Effective immediately, the Missouri Department of Conservation says camping at the Huzzah Conservation Area near Leasburg will be allowed only from Sept. 15 to May 15. The area will continue to be open to public use from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. this summer.

The department said the end of summer camping will “ensure acceptable outdoor recreation activities while minimizing chronic problems associated with inappropriate and unsafe uses.”

In the past, the department said summer camping at Huzzah has been a perpetual management and law enforcement problem, including on-going issues with drug and alcohol use, littering, property damage and trespassing.

The area is a popular float spot, with Huzzah Creek, Courtois Creek and the upper Meramec all nearby. Onondaga Cave State Park also is near the 6,144-acre conservation area.

The Conservation Department says the camping restriction will allow access to the streams “while minimizing the problems and safety concerns routinely experienced during the summertime.”