CHANGES MADE TO CAMPGROUND RESERVATION SYSTEM

To improve the quality of service to campers in state parks, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has implemented changes to its campground reservation system.

For the 1999 camping season, the two major changes will be that reservations can now be made any time throughout the year, up to three months prior to arrival. In addition, credit cards can now be used for payment. Both changes took effect Jan. 4.

Previously, all reservations for the entire year could be made on the first working day in January.

"It was sometimes hard to get through to the parks because everyone was calling at the same time to reserve campsites for the entire year," explained Douglas Eiken, director of DNR's Division of State Parks. "The new system lets the campers wait until closer to the date of arrival to make a reservation and it greatly reduces the number of campers trying to make reservations at the same time."

Reservations can be made any time during the three-month period prior to your arrival date, but cannot be made before the three-month window begins. To find out the first date you can make a reservation, select the date of your arrival and count back three months (or approximately 90 days) to the same date. If the date falls on a day when the park office is closed, call the next working day.

For campers' convenience, MasterCard and Visa credit cards can now be used to make reservations. When using a credit card for payment, you can make a reservation up to two days in advance. For example, if you want to reserve a campsite for Friday night, you can call on the Wednesday before.

"This will be much more convenient for our campers because you previously had to make reservations at least 14 days in advance," said Eiken.

Money orders and checks can also still be used for payment, but when doing so, reservations must still be made at least 14 days in advance.

There is a reservation fee of $5 for each site reserved. The fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable. In addition, the first night's camping fee is due when you call to make the reservation. A few parks require a minimum of two-nights stay during weekends.

Campsites can be reserved at 12 state parks: Sam A. Baker State Park near Patterson; Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon; Hawn State Park near Ste. Genevieve; Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park near Lesterville; Lake of the Ozarks State Park near Osage Beach; Meramec State Park near Sullivan; Montauk State Park near Salem; Roaring River State Park near Cassville.

Also, Harry S. Truman State Park near Warsaw; Mark Twain State Park near Stoutsville; Washington State Park near DeSoto; and Watkins Mill State Park near Lawson.

To make a reservation, call between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, except at Hawn State Park. At Hawn State Park, call between noon and 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from January through September. You can call the park directly or call the Department of Natural Resources toll-free at (800) 334-6946. Persons with hearing impairments can call (800) 379-2419 with a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD).