Outdoors

Photographer Matt Faupel and his friend in adventure, Brian Grace, spent three days last spring floating the Upper Jacks Fork River, from the Prongs to Bay Creek, a river distance of 25 miles. Come along, and let Matt be your guide to the discoveries.

After near extinction last century, the black bear makes a comeback in Missouri.

Bell Mountain offers a 12-mile loop with 1,683 feet of elevation change, respectable for the Midwest. Bell Mountain also offers something that you can’t get anywhere else in the country: the chance to see, in person, the result of more than one billion years of geologic time playing out.

Camp Long Creek at Big Cedar sits on the lakeshore, next to Bass Pro Shops Long Creek Marina, and features 64 units that include shepherd’s huts, luxury “glamping” tents, and couples’ and family cottages. The campground is set to open in May.

Amateur photographers, including youth, are encouraged to submit their favorite wild bird photographs for the contest that offers cash prizes for winners. The contest is a fundraiser for MRBO, which is devoted to the conservation of Missouri’s migratory and resident birds.

For most of the year, life in small-town rural Missouri moves at a quiet pace, but come November these peaceful hamlets transform into prime destinations for those on the hunt for deer.

You can get away without going far when you explore the trails of Columbia.

“Everything is recovered from last year,” says Pat Behle, an administrative specialist at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. “We’re in very good shape.”

Bunker Hill Retreat has been around for more than 70 years, but few people know about it. Hiding in plain sight, the resort on the Jacks Fork River is one of those places you hesitate to tell others about because you want to keep it for yourself.

Here's our guide to Missouri campsites for summer 2018. Where are you pitching a tent this summer?