Finding Free Campsites Part 2a, Missouri CAs
April 20, 2018
Missouri, like Arkansas, has many wildlife preserves throughout the state, called Conservation Areas. Most are utilized during daylight hours by hunters, fisherman and to s smaller extent by wildlife viewers or bird watchers. Most don't know that many allow camping and one will typically have the area all to ones self.
Here the link to the list that allows no fee camping.
This was shot at the Big Lake Conservation Area, not at the Big Island that I mistakenly said in the video. Also, the name of the lake is Maillard Lake, not Marshall Lake.
Big Lake is located in northeastern Arkansas, on the border of the bootheel of Missouri, near the Mississippi River and Tennessee. None of these WMAs have amenities, but occasionally you might find a picnic table or a rock fire ring. Bring your own water and be prepared to go to the restroom in the woods, so bring a small camp shovel to dig a hole and toilet paper.
This camping area is a gravel parking area that is really only suitable for car camping or RVs.
The lake full of cypress trees seemed to be popular with fishermen. A gravel road leads one north of the lake into the forest if hardwoods, where one could park in a more shady area and maybe view more birds and wildlife. This area tends to flood from heavy rains in the spring, so some areas might not be accessible. The WMA is surrounded by flat farmlands that was once covered with hardwood trees and much if the area was covered with water. The land was cleared and levies were put in to control water flow. This WMA is an example of what the area looked like a hundred or more years ago.
▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS
We're headed to that area and appreciate the information.