Bar-K Wrangler Camp
Bar-K Wrangler Camp is a quiet campground located on the west bank of Swan Creek and serves as a Trailhead for the Swan Creek Trail. The campground is used frequently by equestrians. Whether you choose one of the designated sites or decide to spread out in the big field across the road you’ll have plenty of room for yourself and your horse when you visit. During the summer months you can cool off with a quick wade in Swan Creek. At night you can enjoy the quiet in a primitive horse camp, surrounded by maples, oaks, hickories, and dogwood. During the day you'll have access to the 23-miles of riding, hiking, and mountain bike trails in Swan Creek.
More like this: first-come in Missouri · tent only in Missouri
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | Camping Single - $10/night |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | January to December |
| Forest | Mark Twain National Forest |
| Fees | Camping Single - $10/night |
| Rules | No motorized vehicles permitted on trail system. No motorized vehicles beyond posted signs. Fireworks are prohibited. Campsite parking allows for two vehicles per site. Park only in designated parking areas. No more than 8 people are permitted at single sites (16 for double sites). Dogs must be on a 6 foot leash in the campground. Only collect dead and downed wood for campfires. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 36.8601° N, 93.0090° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Dynamic Earth ↗ | 24.3 mi |
| RV sales & service | Youngblood RV ↗ | 26.3 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 30.1 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Campsite scouting- Bar K Wrangler Camp- Horse Camp
Worth a stop
- 5.6 miChadwick Ohv Trail Complex ↗OHV / range
Trails nearby
- 0.4 miSwan Creek-Sly Top2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.4 miSwan Creek - Ridge Road0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.6 miSwan Creek-Buckeye Hill0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.9 miSwan Creek - Shoo Fly2.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.3 miSwan Creek-Math Branch3.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.3 miSwan Creek-Bald Knob1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
Hercules-Glades Wilderness begins about 10.2 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 10.2 miHercules-Glades Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 12,423 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Swan Creek BridgeStructure · Forsyth · 11.8 mi
- Bonniebrook HomesteadSite · Walnut Shade · 13.1 mi
Guidebooks for Missouri
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Bar-K Wrangler Camp?
No. Bar-K Wrangler Camp is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Bar-K Wrangler Camp?
Camping Single - $10/night
Source: Forest Service
Is Bar-K Wrangler Camp open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season January to December.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Bar-K Wrangler Camp?
Bar-K Wrangler Camp is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Bar-K Wrangler Camp is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Cobb Ridge (5.6 mi, partly first-come), River Run Park (13.5 mi), and Beaver Creek (15.4 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby