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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.

Events

  • First Day Walk

    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 Walk in the Big River Day-Use Area. This easy walk will consist of a 1.1-mile paved loop and should take about a half hour to complete. Participants are encouraged to […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike on Jasper 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 1.9-mile hike on Jasper Lake Trail on New Year’s Day. This natural-surface trail loops around Jasper Lake and shares a section with Agate Lake Trail. Hikers may see a variety of birds in this area, including eastern bluebirds, Baltimore orioles […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Rock Island Trail State Park MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Rock Island Trail State Park | Owensville, MO. Celebrate the new year with a guided hike on a section of the Rock Island Trail in Owensville. This easy 2-mile hike will start at the trailhead near the city hall building at 11 a.m. This event is free and open to the public. The […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Lake of the Ozarks State Park 403 Highway 134, Brumley, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Lake of the Ozarks State Park | Brumley, MO. Join us for a 2.5-mile guided hike on Hidden Springs Trail. Hidden Springs Trail goes through native Missouri woodlands to bluff tops above the Lake of the Ozarks. Hikers may see a variety of birds including the white-breasted nuthatch or pileated woodpecker. In addition […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Table Rock State Park 5272 State Highway 165, Branson, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Table Rock State Park | Branson, MO. Join park staff for an easy guided hike on Table Rock Lakeshore Trail to kick off the new year. True to its name, this trail runs along the shore of Table Rock Lake, from State Park Marina to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Dewey Short […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Meramec State Park 115 Meramec Park Drive, Sullivan, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Meramec State Park | Sullivan, MO. Join us at Meramec State Park for annual First Day Hike. We will meet at the visitor center at noon and then drive to the Fireside Store parking lot to begin the hike. This moderately difficult hike will use Bluff View Trail, White Connector 1 and River […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Bryant Creek State Park 1204 Private Drive 3422, Ava, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Bryant Creek State Park | Ava, MO. Join us for a 3.25-mile guided hike at Bryant Creek State Park. Located just 30 minutes southeast of Ava, Missouri, Bryant Creek State Park is home to impressively large oaks and shortleaf pines spanning rugged, steeply dissected river hills that front the stream for which it […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike on Deer Run 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 on Deer Run Trail Join […]

    Free
  • First Day History Hike in Gans Creek Wild Area

    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 History Hike in Gans Creek Wild […]

    Free
  • First Day History Hike on Sinkhole and Devil’s Icebox Trails (Afternoon)

    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 on Sinkhole and Devil's Icebox Trails (Afternoon) This […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

    Harry S Truman State Park 28761 State Park Road W., Warsaw, MO, United States

    1/1/2026 | Harry S Truman State Park | Warsaw, MO. Harry S Truman State Park will be hosting a First Day Hike on New Year's Day 2026! 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 challenging guided hike […]

    Free
  • First Day Hike

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

    1/1/2026 | Knob Noster State Park | Knob Noster, MO. Celebrate the new year with an easy guided walk at Knob Noster State Park. This 1-mile stroll will begin at the Clearfork Shelter at 1 p.m. and will take participants along a section of Spirit Trail. Along the way, there may be opportunities to see […]

    Free