Camping season closes at Wappapello after 32% spike

WAPPAPELLO — The camping season at Wappapello Lake is winding down for the season, and some campgrounds are slated to close in the coming days.

“The Redman East and West campgrounds close Monday,” said Park Ranger Rosie Lemons.

Both are located south of the dam along Highway T.

The Greenville Recreation Area campground will remain open through the November firearms deer season, Lemons said, so it will close on the evening of Nov. 24.

While the People’s Creek Upper campground, located north of the dam off Highway D, remains open year-round, Lemons said, the People’s Creek Lower campground closed at the end of September.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, or maybe because of it, officials at Wappapello Lake saw a significant increase in camping during the 2020 season, even after all campgrounds were closed for a month and a half early on.

“Our campgrounds have been packed,” noted Lemons.

Wappapello Lake runs “a fiscal year which goes from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, and our fiscal year in 2020 was up 32%,” said Operations Manager Bart Dearborn.

With the collection of day-use fees suspended in the spring, the 32% revenue increase can be attributed almost solely to an increased number of campers.

“It’s safe to say our camping occupancy went up 32% from fiscal year 2019,” Dearborn said.

Indeed, more people spent time outdoors during the pandemic, but even Lemons was surprised at the numbers.

“That’s pretty phenomenal, actually, when you think about it,” she said.

“It speaks to us trying to provide some normalcy to people by offering camping while we sustained our operations” through the pandemic, Dearborn said.

He also noted a side effect of the increase in campers to the lake this year.

“Reopening those facilities and making them available to the public also benefits the local economy,” he said.