Best Dispersed Camping near Belton, MO
Several free dispersed camping areas exist within an hour of Belton, Missouri, primarily on conservation lands. Montrose Missouri Conservation Area offers spacious, grassy sites with access for tents and RVs via looped gravel roads. The area features pit toilets and trash service, though reviews indicate bathroom facilities are often poorly maintained. A recent camper noted, "Large grassy area with plenty of room to set up a tent or camper. Right off the road, so no dirt roads to traverse."
Poague Conservation Area provides five free dispersed campsites about 90 minutes southeast of Belton, with a 14-day stay limit. These drive-in sites accommodate both tents and RVs but offer no amenities—no fires, drinking water, toilets, or picnic tables. Crooked River Conservation Area north of Belton provides similar primitive camping with pit toilets in mowed areas. Fire restrictions vary by location and season, with Montrose prohibiting camping after October 15 due to hunting season. Leavenworth Kansas State Fishing Lake, though not free, offers a quiet alternative with picnic tables, pit toilets, and lakeside camping spots.