Destinations
Missouri outdoors
Missouri puts spring-fed float rivers, billion-year-old granite shut-ins, and a 240-mile rail-trail all within a few hours' drive.
What Missouri offers outdoors
Missouri is built around water and old rock. The Ozarks in the southern half of the state are laced with clear, spring-fed rivers that you float in a canoe or kayak, and that habit of getting on the water is the through-line of a Missouri trip. The Current and Jacks Fork rivers are protected as a national riverways unit, fed by hundreds of springs and threaded with caves, and they sit at the heart of the float-trip culture. If you would rather stay dry, the same hills give you the 430-mile Ozark Trail and the bluffs, glades, and oak-hickory forest of parks like Lake of the Ozarks.
The best concentration of scenery is the Arcadia Valley in southeast Missouri, where three of the state's standout parks sit within about 30 minutes of each other. Johnson's Shut-Ins is a natural rock water park where the Black River has carved chutes and pools into 1.5-billion-year-old volcanic rock. Elephant Rocks lines up giant granite boulders like a train of elephants along a short, accessible loop. Taum Sauk Mountain is the high point of the state and a quiet, rewarding hike. For a flatter, longer day, the Katy Trail runs more than 240 miles along the Missouri River, the longest developed rail-trail in the country, free and open year-round. The state's lone national park sits on the St. Louis riverfront and pairs naturally with a city visit.
Spring and fall are the sweet spots. April through June brings full rivers, green hills, and comfortable temperatures, while September and October give you cooler air and good fall color. Summer is float-trip and swimming season, with highs in the upper 80s F to low 90s F and high humidity, so plan water time and shade. Winters are cold, often in the 30s F and 40s F, and quiet on the trails. Pack for water no matter the season: a dry bag, water shoes or sandals with a back strap, quick-dry layers, and sun protection. Add sturdy trail shoes for the rocky Ozark trails and a warm layer in spring and fall, when mornings start chilly and afternoons warm up.
State park reservations
Missouri booking basics
Ozark river parks and lake parks book differently. Check float-season pressure before assuming open sites.
Booking note
Missouri offers thousands of reservable state park campsites through its official camping reservation system.
Agency
Missouri State Parks
State park directory
Missouri state park system places
A source-backed inventory layer for planning breadth. Full Kit Authority guides are marked when a park has imagery, camping detail, rules, and packing notes.
92 directory entries
0 full guides live
- Official page
Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park
State Park
Van Meter State Park features remnants of a Missouria Indian village at the Great Bend of the Missouri River, with hiking trails, an 18-acre fishing lake, and a cultural center.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Arrow Rock State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Arrow Rock State Historic Site preserves a historic river town with period architecture, the 1834 J. Huston Tavern, and a visitor center interpreting Boone's Lick Country.
- Historic Site
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Paddling
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Battle of Athens State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Battle of Athens State Historic Site preserves the northernmost Civil War battlefield fought west of the Mississippi, with historic buildings and a mile of Des Moines River frontage.
- Historic Site
- Camping
- Hiking
- Boating
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Battle of Carthage State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Battle of Carthage State Historic Site preserves a meadow and spring where the earliest full-scale Civil War battle was fought on July 5, 1861.
- Hiking
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site preserves the site of an 1862 skirmish, the first time Black soldiers engaged in combat during the Civil War.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Battle of Lexington State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Battle of Lexington State Historic Site preserves the Anderson House and battlefield of an 1861 three-day Civil War battle, with bullet holes still visible in the walls.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
- Hiking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site preserves Fort Davidson and the battlefield of an 1864 Civil War battle, with a visitor center, museum, and hiking trail.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
- Hiking
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Bennett Spring State Park
State Park
Bennett Spring State Park is one of Missouri's earliest state parks, where more than 100 million gallons of spring water daily form a trout-stocked branch popular with anglers.
- Fishing
- Camping
- Hiking
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Big Lake State Park
State Park
Big Lake State Park is a 407-acre park in northwest Missouri adjacent to the largest remaining oxbow lake in the state, popular for boating, fishing, and wetland birding.
- Camping
- Fishing
- Boating
- Picnicking
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Big Oak Tree State Park
State Park
Big Oak Tree State Park preserves towering bottomland forest and wetlands in southeast Missouri, with a self-guided boardwalk trail through the marshy terrain.
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Nature Trails
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Big Sugar Creek State Park
State Park
Big Sugar Creek State Park is a rugged Ozark landscape of upland woodlands and grassy glades with rare plants and animals reached by hiking trails.
