Crooked River Conservation Area
Missouri Dept. of Conservation area — 1,420 acres, Ray County. Primitive camping is currently FREE (no camping fee), limited to 14 days in any 30 and 30 camping-days per year. IMPORTANT: MDC has PROPOSED a $5/night camping fee at some conservation areas (decision expected around September 2026) — verify current fees before you rely on 'free.' Camping is allowed only where posted; some areas require a free special-use permit, and dispersed sites must be 100+ yards from roads/parking. Confirm this area's regulations before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
- MMechanic2 mi
- @Mail8 mi
- FFuel8 mi
- GGrocery8 mi
- WWater10 mi
- RxPharmacy10 mi
- ShShower10 mi
- HHardware11 mi
- +Urgent care12 mi
- LLaundry23 mi
- PPropane24 mi
- DDump24 mi
- OOutfitter26 mi
- AAir-up30 mi
The read: water's a short hop out, fuel & food sit about 8 mi out.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureCrooked River (river) · nearby
- Nearest townKnoxville · ~3.5 mi
- Drinking waterDrinking water · ~9.8 mi
- FuelShell · ~8.0 mi
- Propane / LPGnone within 31 mi
- Dump stationDump station · ~24.4 mi
- GroceriesHyklas Foods · ~10.1 mi
- PharmacyRed Cross Pharmacy · ~10.3 mi
- Hospital / clinicExcelsior Springs Hospital · ~9.9 mi
- HardwareWestlake Ace Hardware · ~11.0 mi
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Highway rest areaLathrop SB (RA) · ~14.0 mi W
- Highway rest areaLathrop NB Rest Area (RA) · ~14.0 mi W
- Highway rest areaKearney SB (TPF) · ~19.1 mi W
- Highway rest areaOdessa WB (TPF) · ~27.8 mi S
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- Frank E. Wagner Conservation Area~9.1 mi
- Bonanza Conservation Area~15.9 mi
- Hardin Conservation Area~16.2 mi
- W. L. Schifferdecker Memorial Conservation Area~20.5 mi
How we know this
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- Road surface & last-mile access
- How many rigs actually fit
- Cell coverage by carrier
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up