How this picture was made
Photorealistic landscape photograph at golden hour in the Missouri Ozarks: a clear spring-fed river winding beneath a gray limestone bluff through oak-and-hickory forest, an open sunlit rocky glade on the hillside above, warm low sun and long shadows, no people, no buildings, no signs. 35mm lens, natural color, faint film grain.
Mark Twain National Forest
Camp here — Mark Twain National Forest
72 camps mapped in this forest, 52 of them free. Tap one for its topo and aerial, the weather, the water, and how far you will be from fuel and a shower.
- FreeCallaway County
- FreeBar-K Wrangler Camp
- FreeBig Piney trail primitive
- FreeBig Piney trail primitive
- FreeRanger Site
- FreeNoblett Lake Campground
- FreeEstablished Primitive Campsite
- FreeForest Service
Where dispersed camping is listed — Mark Twain National Forest
The Forest Service lists dispersed camping as an activity at these 46 places. That is the agency saying it is allowed somewhere in the area — not a campsite we have mapped, and not a spot we can put a pin on. Read their page, then check the district for the rules that apply on the day.
- Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District
Visitors to Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs District will find different landscapes from oak-hickory forests , shortleaf pine forests, and glades. Glades are open areas of native tall prairie grasses characterized by dry, shallow…
the Forest Service page for it → - Barn Hollow Float Camp
Barn Hollow Float Camp is on the left bank of the Eleven Point National Scenic River . This camp is located 10.4 miles downriver of Greer Crossing. Access is by river only. Canoes may be launched anywhere upstream but the closest…
the Forest Service page for it → - Beaver Lake Recreation Area
Beaver Lake is 15 acres in size. Primitive camping is allowed but no facilities are provided. There is a gravel ramp for boat access. The lake has been stocked with channel catfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, and black bass. The…
the Forest Service page for it → - Bell Mountain Wilderness
This is a wonderful place to spend the day hiking! This 9,143 acre wilderness is part of the St. Francois Mountains, one of the oldest landforms in North America. The wilderness is named for a family that once lived and farmed…
the Forest Service page for it → - Big Piney
Big Piney Trail covers a variety of Ozark terrain in Paddy Creek Wilderness . Hiking in a wilderness area brings its own special challenges along with special delights. Signs and trail markings are sparse, there are no bridges…
the Forest Service page for it → - Big Piney River
This is a great, family-friendly river for those looking for a leisurely trip with beautiful scenery. The river is fed by numerous springs and is usually floatable year-round, unless it’s been particularly dry. You will be able…
the Forest Service page for it → - Blue Ridge (equestrian)
The Blue Ridge Horse Trail is a great trail for horseback riding, backpacking, camping, and birdwatching, particularly for those looking for a quieter trail along an old woods road through the forest. Located in the heart of the…
the Forest Service page for it → - Blue Spring Trailhead
This is a trailhead for the Blue Spring Trail within the North Fork Recreation Area just off of the day use parking lot at the southern end of the recreation area.
