By:
Submission
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).
This was a nice hike to a supposed waterfall, which was dry when I went. But the hike itself was still really nice.
The hike there and back is rather uneventful if you're looking for views. Only two small slivers off the trail give you a glimpse of the hills around you. There was a lot of water flowing when we got there. It had rained a lot the day before. It would be a nice spot to get your feet wet in the warmer weather.
We enjoyed the quiet of the trees and wind blowing through the falling leaves. There were moments of tranquility and some ghostly chills down in the river bank. It hadn't rained in a while, so no water flowing.