- Hiking
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Bollinger Mill State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Bollinger Mill State Historic Site preserves a four-story Civil War-era gristmill and the Burfordville Covered Bridge along the Whitewater River.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Boone's Lick State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Boone's Lick State Historic Site preserves the remnants of an early salt-making industry commercialized by Daniel Boone's sons, with outdoor interpretive exhibits.
- Picnicking
- Hiking
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site preserves a 31-room lodge built atop natural caves by Sedalia lawyer John Homer Bothwell, with a hiking and mountain biking trail.
- Historic Site
- Hiking
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Bryant Creek State Park
State Park
Bryant Creek State Park spans over 2,900 acres of rugged Ozark river hills with large oaks, native shortleaf pines, and nearly two miles of creek frontage.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Castlewood State Park
State Park
Castlewood State Park follows the winding Meramec River near St. Louis and is considered one of the area's best mountain biking locations.
- Hiking
- Biking
- Fishing
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Clark's Hill/Norton State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Clark's Hill/Norton State Historic Site preserves a hill the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped beneath in 1804, with a trail past American Indian mounds to an overlook.
- Hiking
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Confederate Memorial State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Confederate Memorial State Historic Site preserves the former Confederate Soldiers Home of Missouri across 135 acres with a restored chapel, cemetery, and six fishing ponds.
- Historic Site
- Fishing
- Picnicking
- Disc Golf
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Crowder State Park
State Park
Crowder State Park covers 1,912 acres of rugged forested terrain in northern Missouri with more than 17 miles of trails and an 18-acre lake.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Biking
- Backpacking
- Horseback Riding
- Fishing
- Boating
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Cuivre River State Park
State Park
Cuivre River State Park is one of Missouri's largest and most rugged parks, offering an Ozarkian landscape near St. Louis with Lake Lincoln for swimming and boating.
- Camping
- Swimming
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Backpacking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Horseback Riding
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Current River State Park
State Park
Current River State Park is built around a former corporate retreat with rustic National Park Service-style buildings, two lakes, and views of the scenic Current River.
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Paddling
- Picnicking
- Horseback Riding
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Deutschheim State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Deutschheim State Historic Site in Hermann preserves several structures from 1840 to 1890 reflecting German settlement of the Missouri River valley.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Dillard Mill State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Dillard Mill State Historic Site interprets one of the state's best-preserved gristmills, completed in 1908, on the blue waters of Huzzah Creek in the Ozarks.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Don Robinson State Park
State Park
Don Robinson State Park preserves sandstone box canyons, shelter caves, cliffs, and glades in the LaBarque Creek watershed near St. Louis.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Camping
Missouri State Parks
Show 68 more Missouri entries
- Official page
Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park
State Park
Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park near St. Louis features Civilian Conservation Corps architecture along with hiking, bicycling, and equestrian trails.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Biking
- Horseback Riding
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Echo Bluff State Park
State Park
Echo Bluff State Park offers a setting of cliffs and clear waters on the former Camp Zoe property, with family-friendly accommodations and outdoor recreation.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Picnicking
- Paddling
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park
State Park
Confluence Point State Park sits where the Missouri and Mississippi rivers merge, with wetlands in the Mississippi Flyway that attract waterfowl, bald eagles, and raptors.
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Elephant Rocks State Park
State Park
Elephant Rocks State Park features giant granite boulders formed from 1.5-billion-year-old rock, reached by the accessible Braille Trail through the formations.
- Climbing
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Hiking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Eleven Point State Park
State Park
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Felix Vallé House State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Felix Vallé House State Historic Site preserves an 1818 American-Federal style house in Ste. Genevieve furnished in the style of the 1830s.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Finger Lakes State Park
State Park
Finger Lakes State Park is one of two ATV parks in the state system, built in a former coal mining area with trails, a motocross track, and a mountain bike trail.
- Camping
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Biking
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site
State Historic Site
First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site in St. Charles preserves the first seat of state government, with interpretive programs on early 1800s life.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
- Biking
- Hiking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Gen. John J. Pershing Boyhood Home State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Gen. John J. Pershing Boyhood Home State Historic Site preserves the Laclede house where the general grew up and the school where he once taught.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Gov. Daniel Dunklin's Grave State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Gov. Daniel Dunklin's Grave State Historic Site sits on a bluff above the Mississippi River at Herculaneum, marking the grave of Missouri's fifth governor.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Graham Cave State Park
State Park
Graham Cave State Park spans 386 acres around a cave occupied 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, with interpretive exhibits and access to the Loutre River.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Boating
- Fishing
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Grand Gulf State Park
State Park
Grand Gulf State Park, called the Little Grand Canyon, presents the most spectacular collapsed cave system in the Ozarks, with a natural bridge and overlook trails.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Ha Ha Tonka State Park
State Park
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a geologic wonderland of sinkholes, caves, a natural bridge, and bluffs, crowned by the ruins of a stone castle overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks.
