5 State Parks That Made Missouri Worth the Trip

Oct 20

Written By Votana

Are you planning to explore the Ozarks in Missouri and not sure what areas are worth visiting? The Ozarks are massive, spanning 47,000 square miles primarily across Missouri and Arkansas, and there are tons of parks, forests, lakes, caves, and more to see in this area. These five Missouri State Parks were our favorite spots to see natural caves, climb incredible rock formations, and swim in beautiful rivers and lakes.

Prefer to see these Missouri State Parks? We spent 3 weeks exploring the Ozarks in Missouri, recording our favorite activities, trails, parks, and more. Watch the video below to see which parks are worth visiting and the best hiking trails at each.

1. Lake of the Ozarks State Park

If you’re looking for gorgeous shorelines on one of Missouri’s largest lakes, Lake of the Ozarks State Park is the perfect place to go. This park includes an undeveloped cove hidden along the shorelines of the lake, with tons of open woodlands, sunny glades, and blufftop views of the water to explore. There are two beaches in the park where you can swim or get out on the water by boat (either your own or rented). We loved the Rocky Top Trail, which gives you a view of all the natural spaces in this park. You’ll start by climbing up to an open woodland, then descend into the trees until you reach a beautiful view over the water. The second half of the trail follows along the edge of the lake, with tons of wildflowers to spot along the way. There are plenty of spots at this park to have a picnic with views of the water as well. Whether you want to swim, boat, or hike, Lake of the Ozarks State Park is a gorgeous combo of beautiful water views and woodland hiking.

Learn more about Lake of the Ozarks State Park.

A lake with rocks leading down to it, surrounded by tree branches.

A lake with trees on either side of the water.

A field of several foot tall grass with a path leading down the middle.

A lake with beach sand where the water meets the sand.

A field with several foot tall grass and a path leading through the middle.

2. Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Just a few miles from Lake of the Ozarks, you can find stunning hiking trails and massive castle ruins in Ha Ha Tonka State Park. The hiking trails at this park will take you past the ruins of a stone castle, with a gorgeous overlook, plus sinkholes, caves, and Missouri’s 12th-largest spring. The highlight of this park for us was the Devil’s Kitchen Trail, which takes you into a natural cave with a chimney opening at the top of it looking towards the sky. This hike was the perfect quiet trail, taking you through forested areas, then across a gap in the rock, before you reach a view of the castle ruins through the trees. This trail connects to several others or you can drive a few minutes between the trailheads. We tried the Castle Trail, which is mostly paved, making it the perfect accessible hike. You’ll walk right up to the castle ruins and find an overlook over the spring. This park was full of amazing rock formations and overlooks across this gorgeous part of Missouri. If you’re near this area, definitely check out Ha Ha Tonka.

Learn more about Ha Ha Tonka State Park.

A cave with leaves and rocks along the ground.

A walking path along a stone cliff adjacent to a walking path along the ground.

A deteriorating castle with several trees and a well manicured lawn in front of it.

A rock formation is on the leftside of a path, and the right of the path drops off to a lower elevation area.

A hole to a cave is exposed along the walking path.

A walking path with leaves along the ground surrounded by trees.

A path with a hiking marker on the nearby tree.

The sign for the trail at the trail head.

A stone pathway leading to a wooden bridge down into the forest.

A lake is surrounded by trees while viewed from a heigher viewpoint.

3. Onondaga Cave State Park

Just an hour and a half southwest of St. Louis, you’ll find yourself in a beautiful part of the Ozarks, Onondaga Cave State Park. With its stunning, active flow cave, forested hiking trails, and the Meramec River running through it, this park is the perfect stop for a weekend trip. The park campground has large, level spots with water and electric hookups available and we found the campgrounds very relaxing during the week (it can get quite crowded on the weekends). You don’t need to stay in this park to enjoy the river and wooded areas. There are several day use areas, providing access to spots along the Meramec River, where locals and visitors come to float in the water or go fishing. From the campground and day use areas, you can take the Blue Heron Trail, which follows along the river and includes an oxbow lake, ending at the visitor center. To access Onondaga Cave, the namesake of this park and a National Natural Landmark, you can purchase tickets from the visitors center, where a guide will take you on an hour-long tour through the cave. Onondaga Cave has tons of geologic wonders including King’s Canopy, the Twins, and other active flowstones, plus an underground river running through it. This park was worth it for the cave tour alone, but if you have the time to explore the rest of the park, we highly recommend it.

Learn more about Onondaga Cave State Park.

A large rock formation in a cave including stalagmites.

A path with forest on the lefthand side and a handrail along the righthand side.

In a cave, lily pad like rock formations in the water with stalactites in the background

A gravel path with a sign for the trail with trees in the background.

A blue heron standing in the shallow portion of the stream.

4. Elephant Rocks State Park

If you’re looking for a fully accessible trail and incredible geologic formations, the Braille Trail at Elephant Rocks State Park is the place to go. This hike was our absolute favorite trail in all of Missouri. The elephant rocks were formed from 1.5 billion year old granite and you can walk right up to these giant boulders. This former quarry has fascinating history, from an old railway station to unique formations that the rocks have created, like “Fat Man’s Squeeze”. The trail is designed to be fully accessible and includes paved walkways throughout, with several places to climb up to the rocks or squeeze through (and there are paved accessible alternatives available for each). Plus, there are signs (also written in braille) all along this hike providing information about the local plants and history of the area. There is an optional small staircase up to the “elephant rocks” area, where you can walk up to and underneath some of these giant granite boulders. The rest of the park has plenty of picnic tables and space to enjoy a snack or relax amongst these cool geologic formations.

Learn more about Elephant Rocks State Park.

Several rocks stacked on top of each other with a forest in the background.

A clear body of water with rocks surrounding the leftside of the waterbody.

A gravel path weaving through the forest.

A sign in braille honoring those who died in World War 1.

Two large rock formations with a walking path through the middle of them.

Large, lumpy stones sitting on top of a giant stone, with forest in the background.

5. Johnsons Shut Ins State Park

Our most unique find and a park you can’t miss in Missouri is Johnson’s Shut Ins State Park. The shut-ins at this park are similar to a gorge that “shuts-in” the river, creating chutes, pools, and waterfalls that flow through these billion-year-old rocks. Not only does this park have insane views of the shut-ins, but you can actually swim in them! Climb down through the rocks, or a bit upstream, and find your own little pool in the shut-ins to cool down and relax. The park also has plenty of options for hiking, with the shut-ins trail and several others that take you through different parts of this area. We stayed at the campground, which had spacious full hookup sites and easy access to the trailheads and swimming areas. These shut-ins were one of the most unique swimming experiences we’ve found in the U.S. and are a definite visit if you’re travelling through Missouri.

Learn more about Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park.

Rocks with water flowing and pooling in some areas, with forest behind it.

A large clear portion of water in the river surrounded by large rocks.

Water flowing between rocks with trees in the background.

A shallow water with rocks in it, surrounded by forest.

A bridge leading through a trail surrounded by trees.

Between the shut-ins, caves, lake views, and amazing hiking trails, Missouri has so much to offer nature lovers. These are five of our favorite state parks in Missouri, but there are several more to explore. Let us know in the comments what your favorite park in Missouri is!

About the Authors

For us, travel isn't about checking destinations off a list. We love connecting with new places through its natural spaces, trails, wildlife, and native plants. Whether we're living on the road in our 21-foot travel trailer or traveling abroad, we hope our stories inspire you to slow down on your travels, spend more time outside, and discover the beauty all around the world.