the Forest Service page for it → - Boze Mill Float Camp
Boze Mill Float Camp, located on the Eleven Point National Scenic River, can be accessed from the river or down a short path from a parking area. Boze Mill Spring forms a sparkling blue pool which produces between 12-14 million…
the Forest Service page for it → - Cane Bluff River Access
Cane Bluff River Access is located on the left side of the Eleven Point National Scenic River. This upper section of the river is small and is comfortably floated in the spring season. Cane Bluff Access is an unimproved access…
the Forest Service page for it → - Cedar Creek Trl System
Cedar Creek Trail is a 36-mile trail that goes throughout the western half of the Cedar Creek Area. The trail traverses between oak hickory forests and tall grass prairie lands. The trail consists of four main sections. The trail…
the Forest Service page for it → - Devils Backbone Wilderness
Devils Backbone Wilderness, taking its name from a long narrow ridge known to the early settlers as Devils Backbone, is a unique blend of Missouri Ozark flora and fauna, characterized by rugged topography, springs and the North…
the Forest Service page for it → - Eleven Point National Wild and Scenic River
The Eleven Point National Wild and Scenic River was established in 1968 as a 44-mile scenic river, free of impoundments with a largely undeveloped shoreline and watershed. This portion of the river between Thomasville, Missouri…
the Forest Service page for it → - Eleven Point/Doniphan Ranger District
The Eleven Point Ranger District takes its name from the Eleven Point River, designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 1968. Some unique features of the Eleven Point Ranger District include Greer Spring which is the largest…
the Forest Service page for it → - Glade Top National Forest Scenic Byway
Welcome to Glade Top Trail, a National Forest Scenic Byway in Missouri! This 23-mile Scenic Byway is named for the beautiful glades that surround the ridge tops where the Scenic Byway traverses. Along the trail are seven overlook…
the Forest Service page for it → - Hay Hollow Trailhead
This one of five trailheads for the Ridge Runner Trail . This is a small trailhead.
the Forest Service page for it → - Hazel Creek Campground
Hazel Creek is in a remote area without cell phone service. This primitive campground is popular with OHV/ATV riders, equestrians, and mountain bikers. There is a trailhead for the Ozark Trail is on the road leading into the…
the Forest Service page for it → - Hercules Glades Wilderness
Hercules Glades Wilderness Area is 12,413 acres of the most scenic and unique country in the Midwest. The Wilderness is located 10 miles northeast of Branson, MO. Its combination of open grassland, forested knobs, steep rocky…
the Forest Service page for it → - Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek Ranger District
The Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek District covers about 207,000 acres in seven counties in south/central Missouri. The oak/hickory and pine forests intermixed with tallgrass prairie lands in the north provide opportunities for…
the Forest Service page for it → - Irish Wilderness
The 16,277-acre Irish Wilderness is a dense forest of oaks and hickory that was designated in 1984. Here you'll find sinkholes, disappearing streams that reappear downstream, and Whites Creek Cave, (please note that Whites Creek…
the Forest Service page for it → - John J. Audubon Trl System (and West TH)
This is a 12-mile, circular, wilderness trail established as a memorial pilgrimage through the area which the great naturalist/artist visited on his wide-ranging bird collecting trips while living in Ste. Genevieve. Download a…
the Forest Service page for it → - Kaintuck Hollow
Kaintuck Hollow Trail is located just south of the Mill Creek Recreation Area . The trail offers a total of 16 miles of looping trails leading you through an oak forest, interspersed with hickory, cedar, dogwood, and pine…
the Forest Service page for it → - Noblett Lake Recreation Area
This beautiful recreation area was built in the late 1930s by men employed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It is a popular picnic, boating, and fishing site. Several scenic hiking routes have trailheads near Noblett…
the Forest Service page for it → - Noblett Lake Trailhead
The Ridge Runner Trail can be accessed by a trailhead at the Noblett Lake Day Use Area. There is ample parking at this site. It can fit about 35 cars plus additional parking for trucks and trailers nearby The Ridge Runner…
the Forest Service page for it → - Noblett Trailhead
The Noblett Trailhead is another way to access the Ridge Runner Trail system. Visitors can also access the Trail at the Noblett Lake Trailhead at the Noblett Lake Day Use Area, the Horton Trailhead, and the Hay Hollow Trialhead.…
the Forest Service page for it → - OT - Between the Rivers Section
The Between the Rivers Section of the Ozark Trail provides the necessary connection between the Current and Eleven Point Rivers. In addition to traversing impressive stands of white oak, shortleaf pine, and scarlet oak, the trail…
the Forest Service page for it → - OT - Courtois Creek Section
This section is the gateway to the Ozarks--starting at Onondaga Cave State Park and winding through the Huzzah State Forest/Conservation Area, opening into the lead district of Missouri and the Mark Twain National Forest, view…
the Forest Service page for it → - OT - Current River Section
The Current River Section of the Ozark Trail, a 30 mile section, passes through a myriad of publicly owned lands, best viewed from the trail atop Stegal Mountain, the highest point in the area. The trail wanders through Peck…
the Forest Service page for it → - OT - Karkaghne Section
This 25 mile trail section originates at MO Hwy J just east of Oates. It meanders south across the forested watershed for the West Fork of the Black river to the Sutton Bluff campground, and beyond to the Blair Creek section at…
the Forest Service page for it → - OT - Marble Creek/Crane Lake section
This section of the Ozark Trail which eventually will total approximately 21 miles runs from Marble Creek Campground to Crane Lake Picnic Area, with the Crane Lake Trail circling the lake.