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Picnicking
- Boating
- Swimming
- Camping
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historic Site preserves the small frame house where the only U.S. president born in Missouri was born.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Harry S Truman State Park
State Park
Harry S Truman State Park sits on a peninsula on Truman Lake with a marina, swimming areas, hiking trails, and campsites among open oak woodlands.
- Fishing
- Boating
- Camping
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Swimming
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Hawn State Park
State Park
Hawn State Park covers 4,956 acres of pine and oak hills, sandy-bottom streams, and sandstone canyons, with a backpacking trail considered one of the best in the state.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Backpacking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site preserves a stately Bootheel mansion furnished in 1860s to 1880s style with most of its original furnishings.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Iliniwek Village State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Iliniwek Village State Historic Site preserves the only Illinois Indian village site found in Missouri, occupied from about 1640 through the late 1670s.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
- Hiking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Jewell Cemetery State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Jewell Cemetery State Historic Site in Columbia contains the grave of Missouri's 22nd governor, Charles Hardin, along with members of the Jewell family.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park
State Park
Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park features rugged geology in the St. Francois Mountains, with shut-ins formed by the East Fork of the Black River.
- Swimming
- Camping
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Climbing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Katy Trail State Park
State Park
Katy Trail State Park is the longest developed rail-trail in the country, running 240 miles between Clinton and Machens with 26 trailheads along the Missouri River.
- Biking
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Knob Noster State Park
State Park
Knob Noster State Park is an open oak woodland with prairie patches along Clearfork Creek, featuring trails for mountain bikers, hikers, and horseback riders.
- Camping
- Paddling
- Biking
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Fishing
- Picnicking
- Boating
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Lake of the Ozarks State Park
State Park
Lake of the Ozarks State Park borders one of Missouri's largest lakes with two swimming beaches, boat ramps, trails, and a range of overnight accommodations.
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Boating
- Camping
- Picnicking
- Hiking
- Biking
- Horseback Riding
- Climbing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Lake Wappapello State Park
State Park
Lake Wappapello State Park offers a modern campground, cabins, and miles of trails for hikers, backpackers, and horseback riders with easy access to the lake.
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Horseback Riding
- Backpacking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Lewis and Clark State Park
State Park
Lewis and Clark State Park borders an oxbow lake noted in William Clark's 1804 journal, with broad open spaces and abundant bird life including herons, eagles, and swans.
- Camping
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Locust Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Locust Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site preserves an 1868 white pine bridge built with the Howe-truss system, the longest of Missouri's four remaining covered bridges.
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Long Branch State Park
State Park
Long Branch State Park provides three boat ramps on Long Branch Lake plus a swimming beach, marina store, and trails through prairie and savanna remnants.
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Camping
- Picnicking
- Hiking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site preserves the two-room cabin where Samuel Clemens was born, along with first editions and furnishings from his Connecticut home.
- Historic Site
- Fishing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Mark Twain State Park
State Park
Mark Twain State Park in the Salt River Hills gives visitors access to Mark Twain Lake, with bluffs, hardwood forests, boat ramps, and more than six miles of trails.
- Fishing
- Boating
- Camping
- Swimming
- Hiking
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Mastodon State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Mastodon State Historic Site contains the Kimmswick Bone Bed, where scientists found the first solid evidence of humans coexisting with the American mastodon.
- Historic Site
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Meramec State Park
State Park
Meramec State Park follows the Meramec River past majestic bluffs and a dramatic cave entrance, with more than 13 miles of trails and tours of Fisher Cave.
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Boating
- Camping
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Missouri Mines State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Missouri Mines State Historic Site interprets lead mining history in the Old Lead Belt through a museum housed in the former St. Joe Lead Co. powerhouse.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Missouri State Museum/Jefferson Landing State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Missouri State Museum and Jefferson Landing State Historic Site house exhibits on the state's natural and cultural history at the Capitol and a historic river commerce district.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Montauk State Park
State Park
Montauk State Park sits at the headwaters of the Current River, where springs supply over 40 million gallons of trout water daily, with an 1896 gristmill and trails.
- Fishing
- Camping
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Biking
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Morris State Park
State Park
Morris State Park preserves Crowley's Ridge, a geologic oddity rising 200 feet above the Mississippi River flood plain, with a 2.25-mile loop trail and rare plant species.
