Eight Mark Twain National Forest campgrounds, and several concessionaires, will have free camping and picnicking on Saturday, September 26, 2009.

Silver Mines Shut-Ins

Free camping and picnicking is part of National Public Lands Day, which encourages people to enjoy the outdoors and honors volunteers who have helped maintain Missouri’s 1.5 million acre National Forest.

“Each year, dozens of volunteers donate hundreds of hours of their time to help operate campgrounds, build and maintain trails and provide other recreation opportunities,” said Mark Twain Forest Supervisor David Whittekiend. “Though they often get free camping while completing their volunteer project, a day without fees is another way we can how our appreciation. We hope many volunteers will take advantage of this time to bring friends and family to enjoy the fruits of their labor.¨

The free camping and picnicking will be for the following unreserved campsites:

Greer Crossing on the Eleven Point River in Oregon County;
Cobb Ridge in the Chadwick Motorcycle and ATV area in Christian County;
Big Bay on Table Rock Lake in Stone County;
Lane Spring in Phelps County;
Loggers Lake in Shannon County;
Sutton Bluff in Reynolds County;
Watercress on the Current River in Carter County
North Fork in Ozark County.

In addition, several concessionaires are offering free day use on Saturday, Sept. 26 and free camping Sept. 26 evening:
Silver Mines, on the St. Francis River;
Float Camp and Deer Leap, on the Current River.

Council Bluff Recreation Area will have free day use on Saturday; a fee will be charged for camping.

Fees will also still be charged for riding ATVs, motorcycles and mountain bikes on Chadwick and Sutton Bluff trails.

Other campgrounds are also open to the public without charge:

Marble Creek in Madison County, operated by Friends of Marble Creek;
Paddy Creek, adjacent to Paddy Creek Wilderness in Texas County, operated by a volunteer host; Berryman in Washington County; Dry Fork and Pine Ridge in Callaway County; McCormack Lake in Oregon County, and Bar-K Campground in Christian County.