Your guide to primitive camping in Greater Kansas City
Do you want to get away from it all? Here’s a go-to list to plan your overnight adventure.
By Roy Harryman
Publisher
Some like camping, while others refuse to sleep in anything but their own bed (or at a comfy hotel or B&B).
Campers, however, are not uniform. There are:
Campers in campers (sleeping in an RV, mobile camper or pop-up)
Glampers
Public campsite campers, who share “nature” with numerous other tents, trailers and RVs
Then there are primitive campers. Their goal is to get away from noise, air conditioning, TVs, streaming services and hubbub. Primitive camping means:
Pack it in, pack it out.
Leave no trace.
The woods is your bathroom.
Sleep in a tent, on the ground or a hammock.
All supplies are carried on the backs of the campers.
“Camping is the art of getting closer to nature while getting farther away from the nearest cold beverage, hot shower, and flush toilet.”
Why would anyone desire primitive camping?
After all, you have to poop in the woods, right? You also have to bring or filter your water – and you have to carry everything else. One reason people choose primitive camping is to literally get away from it all. Public campsites offer even less privacy and quiet than you experience in daily life. Another reason may be pragmatic: If you want to hike a 15-mile trail, it will take longer than a day to get there and back. That means you simply have to camp.
Primitive camping is much more common in areas with vast acres of public land than it is in the Kansas City area. Yet, if this is your goal, it can happen. Here are highlights of a few places where you can experience true primitive camping within a few hours’ drive.
Set up camp near Lawrence: Woodridge Primitive Park
Woodridge Primitive Park is in Douglas County on Clinton Lake, west of Lawrence. This wild and remote corner of the reservoir features a 4.5-mile loop through dense woods with occasional interruptions of prairie. The trail hugs the shoreline for much of its length. There are 15 designated, marked campsites with fire rings along this loop. Some are deep in the forest while others are along the lakeshore. These free sites are apparently available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you want to camp nearby, but still want access to a toilet and drinking water, you can camp at the trailhead (or close to it).
Hike and camp the 15-mile Elk River Trail
The 15-mile Elk River Trail, one of Kansas’ most scenic hikes. Located in south central Kansas’ rugged Chautauqua Hills, it follows the river and the shore of Elk City Lake. Miles of forest, clear streams and massive cliffs are found throughout the length of this hike. All of the trail is located on Corps of Engineers Land, which is open for primitive camping.
Camping at Kansas Wildlife Areas
Guidance on camping in Kansas Wildlife Areas is a bit unclear, with the Department of Wildlife and Parks stating: “Some remote wildlife areas offer primitive camping in designated areas, but it’s a good idea to check with the area Wildlife and Parks office for more specific camping information.”
“Camping is great for when you’re craving a horrible night’s sleep.”
Camp in a national forest north of the Missouri River
The Cedar Creek unit of Mark Twain National Forest offers a 36-mile loop through rugged mid-Missouri terrain, just south of Columbia. Primitive camping (with restrictions) is allowed throughout the 16,000-acre district. The most popular hikes are the Smith Creek, Pine Ridge and Moon Loop trails.
Find solitude beside a stream at Pershing State Park
Pershing State Park, located in north central Missouri, is centered on what is called “wet prairie.” This 9-mile out-and-back trail weaves through marshes, wetlands and riparian forest. It’s one of a few state parks to allow primitive camping.
Primitive camping in Missouri Conservation Areas
Hart Creek Conservation Area, Boone County, Mo.
There are more than 1,000 Missouri Conservation areas totaling nearly a million acres. When it comes to camping, each has its own rules. Dozens allow primitive camping, but even these areas are each distinct. Some allow primitive camping, yet it’s in a designated area a few feet from a road (so it’s primitive, but not secluded). Other areas list no specific location for primitive camping, and simply say that’s authorized. Also, just because an area allows primitive camping does not mean it has quality (or any) hiking trails. Research is required. You can search the department’s database here and enter the criteria you are looking for. Then search through the results to make sure you’ll get the experience you desire.
We can confidently state that two camping-friendly conservation areas with excellent trails are:
Be mindful of safety when camping or hiking during peak hunting seasons in Missouri.
Get a bird’s eye view camping in Iowa’s Loess Hills
Brent's Trail at the Murray Hill Trailhead in Harrison County, Iowa
If Kansas Citians head north, they’ll find three scenic Iowa parks that permit primitive camping.
Hitchcock Nature Center, near Council Bluffs, provides 10 miles of trails on 1,000 acres of spectacular scenery.
Brent’s Trail, in Harrison County, is a remote and challenging 12-mile trek through forest and barren ridgelines with spectacular views. Don’t underestimate the difficulty of this trail, which requires you to gain 1,500 feet of elevation in its ups and downs. Primitive camping is permitted along sections of the trail that pass through Loess Hills State Forest.
Preparation Canyon State Park, also in Harrison County, offers several miles of trails through ridges and bottomland forest on your way to primitive campsites.
This 3,000-acre park in southeast Nebraska includes 22 miles of trails that wind through forest, up steep ridges, through prairie and bottomland. Primitive campsites are available throughout the park.
“The farther one gets into the wilderness, the greater is the attraction of its lonely freedom. ”
If you’re not a primitive camper, all of these locations are also excellent hiking destinations. Then, at the end of the day, you can head for your car, a public camping area or even a hotel. No judgements here! Just enjoy the trail.
Never miss a hike!
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