Calling all outdoor enthusiasts, now’s the time to sneak in as many warm weather adventures before this winter’s cold front rolls in.
- Greer Springs - Alton
Nicholas Turland/flickr Just off Missouri Highway 19 lies the trailhead for Greer Springs. The hike in is only .9 miles, but you can also kayak or float through via the Eleven Point River.
- Ha Ha Tonka State Park - Camdenton
Heath Cajandig/Flickr Explore the castle ruins or hike to the top for a beautiful view of the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks.
- Mina Sauk Falls Trail - Ironton
Randy Watson/Flickr You’ll not only get to see Missouri’s tallest waterfall, but you’ll also get to stand atop the state’s high point by hiking this trail.
- Crystal City Underground - Crystal City
kapDave/flickr What’s cooler than kayaking on a river? Kayaking through caves of course. This 150-acre spring fed lake is completely underground. Pretty neat, indeed.
- Boze Mills Spring - Ozark Township
Charlie Llewellin/flickr Another popular destination along the Eleven Point River, Boze Mills Spring is accessible via hiking or kayaking/floating on through.
- Elephant Rocks State Park - Belleview
jennlynndesign/flickr The Braille Trail not only takes you to the Elephant Rocks, but it’s also designed for people with visual and physical disabilities.
- Devil’s Icebox - Columbia
Terry Robinson/flickr Located in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Devil’s Icebox is a favorite amongst visitors. Hike the Devil’s Icebox trail to view and explore its cave and underground stream.
- Trail of Tears State Park - Jackson
Kris Chapman/flickr A lot of history is attached to this state park. It was here that 9 out of the 13 Cherokee Indian groups crossed the Mississippi River when they were being relocated to Oklahoma. Today, it’s been created into a state park with trails and a visitor center to educate visitors on the land’s history.
- Marble Creek - Arcadia
N/flickr Tucked away in the Mark Twain National Forest, Marble Creek offers creekside campsites at a low cost for visitors. The Ozark Trail also runs through this park, so there’s plenty of opportunities to go for a jog or a hike.
- Grand Gulf State Park - Koshkonong
Chris M Morris/flickr Known to many as the “Little Grand Canyon”, this state park features 130-foot walls that resulted from a collapsed cave system.
- Blue Spring - Eminence
U.S. Department of the Interior/flickr Hike a short trail to enjoy the beauty of Blue Spring, a 310-foot-deep spring on the Current River. It’s so beautiful, that Native Americans called it the, “Spring of the Summer Sky.”
- Trappers Camp - Osceola
David Casteel/flickr Trappers Camp is a crag in the little town of Osceola that rock climbers retreat to for a challenging climb. Its 70-foot wall rises up where the Osage and Sac rivers meet.
- Fugitive Beach - Rolla
Fugitive Beach/Facebook Once a rock quarry, now a rural oasis for swimmers and sunbathers. Check out this little beach outside of St. Louis for a fun day in the sun.
- Pickle Springs - Saline Township
Rick Mester/flickr With a mixture of waterfalls, box canyons and 250 vascular plant species, Pickle Springs is undoubtedly one of the most diverse, if not the the most diverse, natural areas in Missouri.
- Lake of the Ozarks State Park
Phil Roussin/flickr Whether you like to bike, run, hike, kayak, horseback ride, boat or swim, Lake of the Ozarks has something for every and any outdoor enthusiast.
Hopefully this gave you a couple ideas to close out your summer with. Have a favorite spot you like to go to for some great outdoors? Let us know in the comments.
Nicholas Turland/flickr
Just off Missouri Highway 19 lies the trailhead for Greer Springs. The hike in is only .9 miles, but you can also kayak or float through via the Eleven Point River.
Heath Cajandig/Flickr
Explore the castle ruins or hike to the top for a beautiful view of the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks.
Randy Watson/Flickr
You’ll not only get to see Missouri’s tallest waterfall, but you’ll also get to stand atop the state’s high point by hiking this trail.
kapDave/flickr
What’s cooler than kayaking on a river? Kayaking through caves of course. This 150-acre spring fed lake is completely underground. Pretty neat, indeed.
Charlie Llewellin/flickr
Another popular destination along the Eleven Point River, Boze Mills Spring is accessible via hiking or kayaking/floating on through.
jennlynndesign/flickr
The Braille Trail not only takes you to the Elephant Rocks, but it’s also designed for people with visual and physical disabilities.
Terry Robinson/flickr
Located in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Devil’s Icebox is a favorite amongst visitors. Hike the Devil’s Icebox trail to view and explore its cave and underground stream.
Kris Chapman/flickr
A lot of history is attached to this state park. It was here that 9 out of the 13 Cherokee Indian groups crossed the Mississippi River when they were being relocated to Oklahoma. Today, it’s been created into a state park with trails and a visitor center to educate visitors on the land’s history.
N/flickr
Tucked away in the Mark Twain National Forest, Marble Creek offers creekside campsites at a low cost for visitors. The Ozark Trail also runs through this park, so there’s plenty of opportunities to go for a jog or a hike.
Chris M Morris/flickr
Known to many as the “Little Grand Canyon”, this state park features 130-foot walls that resulted from a collapsed cave system.
U.S. Department of the Interior/flickr
Hike a short trail to enjoy the beauty of Blue Spring, a 310-foot-deep spring on the Current River. It’s so beautiful, that Native Americans called it the, “Spring of the Summer Sky.”
David Casteel/flickr
Trappers Camp is a crag in the little town of Osceola that rock climbers retreat to for a challenging climb. Its 70-foot wall rises up where the Osage and Sac rivers meet.
Fugitive Beach/Facebook
Once a rock quarry, now a rural oasis for swimmers and sunbathers. Check out this little beach outside of St. Louis for a fun day in the sun.
Rick Mester/flickr
With a mixture of waterfalls, box canyons and 250 vascular plant species, Pickle Springs is undoubtedly one of the most diverse, if not the the most diverse, natural areas in Missouri.
Phil Roussin/flickr
Whether you like to bike, run, hike, kayak, horseback ride, boat or swim, Lake of the Ozarks has something for every and any outdoor enthusiast.
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