Standing at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers will take your breath away. The power of these two rivers coming together is unmistakable. You can go down the walkway and plant one foot in the Missouri and one foot in the Mississippi River.
Clark’s Hill is a triple-bonus sort of place, interesting geologically, geographically, and historically. Plus, it provides one of the finest overlook views of the Missouri River valley that can be had. Hike up the hill to stand in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark.
Table Rock State Park is indeed worth a visit. It provides the perfect access to a storied region. You may enjoy the abundant tourist attractions of Branson, but when you need a break, you can hike the park trails or find along some backwoods byways much that is still unspoiled and inviting in the White River Hills.
Bryant Creek State Park is more than 2,900 acres of pristine forests, rippling waters, and backcountry trails. See trees that may be up to three hundred years old. Set up camp on a gravel bar and do some fishing. Get back to nature at this stunning state park.
Missouri is the cave state. This state park is one you should not miss. For more than seventy-five years before its 1982 acquisition as a park, Onondaga Cave was one of the major public attractions in the Midwest, and it still is. Come see why!
If you enjoy natural history and unusual local plants, animals, and geology, then St. Francois State Park is just the place for you. The park is filled with interesting Civil War history and you can learn how the hills of the park have been a hideout and a refuge for a long time.
Big Sugar Creek State Park is full of nooks and crannies that are worth exploring. The rugged landscape is filled with rare plants and animals. This park is one of the only places in Missouri where the Ozark Chinquapin survives.
A visit to Lake Wappapello should be on your must-do list. The lake is clear, the forests are diverse, the fishing is excellent, and the cabins are a great place to spend a few days relaxing. Learn the history of the dam and how the lake was created.
You have got to see these trees. Big Oak Tree State Park is home to one national champion, a pumpkin ash, and three state champion trees, overcup oak, sweetgum, and persimmon. The ancient cypress are awe inspiring. The park is also a bird watchers dream with more than 150 known species chirping from the trees.
In Missouri, the devil seems to own everything, including the kitchen and the sink. His name is associated with natural features that include names like tollgate, well, den, tea table, pan, washboard, promenade, elbow, and many others. But why are so many geologic formations property of the devil?
Spend a few days at Big lake State Park. There is so much to do from fishing to camping to boating. Big Lake is an oxbow lake and among the largest remaining natural oxbow lakes along the Missouri River. It is one of the largest natural lakes of any type in the State.
Bennett Spring State Park is lovely at any time of year, but visiting in the Fall is glorious. The lodge is a rustic yet very comfortable place to stay for a few days, so you have plenty of time to take in all this State Park has to offer.
The Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site is a place filled with history. Many battle reenactments have relived the events that took place on Sept., 27, 1864. Visit the fort, bring a picnic, and immerse yourself in Civil War history.
Thomas Hart Benton is best known for the murals in our state capitol in Jefferson City. The home and studio that Benton and his wife Rita shared in Kansas City have been left perfectly preserved. The paints, furniture, sketches, and even his pipe sit right where he left them on the day he died.
Lake of the Ozarks State Park has an interesting history. Learn how the lake itself came to be. More than just a lake for boating and fishing, the park is filled with trails, caves, miles of shoreline, great fishing, camps, an airport, and so much more.
The Missouri and Kansas border was a contentious place during the Civil War. Make your way along the trail at this historic site to view the landscape where African Americans fighting in the Civil War earned their place in Missouri—and national—history.
By foot is the best way to see Pickle Creek, sandstone landscapes, shut-ins, and distinctive flora. Rose azaleas accent fern-covered ledges and Whispering Pine Wild Area beckons you to discover the wonders this State Park has to offer.
The silence that surrounds you at this site belies what happened here during the Civil War. This is where one of the earliest engagements of the Civil War took place. Stand in the spot where the Union fired the final battle shots.
Learn how the site of an early Civil War skirmish became a State Historic Site. Uncover prehistoric Indian sites and part of a Sauk Indian village. Take a hike to see rich flora that are relics of glacial times. Can you find the “cannonball house?”
Find out why the state’s first historic site is worth the trip. In our series on state parks, we will take you all around the state. Each park has unique features and many amenities. Grab your family, friends, and loved ones, and get out and explore.
You have to make this trip! Immerse yourself in native woodlands and forest, streams and springs, and uplands and pastures. Cool off in a crystal clear river. And how can you miss the house that the Beatles visited while in Missouri.
What was once the MKT (Missouri-Kansas-Texas) railroad,The Katy Trail State Park has so much to explore on foot, by bike, or on some stretches, horseback. The trail runs 240 miles over 14 counties. Get out and see the state in a whole new way.
Spring is here. Who’s ready to ramble? Here are 20 trails to explore by hiking or biking in Missouri. One takes you past elk and bison. Another is the Katy Trails’ little sister. Several guide you along babbling creeks or the big rivers.
Here in Missouri, we’re lucky to be a crossroads for birds heading south or overwintering here. Here’s a Guide to preparing your backyard for overwintering birds as well as a photo contest you can enter.
National Public Lands Day is coming right up, this Saturday, September 24, and all entry fees will be waived at national parks and other federal public lands, including national monuments, forests, recreation areas, wildlife refuges, historical sites, battlefields, recreation areas, and grasslands. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is also on federal land.
Veterans can fish for free all day Saturday, September 17, 2022, at Roaring River State Park.
A Visual Tribute to Missouri’s State Parks and Historic Sites.
The old tavern at Arrow Rock was purchased on this date as the first step in saving the town’s jewels of American history.
The EPA announced that it had identified dangerous levels of dioxin in the soil of Times Beach, MO on this date in Missouri history.
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