Drag Over

[cj5752]

Went to Drag Over Friday afternoon to see how high the river was. Met a local that says people are campimg at Drag over all the time. He said the campground was full on Memorial Day weekend. Has anyone witnessed anyone camping at Drag Over or any of the other float camps? I thought they were closed to overnight use?

[tomOzarkVideo]

The camp was not full on memorial day weekend. We were there sat-mon. One couple had camp set on sunday, I asked if they had heard that it was closed for camping. On monday morning, they were gone.

We stayed near by at the "I'll never tell" campsite.

[cj5752]

Thanks. I sure wish they would open them back up.

[Jim Krueger]

CJ,


I too hope the Forest Service will re-open Dragover for camping fairly soon. In the National Forest Service's defense, they know the loss of life in the narrow gorge at Camp Albert Campground was so tragic, and I'm sure their only wish would be to prevent that from 'Ever' happening again, anywhere. In the months afterward, they have shut-down camping in many of their campgrounds (for further evaluation), However, Dragover, River Bluff, and probably other campgrounds on just the Upper Ouachita River are high enough in elevation that they could have ruled them out earlier on as being much more safe than Albert Pike, (geographically-speaking), and continued on. I personally think the concern they are most grappling with is how to ensure the safety of all campers, in tents, flush on the ground, or in Recreational Vehicles, who's sleeping elevations may be three to four feet off of the ground. I.M.H.O.


Best Regards
Jim

[cj5752]

I agree that these campgrounds are much safer than Albert Pike. I was really surprised that all 3 campgrounds we visited on Friday had the river up in them. River Bluff had all the picnic tables under water. Fulton Branch had water in the campground, and Drag over had water up to the lower tier of tables. It was just a couple of feet from the road. This was at about 26' on the gauge so the water had dropped a couple of feet. I didn't have time to make it to Shirley creek. I would really like to have seen it. I think it is safer than the rest.

[gma06001-]

From what I understood, Dragover Campground was no longer managed by the Forest Service, but by the County, and that it was still open for camping. I can't remember where I read that though, so it could be Hooplahhhh.

Mitch Allen

[Canoe_Codger]

From what I understood, Dragover Campground was no longer managed by the Forest Service, but by the County, and that it was still open for camping. I can't remember where I read that though, so it could be Hooplahhhh.

Mitch Allen

USFS still has it listed as closed.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ouachita ... 7&actid=29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sky Heye]

The drag over area is run by the county. I've never seen them patrol the area, so put up a camp unless the county has posted signs saying you can't.

[cj5752]

The area is owned by the USFS. It was maintained by Montgomery county. The signs says "Day Use Only Open 6am til 10pm".

[cate the rafter]

As someone who has, ahem, been ticketed for criminal trespassing for swimming in a " Area closed after dark-.no camping" spot on public land, tend to be gone by sundown. Unless of course you want to be the laughing stock of a court room full of degenerates. When asked by the judge, who didn't know about the law, why we were swimming, the only answer we could give him was the obvious.... " It was hot."

[cate the rafter]

As someone who has, ahem, been ticketed for criminal trespassing for swimming in a " Area closed after dark-.no camping" spot on public land, tend to be gone by sundown. Unless of course you want to be the laughing stock of a court room full of degenerates. When asked by the judge, who didn't know about the law, why we were swimming, the only answer we could give him was the obvious.... " It was hot."

[Jim Krueger]

I sort of concur with Cate's experience. I too have had to move camp/change my plans before. In my case it was on private property along the Upper Little Missouri River some years ago. My friends and I had a long-standing permission from the landowner to camp there, what we didn't know on the start of that eleventh wonderful camping and floating outing there was, the old man had passed on a few months before. After spending the afternoon setting up what was to be a great several-day camp, his young grandson and buds filtered down there and were quite ugly to us. It was midnight before we finally relocated our camp upstream some distance. Most of this land, downstream of the Hwy 84 bridge West Of Langley, is timber company land, and has been entirely gated-off for several years now, so this instance is now pretty much moot. However, it made me not want to ever be bothered again in such a rude manner, on either private or public land.

This brings me back to Dragover. About eight years ago the National Forest service was having one of the never-ending budget crunches, and decided they would completely close many of their camp grounds on the Upper Ouachitas to camping, day access, the works, due to monetary concerns. Montgomery County officials probably saw the benefit of keeping these areas open, and were nice enough to negotiate with the N.F.S. and agreed to foot the maintenance costs and responsibilities. Since that time, we have been able to continue to camp and or access these areas. ( As a side note, the N.F.S. used to charge a camping/ day fee but the county even did away with that. IMHO I wish the county had continued those fees just to help with their maintenance costs. But that is another issue) In the bigger picture, this land still belongs to the National Forest Service, and they are the ones who posted this site for day-use only, the ones grappling on ad infinitum with safety concerns they have, and they still ultimately call the shots. If you choose to camp here, and a county officer stops by, it may or may not be an issue, but I'd bet if one of the National Forest Service rangers happens to roll in, it will be certain eviction, and maybe a fine. 02cents worth.

Best Regards
Jim

[cate the rafter]

As someone who has, ahem, been ticketed for criminal trespassing for swimming in a " Area closed after dark-.no camping" spot on public land, tend to be gone by sundown. Unless of course you want to be the laughing stock of a court room full of degenerates. When asked by the judge, who didn't know about the law, why we were swimming, the only answer we could give him was the obvious.... " It was hot."

[Moniker]

I wonder if primitive camping is still allowed just outside the campground?I've camped there when the campground was full.Or at the takeout?I do'nt know if it was legal or not but no one disturbed my slumber.
Dragover was one of my favorite campsites,I always met interesting people there.
I've only seen law enforcement there twice,once when a guy from Jasper caused trouble with local kids,and one Memorial day weekend when I was the only camper a game warden stopped by.