
www.go-missouri.com
One the current situation is over we will be headed back to the MTNF. Hopefully to spend at least a week exploring and camping.
First up was downloading the motor vehicle unit maps (MVUM) for where we were headed.
They can be found here:
They are downloaded as PDF files. Then I downloaded an app called Avenza which makes the pdf a navigable map, when used on a GPS enabled device. This worked very well and kept us on acceptable/established/legal trails.
We also used Gaia gps, although it showed every trail, whether or not it was a legal route according to the MVUM, easy way to get in trouble...
Attached is the map I made while planning, and we mostly stuck to the routes on it.
We had a great time and I would not hesitate to head out that way in any vehicle with decent ground clearance and or a skilled driver.
For reference I was driving a stock 2013 JKUR and my friend was in a stock 2019 JLUR.
There is also dispersed camping at the Noblett lake area, it used to be a full on campground and as such still has flat sites and easy paved road access. There is also a vault toilet at the lake, although we stay below the dam next to the river.
Noblett Lake
Boating and fishing information for Noblett Lake near Rolla, Missouri.
One the current situation is over we will be headed back to the MTNF. Hopefully to spend at least a week exploring and camping.
Last edited:
Enthusiast III
Great to share these kinds of details!A friend and I did a 3 day, 2 night trip to the Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) a few months ago. We had a great time and were able to camp in some really nice areas. We used a few resources for navigation and finding spots.
First up was downloading the motor vehicle unit maps (MVUM) for where we were headed.
They can be found here:
They are downloaded as PDF files. Then I downloaded an app called Avenca which makes the pdf a navigable map, when used on a GPS enabled device. This worked very well and kept us on acceptable/established/legal trails.
We also used Gaia gps, although it showed every trail, whether or not it was a legal route according to the MVUM, easy way to get in trouble...
Attached is the map I made while planning, and we mostly stuck to the routes on it.
View attachment 148813
We had a great time and I would not hesitate to head out that way in any vehicle with decent ground clearance and or a skilled driver.
For reference I was driving a stock 2013 JKUR and my friend was in a stock 2019 JLUR.
There is also dispersed camping at the Noblett lake area, it used to be a full on campground and as such still has flat sites and easy paved road access. There is also a vault toilet at the lake, although we stay below the dam next to the river.
Noblett Lake
Boating and fishing information for Noblett Lake near Rolla, Missouri.
One the current situation is over we will be headed back to the MTNF. Hopefully to spend at least a week exploring and camping.
A couple more options are the baltimore bend area in Missouri, dispersed camping is allowed, but fires are restricted to established areas only.
A favorite of mine is the woodbridge primitive use area in Kansas. Free camping in established area with water, toilets and picnic tables. There is a trail that goes down to the lake, dispersed camping is allowed anywhere 100 feet off the trail or at any of the established campsites.
A favorite of mine is the woodbridge primitive use area in Kansas. Free camping in established area with water, toilets and picnic tables. There is a trail that goes down to the lake, dispersed camping is allowed anywhere 100 feet off the trail or at any of the established campsites.
