Missouri Dispersed Camping

[Lefty]

Would anyone know of dispersed camp sites in Missouri along the Current River?
I'd like to make that my very first outing.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ravella and X]

Aloha Lefty. I have never camped in Missouri, but if I were on my way, I'd start here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/mtnf/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=21644&actid=34

I'd follow the dispersed camping area links and check their locations on a map. Then I'd check all of the camping/RVing apps I have and webites for reviews by place/area names. I'm actually encouraged when there are 0 or just a couple of reviews- it often means we might to get a remote spot all to ourselves. Be careful though! It could also mean its difficult to get to/only hike-in, 4WD, etc. Also, call the ranger station if you have queations.

Its possible to do a much deeper dive than this, but for a first outing, I'd say find an area this way, and back up area in case something is not to your liking at the first.

Enjoy!

 

[Lefty]

Aloha Ravella!
Greatly appreciate the wonderful advice and resources. Especially like the backup area idea. That will certainly will save me time and frustration. If you ever do make it up my way give me a holler!

 

[bullfrog]

Spent a lot of time in northern Arkansas around Greers Ferry Lake. Really pretty country there.

 

[Lefty]

It absolutely is bullfrog. Never spent as much time in Arkansas as I would have liked to but that's gonna change. Southern Missouri and Arkansas have some of the most beautiful, spring fed rivers in the country imho. Had a very old friend used to live in Mountain Home.

 

[WanderingRose]

I like the AllStays app for finding campgrounds.

https://www.allstays.com/apps/camprv.htm

Have a great time!

 

[Lefty]

Thank you Rose. The more resources the better.

 

[abnorm]

While traveling thru the area this last year we stumbled onto the Current River.......We're experienced Western State Boondockers.....

We could NOT find any "casual" boondocking spots NEAR the river.........We overnited at the state campground at RoundSpring......(the Spring area was closed ?)......The campground was nice.....priced right......Mid-week we were mostly alone near the "old" restrooms (toilets/sink only).......

We returned during the Busy weekend and found the NEW restroom/Shower house....down by the water....

 

[Ravella and X]

Heyas Lefty, I've been thinking about this request of yours. Just want to say that though your question is in the right place, a whole bunch of us won't put our best wild and lovely boondock spots on the internet. The long time full-timers have seen lovely lonely spots turned into wilderness grand central stations.

My experience in the 3 years I've been full-timing is that the easier it is to find out about boondock spots, the more crowded they will be. So I dove deeper and got creative, building a toolkit that isn't as easy as opening apps and reading crowdsourced info.

Don't be discouraged if nobody gives you GPS coordinates for good spots where you want to go. Just approach it as a challenge -- an easter egg hunt -- a game you win by sleuthing out your own magic lovely boondock spot (that you won't ever share with the general public on an open forum )

 

[Cammalu]

Freecampsites.net. I’ve used that a lot.

 

[Lefty]

While traveling thru the area this last year we stumbled onto the Current River.......We're experienced Western State Boondockers.....

We could NOT find any "casual" boondocking spots NEAR the river.........We overnited at the state campground at RoundSpring......(the Spring area was closed ?)......The campground was nice.....priced right......Mid-week we were mostly alone near the "old" restrooms (toilets/sink only).......

We returned during the Busy weekend and found the NEW restroom/Shower house....down by the water....

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]What a great place to stumble upon. I floated the Current from my teens all the way to middle age. If one is stuck being a flatlander in a steamy hot mess of an area like this in summer the Current is a little piece of heaven. Round Springs is nice as is Blue and Ally Springs.[/font]

 

[Lefty]

Heyas Lefty, I've been thinking about this request of yours. Just want to say that though your question is in the right place, a whole bunch of us won't put our best wild and lovely boondock spots on the internet. The long time full-timers have seen lovely lonely spots turned into wilderness grand central stations.

My experience in the 3 years I've been full-timing is that the easier it is to find out about boondock spots, the more crowded they will be. So I dove deeper and got creative, building a toolkit that isn't as easy as opening apps and reading crowdsourced info.

Don't be discouraged if nobody gives you GPS coordinates for good spots where you want to go. Just approach it as a challenge -- an easter egg hunt -- a game you win by sleuthing out your own magic lovely boondock spot (that you won't ever share with the general public on an open forum )

LOL, Oh I'd share some good spots on a public forum Ravella, but as you said, just not my "best" spots.    You know, as I posted this I actually did think about that. It's kinda like asking a morel mushroom hunter where he picked that huge sack of mushrooms. You can ask but just don't expect'em  to give up their honey hole.    I've already thought about some things that I can start adding to my own tool box. Not the least of which would be my drones, where allowed of course.

 

[Lefty]

Freecampsites.net.  I’ve used that a lot.

Thanks Cammalu! I'll add it to my resources.