Johnson's Shut-ins
is open!Come experience the new Johnson's Shut-ins!
Missouri State Parks | Best and Most Beautiful State Parks
in MO!
Taum Sauk Mountain State Park | Elephant Rocks State Park
| Johnson's Shut-ins State Park
Missouri Geology of the St. Francois Mountains, perhaps the oldest
mountain range in
North America
If
you're looking for State Parks in Missouri, come to the
Arcadia Valley Region and Black River Recreation Area in
Iron and Reynolds Counties in MO, where these Missouri
Natural Wonders are all within minutes of each other, and
are near St. Louis ~ just 80 miles! Come to Missouri
to explore Precambrian era geology.
If you're looking for State Parks in Missouri,
welcome to our website where you will find comprehensive information
and photos of the most beautiful Missouri State Parks, all
within minutes of one another, near St. Louis. Taum
Sauk Mountain State Park, Elephant
Rocks State Park, Johnson's
Shut-ins State Park are just a short 80 mile
drive from St. Louis. These spectacular Missouri natural
geologic wonders are located in the St. Francois Mountains
Region of the Missouri Ozark Plateau. You will seeand experience a landscape
unique on the earth. Learn
about Missouri geology and the Parks and find links to lodging,
campgrounds and other recreational activities
nearby.
St. Francois Mountains Geology.
The precambrian St. Francois Mountains were formed through
volcanic and intrusive activity nearly 1.5 billion
years ago. By comparison, the Appalachians
started forming about 460 million years ago and the Rockies
a mere 70 million years ago. When the Appalachian Mountains
started forming, the St. Francois range was already twice
as old as the Appalachians are today. This range is one of
the oldest exposures of igneous rock in North America.
Whether you enjoy photography, geology, camping, hiking, backpacking,
picnicking, bird watching or mountain biking, there is no
other region of Missouri that has this much to offer the avid
outdoorsman. If you're a "rock hound"
you need to visit this unique area. If you long
to see and experience a special place where the earth and
its community of life are untrammeled by man, containing ecological,
geological, or other features of scientific, educational,
scenic or historical value, make your plans to visit this
unique area of the United States now. We look forward
to your visit to the most beautiful place in Missouri.
Follow the links below, or take our tour of
Missouri State Parks to learn more.
Recent news in
Missouri Geology at Johnson's Shut-ins State Park 10/20/2008: Rhyolite
rock created 1.4 billion years old when volcanoes exploded
to create the St. Francois Mountains are revealed. To
read a fascinating article from the Columbia Tribune about
recent geological finds in the scour area of Johnson's Shut-ins
revealed by the Taum Sauk Reservoir breach, please click
here.
Watch our movie about these Missouri State Parks and much more!
Come to the Arcadia Valley Region & Black River Recreation Area for your best Missouri Vacation ever!
The
Most Beautiful & Spectacular State Parks in Missouri!
Taum
Sauk Mountain State Park
- Want
to hike to the top of a mountain?Just
park in the lot of Taum Sauk Mountain State Park and
walk a mere 1,000 feet on a paved path to Missouri’s
highest point. Here, an elevation marker sits, guiding
visitors to the mountain’s 1,772 foot summit.
If that’s not enough, the hike to Mina Sauk Falls
will take your breath away.
Read
more here.
Elephant
Rocks State Park - A train of circus elephants
dance trunk-to-tail to form an awe-inspiring sight to
the young and to the young at heart. This is the appeal
of Elephant Rocks State Park, named for a train of gigantic
pink granite boulders perched atop a hill, just like
circus elephants! Read
more here.
Johnson's
Shut-ins State Park - Nearly 1.5 billion
years ago, violently explosive volcanoes hurled hot
gasses and ash into the air. The ashes and gas fell
and cooled, forming rhyolite rock. A billion years later,
shallow inland seas swallowed the ancient, worn-down
mountains, burying the igneous rock under thousands
of feet of sedimentary rock such as limestone, sandstone,
shale and dolomite. Read
more here.
After
you have explored our Missouri State Parks, come back
to this page. Follow the links below to learn about
the abundant recreational opportunities near these State
Parks.
Missouri
Float Trips near State Parks on the Black River
Enjoy
Missouri canoeing at its best, or choose to take a relaxing
float trip in rafts, tubes or kayaks. Black River
floating is a pleasure for veteran and novice floaters
alike, offering an ever changing outdoor experience
spring through fall. The river is clear and beautiful
as it gently moves through dense wooded forests and
green meadows, winding past tall cliff walls dotted
with caves and fern greenery. Click
here for more about Black River Float trips and find
links to outfitters.
Missouri
Hiking, Mountain Biking and the Ozark Trail in Iron
County and Reynolds County Missouri
If you want to go hiking or mountain
biking among some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere
in the United States, but feel you have to travel to
Colorado or the Appalachian Trail to do so, you have
not yet heard of the St. Francois Mountain Region of
the Missouri Ozark Plateau. If you want to see and experience
a landscape unique on the earth, make your plans to
visit the Arcadia Valley Region and Black River Recreation
Area. Come to Missouri where hundreds of miles of trails
await your exploration! Read
more here.
Missouri
Birding, Bird Watching
~ Best places in Missouri for bird watching.
Bird watching, often called birdinghas
quickly become the most popular spectator sport in America.
Anyone at any age can participate in this rewarding
activity. Of the over 800 species found in North
America, over 400 different kinds of birds have been
identified in Missouri. The reason for this abundance
of birds is open space and the diversity of habitat.
Our region is undoubtedly one of the best areas in Missouri
for bird watching. Read
more about Missouri Birding in our region.
Lodging
and Dining near these Missouri State Parks Choose
from spectacular resorts, motels, hotels, lodges, charming
and romantic bed and breakfast inns, family vacation
rentals, cabins or cottages. Everything you can
dream of is right here in our region. All lodging
facilities are near our abundant recreational opportunities,
shopping, dining, entertainment and Missouri canoeing.
Click
here for Lodging.
