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Discover Missouri State Parks

Reserve a Campsite

Approximately 3,500 state park campsites are available for reservation at 38 different state parks and state historic sites.

Make a reservation.

Reserve a Lodging Unit

Twelve state parks accept lodging reservation through their concessionaires, while five offer reservations through the Centralized Reservation System. Refer to the information below to make a reservation at the park of your choice.

Make a reservation.

Find a Job with Missouri State Parks

We’re looking for people to join our team who love nature and want to care for Missouri’s outstanding natural and cultural resources for all to enjoy! Check out the current list of open positions within our team. Be sure to sign up to receive updates when a new position is available.

Learn about careers.

Become a Volunteer

Do you love Missouri State Parks and the outdoors?

The Volunteers In Parks (VIP) Program is for everyone: professionals, aging adults, students, teachers, youth and civic groups. VIPs provide invaluable assistance to Missouri State Parks on a wide variety of tasks and projects around the state.

Learn about the VIP Program.

Access Park & Historic Site Maps

Plan your adventure with confidence. View park and historic site maps to navigate trails, facilities, and points of interest across Missouri State Parks.

View the Park and Site Maps.

Explore Upcoming Events

Discover what’s happening in Missouri State Parks. Explore upcoming events that connect you with nature, history, and outdoor adventure through guided hikes, educational programs, and family-friendly experiences.

View upcoming events.

Apply for a Grant

Missouri State Parks administers three federally funded grant programs and one state-funded grant program related to outdoor recreation. It also administers one federally funded grant program related to historic preservation. This page provides basic information about each program.

Learn about grant opportunities.

Purchase a Gift Card

A Missouri State Parks gift card lets you take advantage of a more convenient way to make camping reservations, purchase state park merchandise and give great gifts to your friends. A gift card can be purchased for $10 or more. Physical gift cards purchased online or by phone will be sent by postal mail. Please allow seven to 10 business days for delivery. E-gift cards will sent to the email address on your customer account within 24 hours.

Get gift cards now.

Take a Tour

Visitors to Missouri’s state historic sites have a wealth of experiences awaiting them, from touring Civil War battlefields to seeing the birth sites of Mark Twain and Harry S Truman.

Find a virtual tour.

Find a historic site to tour.

Take a cave tour.

Purchase an ORV Permit - ORV Riding

ORV permits can be bought online for up to three days of riding. Riders can purchase their ORV permit before arriving to the park. Permits are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Go ORV riding!

Rent a Watercraft - Paddling

Watercrafts are available for all-day and half-day rentals. A watercraft agreement will be completed at the park. A driver's license will be obtained by the park office and kept there until all rented equipment is returned.

Go paddling!

Reserve a Meeting Space

Several parks and historic sites offer meeting spaces. Visit the Park Site & Status Map to decide which space is right for you and use the reservation system to stake your claim on your date.

View the brochure.

Make a Donation

By making a donation, you can personally help us preserve and maintain Missouri's 93 state parks and historic sites. With your help, we can continue to provide the many special places across Missouri that preserve our state's most outstanding natural landscapes and cultural landmarks and provide recreational opportunities.

Make a donation now.

Bring My Pet to Missouri State Parks

Responsible pet owners and their pets are welcome in Missouri State Parks. Following are a few simple rules to ensure that you, your pet and other park visitors enjoy the outing. These rules apply to all types of pets except service animals assisting people with disabilities.

Learn about pet rules.

Buy Missouri State Parks Merchandise

Bring a piece of Missouri State Parks into your everyday life! You can browse our complete selection of items together, or you can shop by category.

Shop now.

Find the Latest News Releases

The department's Office of Communications releases notices to the media throughout the day. These news releases are posted to our website as soon as possible. If you have questions about a specific news release, please email or call the department contact listed in the news release.

View the latest news.

Learn2 Paddle Series

Cuivre River, Fall, Landscape, River and Kayaks

Learn2 Paddle Series is a three-session kayaking course designed to teach participants the skills needed to get out and hit the water on their own! Registration is required, and there is a one-time fee of $40 per person.

How is this series different from the regular Learn2 Paddle program?

Learn2 Paddle Series is different from our traditional Learn2 Paddle program in that each session covers increasingly advanced topics. Additionally, Learn2 Paddle Series participants must attend all three sessions, and they must be at least 18 years of age.

The below table provides an overview of the differences between the two programs.

