Fans of the famed comic strip “Beetle Bailey” should include this 2,212-acre Missouri Department of Conservation area on their travel schedule.
This site was the location of Camp Crowder Army Base during World War II and it was this site that gave cartoonist Mort Walker the inspiration for “Camp Swampy,” the mythical military base that figures prominently in the cartoon strip.
This link to the comic strip is honored in the Crowder Area’s “Mort Walker Trail,” an 11-mile hiking/bicycling/horse trail. Hunting for all major game species is permitted in season. Primitive camping (no amenities provided) is permitted on the area, except for seasonal closures for some hunting activities (call 417-451-4158 for details).
Dogs must be leashed or confined when not being used for training or hunting purposes. There are no fishable streams or ponds on the area. There is an unmanned shooting range and an archery range on the area.