Looking for the best Vanzant dispersed camping? Dispersed camping is an excellent way to get away from it all and to disconnect. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the trees or wide open spaces, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect dispersed campsite.
Backcountry camping on Jacks Forks River
Hercules Glades Wilderness Area is 12,413 acres of the most scenic and unique country in the Midwest. Its combination of open grassland, forested knobs, steep rocky hillsides, and narrow drainages offers unusual beauty and a measure of solitude within easy reach of wilderness lovers. The area is characterized by shallow droughty soils and limestone rock outcroppings. Eastern red cedar and oak trees are interspersed with open glades supporting native tall prairie grasses. Redbud and dogwood provide beautiful spring flowers, while smoke tree and maple put on vivid fall colors. A variety of wildlife species live within the Hercules Glades including white-tailed deer, raccoons rabbits, squirrels, turkey, quail, songbirds, lizards and snakes. Copperheads and rattlesnakes may be encountered. Roadrunners, collared lizards, tarantulas, wild hogs and black bears are some of the more uncommon wildlife residents.
Limit your party size to 10 persons. No camping within 100 feet of trails, water sources and other camps.Practice Leave No Trace outdoor ethics; Never tie stock directly to trees. No motorized or mechanized equipment allowed.
Trails: From the trailheads there is 32 miles of maintained trails which follows along open glades, forested ridgetops and Long Creek, the primary drainage of the area. Cross country hiking in other parts of the area is allowed. Key attractions along the trail include Long Creek Falls, panoramic views of the Ozarks countryside, and a variety of native communities including open limestone glades and mixed forests.
Rating: More Difficult to Most Difficult with steep terrain, stream crossings, sparsely marked trail, and elevations from 600 to 1200 feet. Length: 32 miles Best Seasons: Fall, winter, and spring. Leave No Trace: Pack out what you pack in. Restrictions: Foot and Horse only. Safety: No drinking water is available at parking areas or along the trail; bring what you will need, or be prepared to sterilize water you find. During temperate months, be prepared for biting insects, poison ivy and high temperatures. Be advised of hunting seasons. Avoid using the trail during excessively wet periods. Surface Type: Unsurfaced, native material.
Many people enjoy the solitude and peaceful experience of camping away from large groups of people. Dispersed camping is the term used for free camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground and at least 100 feet from any administrative site to include trails, buildings and designated recreational areas. Dispersed camping means there are no toilets, no structures, no trash cans, no treated water, and no fire grates. There are extra responsibilities required for this type of camp. It's a must to educate yourself before you try it, but we hope the adventure of dispersed camping in the Mark Twain National Forest calls to you!
Picking a Campsite
If you are going to an area where others have camped, pick a site that's been used before. If there is no existing campsite, then follow these Leave No Trace guidelines:
Camp on bare soil if possible, to avoid damaging or killing plants and grass. Camp 100 feet away from any water source - plants near water and water sources are fragile. Camp 100 feet away from any administrative site (Trails, Recreational Areas and/or Building).
Few regions today preserve the wild and natural beauty of the Ozarks as well as Sunklands. Sunklands Conservation Area combined the former Sunklands-Burr Oak Basin Natural Area and Skunk Pond, Hartshorn, and Shannondale conservation areas with Kerr-McGee land. Sunklands is valuable for its array of native plant and animal species. The area is the only known habitat in Missouri for monkshood, a showy purple wildflower. Several upland ponds or sinkholes contain water and form a marshy area. The wetlands are rare and important homes to salamanders and other amphibians that require a fish-free habitat.
Open Camping - Walk-in/Float-in/Backpack Designated Camping Sites
White Ranch Conservation Area is located in Howell County, approximately 11 miles south of West Plains. White Ranch is the local name for a region of land previously owned by Harry White. The 6,703-acre area is mostly forested.
Visitors to the area will find abundant populations of deer, turkey, and other forest wildlife species. The area offers fishing opportunities along the South Fork of the Spring River.
A shooting range is located near the end of Trail #6. Its facilities include a 50- and 100-yard rifle range, plus an area set aside for shotguns. The parking lot, ranges, and public restrooms are accessible to disabled users.
During your visit to the area, you may notice various forest management activities that are designed to improve tree growth, quality, and species composition. These practices also improve wildlife habitat and watershed quality.
Backcountry camping on Jacks Forks River
Hercules Glades Wilderness Area is 12,413 acres of the most scenic and unique country in the Midwest. Its combination of open grassland, forested knobs, steep rocky hillsides, and narrow drainages offers unusual beauty and a measure of solitude within easy reach of wilderness lovers. The area is characterized by shallow droughty soils and limestone rock outcroppings. Eastern red cedar and oak trees are interspersed with open glades supporting native tall prairie grasses. Redbud and dogwood provide beautiful spring flowers, while smoke tree and maple put on vivid fall colors. A variety of wildlife species live within the Hercules Glades including white-tailed deer, raccoons rabbits, squirrels, turkey, quail, songbirds, lizards and snakes. Copperheads and rattlesnakes may be encountered. Roadrunners, collared lizards, tarantulas, wild hogs and black bears are some of the more uncommon wildlife residents.
Limit your party size to 10 persons. No camping within 100 feet of trails, water sources and other camps.Practice Leave No Trace outdoor ethics; Never tie stock directly to trees. No motorized or mechanized equipment allowed.
Trails: From the trailheads there is 32 miles of maintained trails which follows along open glades, forested ridgetops and Long Creek, the primary drainage of the area. Cross country hiking in other parts of the area is allowed. Key attractions along the trail include Long Creek Falls, panoramic views of the Ozarks countryside, and a variety of native communities including open limestone glades and mixed forests.
Rating: More Difficult to Most Difficult with steep terrain, stream crossings, sparsely marked trail, and elevations from 600 to 1200 feet. Length: 32 miles Best Seasons: Fall, winter, and spring. Leave No Trace: Pack out what you pack in. Restrictions: Foot and Horse only. Safety: No drinking water is available at parking areas or along the trail; bring what you will need, or be prepared to sterilize water you find. During temperate months, be prepared for biting insects, poison ivy and high temperatures. Be advised of hunting seasons. Avoid using the trail during excessively wet periods. Surface Type: Unsurfaced, native material.
Many people enjoy the solitude and peaceful experience of camping away from large groups of people. Dispersed camping is the term used for free camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground and at least 100 feet from any administrative site to include trails, buildings and designated recreational areas. Dispersed camping means there are no toilets, no structures, no trash cans, no treated water, and no fire grates. There are extra responsibilities required for this type of camp. It's a must to educate yourself before you try it, but we hope the adventure of dispersed camping in the Mark Twain National Forest calls to you!
Picking a Campsite
If you are going to an area where others have camped, pick a site that's been used before. If there is no existing campsite, then follow these Leave No Trace guidelines:
Camp on bare soil if possible, to avoid damaging or killing plants and grass. Camp 100 feet away from any water source - plants near water and water sources are fragile. Camp 100 feet away from any administrative site (Trails, Recreational Areas and/or Building).
Few regions today preserve the wild and natural beauty of the Ozarks as well as Sunklands. Sunklands Conservation Area combined the former Sunklands-Burr Oak Basin Natural Area and Skunk Pond, Hartshorn, and Shannondale conservation areas with Kerr-McGee land. Sunklands is valuable for its array of native plant and animal species. The area is the only known habitat in Missouri for monkshood, a showy purple wildflower. Several upland ponds or sinkholes contain water and form a marshy area. The wetlands are rare and important homes to salamanders and other amphibians that require a fish-free habitat.
Open Camping - Walk-in/Float-in/Backpack Designated Camping Sites