Program Name Program Themes Number of Events Participants Must Attend Minimum Age  Cost 2026 Locations 
Learn2 Paddle Flatwater kayaking basics One - Participants can attend any event being offered. 12 years $5 per person, per session Finger Lakes State Park, Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park, Watkins Mill State Park
Learn2 Paddle Series Flatwater kayaking basics, river kayaking, interpretive paddle Three - Participants must attend all three sessions. 18 years $40 per person, for the entire course Cuivre River State Park, Current River State Park, Meramec State Park

 

2026 Learn2 Paddle Series Schedule

There will be one session per month from June through August. The sessions are spread out so that students have time to practice on their own and come up with questions for the next session.

Participants must attend all three sessions. Anyone who fails to attend a session forfeits his or her position for the remainder of the series.

Session 1: Flatwater Kayaking Fundamentals at Cuivre River State Park | June 18 at 5:30 p.m.

The first session will cover the fundamentals of flatwater kayaking. Participants will paddle on Lake Lincoln at Cuivre River State Park.

This session is identical to our traditional Learn2 Paddle program. If you are interested in flatwater kayaking but not river kayaking, or you are between the ages of 12 and 18, please sign up for one of our traditional Learn2 Paddle events instead.

Session 2: River Kayaking at Current River State Park | July 21 at 9 a.m.

The second session will focus on advanced concepts related to river kayaking. It will take place on the Current River. Students will apply knowledge from the first session, as well as experience from their practice outings.

Session 3: Interpretive Paddle at Meramec State Park | Aug. 13 at 9 a.m.

The final session will consist of a guided interpretive paddle on the Meramec River. It will feature a program on Missouri waterways and the creatures that call them home. Students will apply knowledge from the first two sessions, as well as experience from their practice outings.

Program Details

Missouri State Parks Provides:

  • Kayaks
  • Paddles
  • Life jackers
  • Instructors

You provide:

  • A positive attitude and a willingness to learn
  • Appropriate swimwear and footwear
  • A change of clothes and a towel

Things to Consider Before You Register

  • Missouri State Parks recommends that the safest option is for you to bring your own life jacket for this program; however, there will be life jackets provided if you do not bring your own.
  • Please remember to wear appropriate swimwear and footwear, as you may get wet. We recommend also bringing an additional change of clothing and a towel due to the nature of the event. Closed-toe shoes, such as water shoes or old tennis shoes, are also recommended.
  • Participants must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Participants should be comfortable around water and have the ability to self-rescue.
  • These events will be held at Missouri state parks, and all rules and regulations apply.
  • Alcohol and tobacco products are prohibited.

Registration

Registration is required for Learn2 Paddle River, but there is no registration fee.

Click on the "REGISTER HERE" link below to register. When you get to the registration website, click on the green “Show sessions” box. A list of upcoming classes will pop up. Click on the green “Sign Up!” button to register for an event. All slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Register Here

If a class is full, please enroll using the waitlist function. If an opening in the class becomes available, you will be notified by the Learn2 staff via email or phone call.

If you have any questions, please send an email to Kintauna Myles with Missouri State Parks at [email protected].

Waitlist

If the activity you are looking to join is full, please join our waitlist by signing up for that program on the registration tab. Once a cancellation has been approved, a staff member will contact the first waitlist individual via email to prompt them to secure their spot within a 48-hour period. No response within that 48-hour time period will result in the customer being removed from the waitlist and the next individual being contacted.

How to Cancel a Reservation

Seven or more business days in advance of the scheduled event date: Customers are able to cancel their reservations themselves and receive a full refund (when applicable). To cancel, the customer should log in to their icampmo account, find the reservations/activities that they are signed up for, and hit "Cancel" for the reservation that they wish to cancel.

Six or fewer business days in advance of the scheduled event date: Anyone needing to cancel a reservation six or fewer business days in advance of the scheduled event date should contact [email protected]. Per Missouri State Parks' refund policy, customers canceling an event registration six or fewer business days in advance of the scheduled event date agree to forfeit their reservation refund (when applicable), regardless of the circumstances.

Event Day Contact Information

To get more information about Learn2 Paddle Series on the day of an event, please contact the appropriate park office. Each park's contact information is provided below.

Park Phone Number Address
Cuivre River State Park 636-528-7247 678 State Route 147, Troy, MO 63379
Current River State Park 573-751-5211 11053 County Road 19D, Salem, MO 65560
Meramec State Park 573-468-6072 115 Meramec Park Drive, Sullivan, MO 63080

Event Cancellation Disclaimer

Missouri State Parks reserves the right to cancel programs and events if necessary.  If a Learn2 Paddle Series event is canceled, customers will be refunded in full to the original form of payment within seven business days of the cancellation notice.