The Labor Day holiday weekend is upon us – a time to honor the contributions of the American worker. One way to do that is to turn off the phone, unplug, and go camping. Missouri State Parks Director David Kelly said that Labor Day weekend is a popular time to go camping.
“I think systemwide, right now, we’re 85% occupied at all our campsites,” he told Missourinet. “We’ve got a few parks with some availability, but, you know, a lot of the premium sites and stuff are already booked. So, we’ve got a few opportunities if folks are still interested in getting out and camping this weekend.”
Kelly said Labor Day used to be the end of peak camping season, but trends have changed.
“September and October are actually busy camping months for us,” he said. “So, it’s kind of a start of our busy fall season because of the cooler weather, the fall colors.”
Missouri is home to 93 state parks and historic sites, and 41 of them offer camping. Kelly says that camping in Missouri is year-round, in addition to booking up to a year out or on the same day.
There are also other camping options available for those who don’t prefer to use a tent.
“We’ve got cabins. We’ve got yurts,” Kelly said. “We’ve got camper cabins. We’ve got platform tents. You know, we’ve got full-service cabins up to Echo Bluff (State Park), which is kind of our resort park. So, some lodging opportunities for everyone.”
Missouri is one of only seven states in the country that provides free access to the state parks.
“But you do pay for camping and lodging and historic site tours,” he said. “Camping, you know, ranges from a $15 to a basic site up to the upper $20s for a full hookup site. We do have firewood available at all of our campgrounds for purchase.”
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