the Forest Service page for it → - OT - North Fork Section
Thirteen miles of maintained trails wind along ridgetops and hollows among mixed oak hardwoods and southern pine. There are two trailheads that access the trail. There is parking available at both trailheads. From Blue Hole…
the Forest Service page for it → - OT - Taum Sauk Section
This section of the Ozark Trail connects the Fredericktown District with the Potosi District traversing two state parks---Johnson Shut-ins and Taum Sauk Mountain---and the Devil's Tollgate and Bell Mountain Wilderness.
the Forest Service page for it → - OT - Wappapello Section
Almost half of the 35-mile long Wappapello Lake Section of the Ozark Trail is managed by the Mark Twain National Forest – the balance of it is managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and the US Army…
the Forest Service page for it → - Paddy Creek Wilderness
Wilderness recreation is a unique experience that requires special skills and techniques, such as no-trace camping, to ensure that the character of the land truly remains wild. Emphasis in a wilderness area is on the primitive.…
the Forest Service page for it → - Paddy Creek trailhead
Paddy Creek Trail is a 1-mile hiking trail beginning and ending at the Paddy Creek Recreation Area. Brochures and Maps A printable brochure (pdf format) is available for download. Trail System Map ( printable ) and Trail System…
the Forest Service page for it → - Piney Creek Wilderness
The United States Congress designated the Piney Creek Wilderness in 1980 and it now has a total of 8,178 acres. This wilderness is nestled on the west side of Table Rock Lake. Wilderness Area History Railroad companies were the…
the Forest Service page for it → - Poplar Bluff Ranger District
The Poplar Bluff Ranger District has 150,000 acres located at the southeastern edge of the Ozarks, where the forest starts to give way to the Mississippi River lowlands. Poplar Bluff District offers two developed recreation…
the Forest Service page for it → - Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger District
The 201,582 acres of Potosi Ranger District offer many developed and undeveloped sites for camping and picnicking. Because of the karst topography prevalent in this area, caves with springs that feed the rivers and streams can…
the Forest Service page for it → - Ridge Runner NRT
The Ridge Runner Trail, a National Recreation Trail, consists of a 6-mile loop at Noblett Lake , a 6-mile loop near the North Fork Recreation Area , and a 21-mile long segment in between that extends from Noblett Lake in the…
the Forest Service page for it → - Rockpile Mountain Trl
The trail is located in the Rockpile Mountain Wilderness Area, from the trailhead there is a 2 mile section of maintained trail. The rest of the area is accessed by old woods roads or cross-country hiking. Brochures and Maps A…
the Forest Service page for it → - Rockpile Mountain Wilderness
This 4,238 acre Wilderness takes its name from an ancient circle of granite rock, piled by some earlier man on top of the mountain. It is located in Madison County on the Fredericktown Ranger District, southeast of Bell Mountain…
the Forest Service page for it → - Salem Ranger District
The Salem district encompasses approximately 175,000 acres within the Salem Plateau of the Ozark Highlands. The district includes lands located within Crawford, Iron, Dent, Reynolds, and Shannon counties in the south-east central…
the Forest Service page for it → - Thomasville River Access
Thomasville River Access, situated in Oregon County, provides the first opportunity for accessing the Eleven Point National Scenic River . State Highway 99 bridge is the put in point for river access. It provides an amazing float…
the Forest Service page for it → - Whites Creek Trl
The Whites Creek Trail is a 18.6 mile trail within the Irish Wilderness. Trails within the wilderness are not signed or marked, except at junctions. The major trailhead into the Wilderness is Camp Five Pond located off Highway J.…
the Forest Service page for it → - Whitten River Access
The Whitten River Access is located on the right bank of the Eleven Point National Scenic River . This is a popular launch and take out site on the river. There is a vault toilet and single-lane concrete boat ramp located at this…
