Bennett Spring State Park

Park Information

Please be advised that there is an effort to control the vulture population underway at Bennett Spring State Park. Guests may hear loud noises in the park Monday through Friday throughout the off-season. Please be sure to follow closure signs and posted notices at trailheads and other areas for your safety.

The park needs your help removing invasive species. Call the naturalist at 417-532-3925 to learn more.

The valley that cradles Bennett Spring has created a place of peace and recreation that has welcomed generations of enthusiastic anglers. Bennett Spring State Park is one of Missouri’s earliest state parks and continues today to attract fishermen and nature lovers seeking to make new memories.

More than 100 million gallons of clear, cool water gush from Bennett Spring each day and form a spring branch stocked daily with rainbow trout waiting for lucky fishermen. Fishing may be the main draw, but the park also offers many other amenities such as a dining lodge, campgrounds, cabins and hiking trails. Whether you are a traditional fishing enthusiast or someone seeking a place to relax and refresh, Bennett Spring State Park has what you need to make every trip one to remember.

more info: Park History | Natural Features | Accessibility Information
amenities: campgrounds trails lodging meeting rooms | nature center | Special-Use Camping Area | store

Park Hours

For temporary closures related to weather, stewardship activities and maintenance, as well as temporary trail closures, click here to visit our Park and Site Status Map.


On the following days (actual or observed), staff will not be available and park buildings will be closed: Thanksgiving Day; Nov. 29, 2024; Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; New Year’s Eve; New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Lincoln’s Birthday; and Presidents Day. 

Park Grounds:

Sunrise to one hour past sunset, daily

Dining Lodge hours

7 a.m. to one hour after whistle during trout season

Nature Center hours

Feb. 25 through Oct. 31

  • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday

Nov. 1 through Feb. 24

  • Closed

Park Office hours

Summer Hours (On-Season)

Feb. 25 through Oct. 31

8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday

Winter Hours (Off-Season)

Nov. 1 through Feb. 24

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday

Store hours

Fishing Season
One hour before through one hour after the regular fishing day schedule, daily during season 

November through January
8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday