Q

I Want To …

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.

Events

  • First Day Hike

    Missouri State Museum/Jefferson Landing State Historic Site First Floor, State Capitol, 201 W. Capitol Ave., Jefferson City, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Jefferson Landing State Historic Site/Missouri State Museum | Jefferson City, MO. Join Missouri State Museum staff for an urban exploration around Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, the Capitol complex, and Jefferson City Parks’ Deborah Cooper Park on Adrian’s Island. Staff will provide a tour as we take in the views of the Missouri […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    St. Joe State Park 2800 Pimville Road, Park Hills,, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | St. Joe State Park | Park Hills, MO. Join St. Joe State Park staff as we start off the new year with a First Day Hike on Lakeview Trail. The majority of Lakeview Trail consists of natural surfaces, such as dirt and rock, but a 0.2-mile section along Monsanto Lake is paved and […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    St. Francois State Park 8920 U.S. Highway 67 N., Bonne Terre,, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | St. Francois State Park | Bonne Terre, MO. Come out to St. Francois State Park on New Year's Day for a First Day Hike on Swimming Deer Trail. Considered moderately difficult, Swimming Deer Trail travels in the river bottom, along bluffs overlooking the Big River, and through the woods. This 3.15-mile hike should […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Bennett Spring State Park 26250 Highway 64A, Lebanon, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Bennett Spring State Park | Lebanon, MO. Looking to get outside after the holiday season? Join Bennett Spring State Park staff for a First Day Hike on Savanna Ridge Trail. We'll meet at the trailhead at 1 p.m. before embarking on this moderate 2.5-mile hike. During the hike, we'll see a chert woodland […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Hawn State Park 12096 Park Drive, Ste. Genevieve, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Hawn State Park | Ste. Genevieve, MO. Meet park staff at the Spanish Land Grant Trail trailhead at 1 p.m. for Hawn’s First Day Hike. First Day Hikes are promoted by America's State Parks and are held at parks across the country at the start of each year. This moderately difficult guided hike […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Crowder State Park 76 NW Highway 128, Trenton, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Crowder State Park | Trenton, MO. Start the new year off right with a guided hike on Tall Oaks Trail. This moderately difficult hike will start at the Shelter 3 parking lot and then loop through the middle of the park before ending back at the parking lot. We will cover approximately 3.2 […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike on Agate Lake Trail

    Wakonda State Park 32836 State Park Road, La Grange, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Wakonda State Park | La Grange, MO. Ranger Drake Fohey will lead a 3.4-mile hike on Agate Lake Trail on New Year’s Day. This natural-surface trail loops around Agate Lake and shares a section with Jasper Lake Trail. Hikers may see a variety of birds in this area, including eastern bluebirds, Baltimore orioles […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike and Bird-Watching on Grassland Trail

    Rock Bridge Memorial State Park 5901 S. Highway 163, Columbia,, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Rock Bridge Memorial State Park | Columbia, MO. First Day Hikes are promoted by America's State Parks and are held at parks across the country at the start of each year. Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is once again hosting several different First Day Hikes. First Day Hike and Bird-Watching on Grassland Trail […]

    Free
  • Guided Bison Saunter

    Prairie State Park 128 NW 150th Lane, Mindenmines, MO, United States

    1/3/2026 | Prairie State Park | Mindenmines, MO Prairie State Park will host a guided bison saunter starting at the Regal Tallgrass Prairie Nature Center at 1 p.m. “What is a saunter?” you say? According to Merriam-Webster, “saunter” means "to walk about in an idle or leisurely manner : STROLL" (that is, to walk at […]

    Free
  • Nature Storytime

    Knob Noster State Park 873 SE 10, Knob Noster, MO, United States

    1/8/2026 and 1/20/2026 | Knob Noster State Park | Knob Noster, MO. Knob Noster State Park will be hosting two nature storytime programs this January. The first program will be on Thursday, Jan. 8, and the second one will be on Tuesday, Jan. 20. During the Jan. 8 event, staff will discuss animals that go […]

    Free
  • Bald Eagle Days

    Roaring River State Park 12716 Farm Road 2239, Cassville, MO, United States

    1/10/2026 | Roaring River State Park | Cassville, MO. Join park staff on Jan. 10 or Feb. 14 to look for and learn about bald eagles. When water sources freeze in the north, bald eagles migrate south in search of food and water. With a constant supply of flowing water an abundance of fish, Roaring […]

    Free
  • Toddler Thursday: Foxes

    Mastodon State Historic Site 1050 Charles J. Becker Drive, Imperial, MO, United States

    1/15/2026 | Mastodon State Historic Site | Imperial, MO. Come learn, create and play at Mastodon State Historic Site! Our Toddler Thursday programs are designed for toddlers and their grown-ups. Each session focuses on a different topic and includes story time and a craft. These free programs are offered every other Thursday, excluding holidays. There […]

    Free