New Year Camping

[Miriam C.]

Everybody. Sooooooooooooo what are we doing in the North Central this year? Anyone have any great spots?

Do we need some scouting expeditions?

[tk]

Happy New Year!

Found a really interesting place in north Missouri--Wallace State Park. We camped at Watkins Mill last fall and visited Wallace on the way home. There's fishing and hiking but not much else to do. What's interesting, though, is a special group camping area--about 20-30 sites in a segregated area. Would work great for a bunch of teardroppers. There's also a really great area of basic sites (no electricity). It's built on the crest between a ravine and a bluff going down to a lake. Several of the sites are built up with retaining walls and actually have to have rails to protect you from taking a tumble. Sleepwalking could be hazardous to your health!

Best,
Tom

[s4son]

Well since you asked. I am in the very early planning stages of the Heart of America Tear Jerkers gathering. I would like some suggestions for spots. One place I thought might be fun is somewhere around Carthage MO. You could do the Route 66 thing and an option for entertainment Saturday night would be the restored Route 66 drive in movie in Carthage.

Miriam, do you know of any good camp grounds around that area or maybe we could all come to your house.

Scott F.

[Miriam C.]

Could you all bring chain saws.

I will look at Carthage. There is the Red Barn but they don't want campfires. Picky rv place.

Precious Moments has a great campground (rv) but they are closed permanantly. You might see if they will open for a large group.

Candlelight (think that is right) is very small and the view is of the RV store and highway.

There is great camping along Stockton lake. (see Tearjerkers site) There are some more but I will have to do a drive by to get their names. They are outside Carthage and W of Precious Moments.

Some around the highway are full in Spring and fall with return reservations. Joplin has a campground at Tipton Ford (off 71south) that is on the river and is beautiful and cheap. The other won't reserve for us as they cater to longer term, rv's.

http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u78/ ... mpgrounds/

T's corner is in Carthage but haven't seen it. Ballards is outside Carthage and is usually full in spring and fall.

Carthage camping

[Miriam C.]

Up date. T's corner is a corner lot with some old cars and not much else. Good for a nights stay if you are desperate.

Checked the others and they are "real" RV parks and like a mobil home park.

Now we did make it by Lake LaCyne (Linn County park) and it is pretty nice. Open all year and mostly first come first serve. The lady says we can reserve in the Lilly Pad area but would have to get all 9 sites and prepay. Also the "electric area" not on the water but lots of spots can be reserved separately.

Cost is $12 a night for electric

Now the draw back is the bath/showers are a bit of a walk. Not sure what everyone is used to. Lake LaCyne is a fishing lake and has fairly warm water due to the power plant on it's shores. Boats allowed but for fishing only. They also have an extensive horse trail and swimming pool.

http://www.linncountyks.com/html/lakelacygne.html