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.

Youth Group Programs

Missouri State Parks are an excellent resource for youth groups and youth groups can be an excellent resource for Missouri State Parks! Below is a list of the numerous resources available to Scouts, 4-H groups or any organized youth group.

What can you do for Missouri State Parks?

A new Youth Volunteer Patch Program is now available.

Click here to learn how you can earn a Missouri State Parks Youth Volunteer patch.  

What can Missouri State Parks do for you?

In addition to offering great places to learn about and explore Missouri’s natural and cultural resources, Missouri State Parks offer the resources below:

Free Programs

Interpreters at state parks and historic sites can cater programs to your specific needs. The offer programs on various nature and history topics.

For example, if you are working on a patch related to geology, you can request a group tour of one of the tour caves (fees apply), followed by a free program on geology. Or if you are working on a patch related to history or culture, programs at historic sites can be catered to your specific needs. 

How to schedule programs: Contact the park or historic site directly.

Special-Use Camping Areas

Many state parks have special-use areas that are designated for group camping, with nonprofit organizations and youth groups having priority. The parks and historic sites listed below offer special-use areas. 

How to reserve special-use areas: Contact the park or historic site directly.

Organized Group Camps

There are 13 organized group camps in the seven Missouri state parks listed below. At Babler State Park, the Jacob L. Babler Outdoor Education Center has facilities especially designed for campers with disabilities. For more information about group camps, go to the Organized Group Camps page or click on the parks below for details about their camps.

How to reserve a group camp: Contact the park directly.

 

Group Discounts

Historic Site Tour Discounts
Groups get discounts on tours at state historic sites. Click here for group rates.

Cave Tour Discounts
Click on the caves below to find information about cave tour times and rates for groups.

Explorer Program

Giving you a new appreciation and respect for the natural world and the historic setting around you along with an interest in preserving them is the main goal of the Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites Explorer Program. Patches and stars are earned for completing the program. Click here for more information about the program.