the Forest Service page for it → - Wolf Junction (GTT Stop 7)
This stop combines Wolf Junction and Willie Lee recreation sites. The 1930s plat book shows J.W. Findley as the owner of the land now known as Wolf Junction. Other individuals owned the land before Mr. Findley, but he left a…
the Forest Service page for it →
Where the camps cluster
The place
Mark Twain National Forest is Missouri's only national forest, and it isn't one solid block on the map -- it's scattered across about 29 counties in roughly nine separate chunks, most of them draped over the rugged Ozark Highlands of southern and central Missouri (one outlier, the Cedar Creek unit, sits north of the Missouri River, off the Ozark plateau entirely). Its proclamation boundary takes in something like 3 million acres, though only about half of that -- roughly 1.5 million acres -- is actual public forest, with the rest a patchwork of private land in between. What ties it all together is classic Ozark country: oak-and-hickory hills, open rocky glades, cold clear spring-fed rivers you can float for days, and some of the oldest exposed rock on the continent.
History
Missouri's only national forest carries the name of the state's most famous storyteller -- Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, born in Florida, Missouri, in 1835. The land itself has a longer story: worn-down Ozark hills that were farmed hard, logged over, and burned before the federal government began buying up the cutover ground during the Depression. Mark Twain and a companion forest, the Clark, were both proclaimed on September 11, 1939, and for decades were run as separate units; they were officially combined under the single Mark Twain name in February 1976. Long before any of that, this was Osage country, and later the ground that mid-1800s settlers -- including the Irish colony that gave the Irish Wilderness its name -- tried and mostly failed to hold.
Wildlife & plants
The Ozark hills here are thick with white-tailed deer and wild turkey, and the forest is core habitat for Missouri's recovering American black bears -- a population that was nearly wiped out and has been slowly climbing back, mostly in the southern part of the state. You'll likely see (or hear) armadillos, which have steadily expanded their range north into the Ozarks, along with bobcats, coyotes, and river otters on the streams. The float rivers run cold and clear enough for smallmouth bass, and below Greer Spring the Eleven Point turns cold enough for trout, mostly rainbow. The real showstoppers live on the sun-baked glades: eastern collared lizards -- locals call them 'mountain boomers' -- and even Texas brown tarantulas, desert-looking creatures hanging on in the middle of Missouri. Shortleaf pine, the state's only native pine, is making a comeback here through restoration work amid the oak and hickory.
Notable features
The forest's crown jewel is the Eleven Point River -- one of the original eight rivers Congress protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 -- fed by Greer Spring, Missouri's second-largest, which roughly doubles the river's flow where it pours in. Nearby, the roughly 16,300-acre Irish Wilderness is the largest designated wilderness in Missouri, one of seven wilderness areas scattered across the forest (Hercules Glades, Bell Mountain, Devils Backbone, and others among them). Up in the St. Francois Mountains, the forest holds Precambrian igneous rock roughly 1.4 to 1.5 billion years old -- among the oldest of its kind in the midcontinent, the exposed core of mountains that have long since worn down to hills. And the Glade Top Trail, a National Forest Scenic Byway, runs the ridgetops through open glades with long views over the surrounding country.
Camps are sourced from public U.S. Forest Service recreation data and have not been personally visited. Roads shown are Forest Service passenger-car routes (maintenance level 3–5) and may be seasonal or gated. Always confirm access, fees and fire rules with the ranger district before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.