- Hiking
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site preserves the 1830s home of Daniel Boone's youngest son and the cemeteries associated with it.
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Onondaga Cave State Park
State Park
Onondaga Cave State Park protects a National Natural Landmark cave with stalagmites, stalactites and flowstones, plus access to the Meramec River.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Paddling
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Osage Village State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Osage Village State Historic Site preserves a hilltop where a village once housed 2,000 to 3,000 people in about 200 lodges between 1700 and 1775.
- Hiking
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Pershing State Park
State Park
Pershing State Park preserves a slice of pre-settlement landscape with a boardwalk trail through wet prairie, oxbow sloughs and bottomland forest.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Pomme de Terre State Park
State Park
With locations on both sides of Pomme de Terre Lake, the park offers a marina, boat ramps, swimming beaches, trails and lodging.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Beach
- Picnicking
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Prairie State Park
State Park
Prairie State Park preserves much of Missouri's remaining tallgrass prairie, with panoramic vistas, wildflowers and a resident bison herd.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Roaring River State Park
State Park
Set in a deep, rugged Ozark valley, Roaring River State Park is one of three Missouri parks stocked with rainbow trout.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Robertsville State Park
State Park
Bordered by the Meramec River and Calvey Creek, Robertsville State Park offers fishing, boating, scenic bluffs and a quiet campground.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
State Park
Just minutes from Columbia, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park offers popular hiking and biking trails plus the Devil's Icebox cave system.
- Hiking
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Geocaching
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Rock Island Trail State Park
State Park
Rock Island Trail State Park is a rail-to-trail corridor with 47.5 developed miles for bicyclists, hikers and equestrians across west-central Missouri.
- Hiking
- Biking
- Horseback Riding
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Route 66 State Park
State Park
Route 66 State Park interprets the historic Mother Road through a visitor center in a 1935 roadhouse, with trails and abundant birdlife near St. Louis.
- Hiking
- Biking
- Horseback Riding
- Picnicking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Playground
- Wildlife Viewing
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Sam A. Baker State Park
State Park
Set in the ancient St. Francois Mountains along the St. Francis River and Big Creek, Sam A. Baker State Park offers wooded trails and water recreation.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Backpacking
- Biking
- Horseback Riding
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Paddling
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Sandy Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Sandy Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site preserves a Howe-truss covered bridge built in 1872, one of four remaining in Missouri.
- Picnicking
- Swimming
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Sappington African American Cemetery State Historic Site
State Historic Site
This historic site preserves an Arrow Rock cemetery established in 1856 for enslaved people and used by Black Americans into the 21st century.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Sappington Cemetery State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Sappington Cemetery State Historic Site holds the graves of Dr. John Sappington and two Missouri governors, Marmaduke and Jackson.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Scott Joplin House State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Scott Joplin House State Historic Site preserves the St. Louis flat where the ragtime composer rented a room in 1902, with museum exhibits on his life.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Shepherd of the Hills State Park
State Park
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
St. Francois State Park
State Park
St. Francois State Park offers forested ridges and cool hollows, with three hiking trails through the Coonville Creek Wild Area and Big River access.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Climbing
- Paddling
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
St. Joe State Park
State Park
St. Joe State Park is one of two off-road vehicle parks in the state system, with extensive trails, four lakes and two swimming beaches.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Biking
- Horseback Riding
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Beach
- Picnicking
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Stockton State Park
State Park
Stockton State Park sits on Stockton Lake, drawing visitors for sailing, water skiing, swimming, fishing and boating with a steady southwest breeze.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Beach
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Geocaching
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Table Rock State Park
State Park
Near Branson, Table Rock State Park serves as an outdoor recreation base camp with marina rentals, hiking and biking trails and lakeside campsites.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Biking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Taum Sauk Mountain State Park
State Park
Taum Sauk Mountain State Park includes the highest point in Missouri, with wooded glades, Ozark Trail access and a basic campground.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Backpacking
- Picnicking
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site
State Historic Site
This Kansas City site preserves the home and studio of painter Thomas Hart Benton, including his carriage-house studio left as it was at his 1975 death.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Thousand Hills State Park
State Park
Centered on Forest Lake, Thousand Hills State Park offers fishing, swimming, boating, trails and petroglyphs left by inhabitants over 1,500 years ago.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Biking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Beach
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Towosahgy State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Towosahgy State Historic Site preserves a former fortified Mississippian village and ceremonial center occupied between A.D. 1000 and 1400, with visible mounds.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Trail of Tears State Park
State Park
Trail of Tears State Park marks where nine Cherokee detachments crossed the Mississippi River during the forced 1838 to 1839 relocation, with a visitor center.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Beach
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Union Covered Bridge State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Union Covered Bridge State Historic Site preserves an 1871 bridge, the only one of Missouri's four remaining covered bridges built with a Burr-arch truss.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Wakonda State Park
State Park
Wakonda State Park's six clear lakes attract migratory waterfowl and offer fishing, boating and a swimming beach near La Grange.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Beach
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Wallace State Park
State Park
Less than an hour from Kansas City, Wallace State Park offers a 6-acre lake, four scenic trails, shaded picnic sites and a family campground.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Picnicking
- Playground
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Washington State Park
State Park
Washington State Park features petroglyphs, rugged Ozark overlooks and CCC stonework, with Big River access for swimming and fishing.
