Park Information
A section of Highway 221 near Doe Run, Missouri, is currently closed and is expected to remain so through mid-November. This will require those heading to the following facilities to take an alternate route: Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site, Elephant Rocks State Park, Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and Taum Sauk Mountain State Park.
Today, the Arcadia Valley in Iron County is a peaceful setting in one of Missouri’s most scenic areas. But in September 1864, the valley was the scene of one of the largest and most hard-fought battles waged on the state’s soil—the Battle of Pilot Knob. During the battle, Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price led an army of 8,000 men against the Union post of Fort Davidson at Pilot Knob.
Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site preserves Fort Davidson and the battlefield where so many Confederate and Union soldiers lost their lives. A visitor center and museum interprets the conflict with exhibits, audiovisual presentations and a fiber optics diorama of the battle. The site’s playground, picnic area and hiking trail provide relaxing ways to spend the afternoon.
