Travel

Stockton State Park is 2,175 acres of land leased from the corps and developed for recreation by the state of Missouri. The ultra-clear waters are great for swimming and the fishing is unmatched. Hiking and camping are also one of the many things to do at the stunning state park.

Big Sugar Creek State Parks in the corner of southwest Missouri boasts a cultural history as intriguing as its natural history, but some local legends provoke as many questions as answers. Hike on the Ozark Chinquapin Trail where you can see an array of flora and fauna.

Echo Bluff State Parks has one of the most stunning lodges of any of the Missouri State Parks. And Sinking Creek’s crystal clear waters are a perfect place to dip your toes in or enjoy a gravel bar picnic. These are only a few of the outstanding attractions at Echo Bluff State Park.

Missouri has three giant balls of string, and none actually hold the world record for being the largest. Spend a weekend traveling around the state to see these crazy big balls of string. There are also many things to see and do in each of these “Balls of String” towns.

It is time to shake off the winter blues. We found four great places to go see on your “Winter Thaw” adventure. From St. Louis, to Springfield, to St. Charles, you will want to hit the road and leave Old Man Winter behind.

Visit the Pommer-Gentner house and the Strehly house at this State Historic Site. See a  printing press similar to what was used to print one of the first German language newspapers west of the Mississippi. To round out your visit take a stroll through historic Hermann.

The richly diverse Current River State Park has almost two miles of Current River frontage and a superb trail network. The fishing is abundant and a lazy float down the Current River is a perfect way to spend any day of the week.

After one of the more cataclysmic dam failures in American history, Johnson Shut-Ins State Park has been reborn. The pools and rock slides are perfect for the whole family. There is an abundance of flora and fauna as well as hiking trails and the Black River Center.

Greg and Danita Wood, owners of Missouri Life magazine, take a once in a lifetime horseback riding adventure out West. They headed to the mountains of Wyoming and a horse-riding adventure on the Bitterroot—a working cattle ranch that is nested at 7,200 feet in the Absaroka Mountains.

At Cuivre River State Park you can take in the sweeping views, set up camp, go swimming and fishing, and visit American Indian campsites and burail grounds. Spend some time at Lincoln Hills Natural Area–the park’s crown jewel.