Gear Up For Missouri’s Ultimate Long Weekend Trip
Southeast Missouri’s St. Francois Mountains are home to three of the state’s most well-known parks and miles and miles of nature.
Johnson’s Shut-Ins is a water-carved canyon of granite, resulting in numerous chutes and waterfalls.
By Roy Harryman
Publisher, Kansas City Hiker
What’s Missouri’s ultimate long weekend trip? Some of that, of course, is in the eye of the beholder. But you would be hard-pressed to rival the trifecta of state parks around the small town of Ironton in southeast Missouri.
This region, known more formally as the Arcadia Valley, is about five hours from Kansas City. Four days is an ideal (yet still compressed) timeframe to explore this wild and scenic area. It’s the state’s epicenter of rugged nature.
The ancient St. Francois Mountains are older than the Appalachians. They’re also made of granite, resulting in spectacularly-colored cliffs, peaks and boulders.
Taum Sauk Mountain offers views of up to 15 miles away on a clear day.
The trifecta
Three state parks are within 10 miles of one another, and all are within range of overnight accommodations.
The state’s high point, 1,772-foot Taum Sauk Mountain, is also home to Missouri’s highest waterfall, plunging 130 feet down granite ledges (though it can run dry, depending on rainfall).
Only a few miles away, Johnson’s Shut-Ins is an erosion-carved granite canyon with numerous chutes, waterfalls and ripples. Kids and adults love to splash around in the boulders and rapids.
And, between these two locales is Elephant Rocks State Park, a showcase of giant granite boulders.
Although parks are meant for visitors, testimony to the region’s remoteness is that it’s home to the state’s largest connected tracts of designated wilderness areas. Beyond the parks is the 430-mile Ozark Trail, which runs through the area. It’s also surrounded by several Missouri Conservation Areas with trails.
Elephant Rocks State Park is a tour through mighty granite boulders.
The largest town in the area is Ironton. It’s frequented by tourists (mostly in summer), but it’s not a classic tourist town or tourist trap. It’s a small, mountain town that happens to attract visitors interested in enjoying nature.
The best time to visit? In the off-season. When school is in session, there are fewer guests. In addition, the weather is more pleasant, allowing you to avoid Missouri’s classic summer heat, bugs and poison ivy.
Whenever you go, the Arcadia Valley sets a high bar for experiencing rugged and wild nature in the Show Me State.
Roy Harryman is the publisher of Kansas City Hiker.