- Camping
- Cabins
- Hiking
- Backpacking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Climbing
- Paddling
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Watkins Mill State Park
State Park
Watkins Mill State Park surrounds a 100-acre lake with a paved bicycle path, fishing, camping and abundant deer and wild turkeys near Kansas City.
- Camping
- Biking
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Horseback Riding
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Paddling
- Wildlife Viewing
- Geocaching
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site
State Historic Site
Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site preserves an 1870s estate whose three-story woolen mill is the only U.S. 19th century textile mill with original machinery intact.
- Historic Site
Missouri State Parks
- Official page
Weston Bend State Park
State Park
Near Kansas City, Weston Bend State Park offers secluded picnic sites, a campground and sweeping Missouri River views from trails and a scenic overlook.
- Camping
- Hiking
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Wildlife Viewing
Missouri State Parks
Inventory source: USGS PAD-US 4.1. Curated states also use official agency directories where available. Official reservations and rules remain state-specific, so use the state booking links above before committing to dates.
National parks in Missouri
Getting around Missouri
Getting around
Missouri has three practical entry points. Lambert St. Louis International (STL) anchors the eastern side and is your closest hub for the Arcadia Valley parks and the eastern end of the Katy Trail. Kansas City International (MCI) covers the western side. Springfield-Branson National (SGF) is the smallest of the three but lands you closest to the southern Ozarks and the float rivers, with the terminal only about 8 miles from Springfield.
The state is wide, so build in drive time. St. Louis to Springfield is roughly 215 miles, about 3 hours and 20 minutes on I-44. St. Louis to Kansas City is a similar haul, around 235 miles and 3.5 hours straight across I-70. Springfield to Kansas City runs about 190 miles, roughly 3 hours.
For the marquee outdoor areas, the Arcadia Valley parks (Johnson's Shut-Ins, Elephant Rocks, Taum Sauk) sit southwest of St. Louis, about 1.5 to 2 hours by car, and cluster within 30 minutes of one another once you arrive. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways float country sits in the south-central part of the state, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours from either St. Louis or Springfield, and is car-dependent once you are there. The Katy Trail parallels the Missouri River across the middle of the state, so you can pick it up near St. Louis, Columbia, or wine-country towns like Hermann and Augusta and ride as much or as little as you want. A car is essential for all of it: trailheads, river put-ins, and outfitters are rural and not served by transit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to visit Missouri's parks?
Spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) are the best overall, with mild temperatures, full rivers, and fall color in October. Summer is prime float-trip and swimming season, with highs in the upper 80s F to low 90s F and high humidity, so plan around water and shade. Winters are cold, often in the 30s F and 40s F, and quiet, which suits hiking but not river time.
What is the best national park in Missouri?
Missouri's only national park is Gateway Arch National Park on the St. Louis riverfront, so it is the default pick and pairs well with a city stay. For a wilder outdoor experience, many visitors head to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, a national park unit protecting the spring-fed Current and Jacks Fork rivers that is built for floating, fishing, and exploring caves and springs.
Where can you go float-trip or canoe in Missouri?
The Ozarks are the heart of Missouri float culture. The Current and Jacks Fork rivers inside the Ozark National Scenic Riverways are spring-fed, cold, and clear, with the Akers Ferry to Pulltite stretch on the Current often called the best single-day float. The Meramec near Meramec State Park offers shorter 2 to 4 hour floats closer to St. Louis. Local outfitters rent canoes, kayaks, and rafts and handle shuttles.
What should you pack for a Missouri outdoor trip?
Plan for water first: a dry bag, water shoes or back-strap sandals, quick-dry layers, and strong sun protection for long days on the rivers. Bring sturdy trail shoes for the rocky Ozark Trail and Arcadia Valley parks, plus a warm layer for cool spring and fall mornings. In summer, add bug protection and plenty of drinking water for the heat and humidity.