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Home PageSADDLE UP FOR A RIDE IN MISSOURI STATE PARKS
With the hot and humid days of summer drifting away, clear, crisp fall days are on their way. The cool temperatures and splashes of color that arrive with them lure many people out of their homes in search of entertainment outdoors. A popular fall activity for many Missourians is horseback riding. Cooler temperatures and fewer insects make a trip through the woods more comfortable for both the rider and the trusty steed.
Missouri state parks offer nearly 200 miles of equestrian trails along with some of the best fall scenery in the state. The following 16 state parks, scattered throughout Missouri, offer equestrian trails. Four parks also offer equestrian campgrounds.
- Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park, Wildwood, 636-458-3813 – This park’s 11 miles of trail offer solitude just a short drive from St. Louis.
- Sam A. Baker State Park, Patterson, 573-856-4411 – The 13 miles of Mudlick Trail take riders through one of Missouri’s most significant undisturbed natural landscapes, promising great views and plenty of fall color. The park also features an equestrian campground with 11 basic and 10 electric sites.
- Castlewood State Park, Ballwin, 636-227-4433 – Two trails totaling six miles take riders through creek valleys and bottomland forests.
- Crowder State Park, Trenton, 660-359-6473 – Thompson River Trail, which is eight miles, follows the Thompson River. For trail conditions, call 660-359-0900.
- Cuivre River State Park, Troy, 636-528-7247 – Cuivre River Trail and Big Sugar Creek Trail offer nearly 20 miles of trail that wind to the top of Frenchman’s Bluff and along the Big Sugar Creek valley. The park also offers an equestrian campground with five basic and eight electric sites.
- Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, Lesterville, 573-546-2450 – Enjoy vistas of nearby Bell and Proffit mountains along the 10-mile Goggins Mountain Trail.
- Katy Trail State Park, Sedalia to Calhoun, 660-882-8196 – Twenty-five miles of this popular 225-mile trail are open to horseback riding. Between Sedalia and Calhoun, riders will pass a prairie restoration area and several small railroad towns.
- Knob Noster State Park, Knob Noster, 660-563-2463 – Ride through seven miles of bottomland and upland forests and across several creeks on McAdoo Trail. The park’s equestrian campground offers six basic campsites.
- Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Kaiser, 573-348-2694 – Two trails, Trail of the Four Winds and Squaws Revenge Trail, offer 18 miles of wooded trail riding and stunning views of the Lake of the Ozarks. For those who do not own a horse, the park’s stable also offers guided trail rides.
- Lake Wappapello State Park, Williamsville, 573-297-3232 – Travel the rugged, 15-mile Lake Wappapello Trail that offers shoreline views of Lake Wappapello, a heavily forested trail corridor and sunny meadows that offer open vistas. The trail is on the west side of the lake, 15 miles north of Poplar Bluff.
- Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Columbia, 573-449-7402 – Seven miles of trails wind through Gans Creek Wild Area and are open June 1 through Oct. 31. The trails are closed when the ground is too wet so visitors should call 573-442-2249 to check on trail status before arriving.
- Route 66 State Park, Eureka, 636-938-7198 – Close to the St. Louis area, the park offers 7.5 miles of trail in the Meramec River valley.
- St. Francois State Park, Bonne Terre, 573-358-2173 – Pike Run Trail, traversing 11 miles through Coonville Creek Wild Area and Coonville Creek Natural Area, takes riders through woodlands and wet meadows.
- St. Joe State Park, Park Hills, 573-431-1069 – Wooded trails totaling 15 miles wind through hills and across serene creeks. The park also offers an equestrian campground that features 12 basic and 13 electric campsites.
- Trail of Tears State Park, Jackson, 573-334-1711 – Riders can take in views of the Mississippi River along the 10-mile Peewah Trail.
- Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic Site, Lawson, 816-580-3387 – Near the Kansas City area, this park offers nearly four miles of trails through open ground and a wooded area.
Some campsites in each of the equestrian campgrounds can be reserved by calling 1-877-ICampMO (1-877-422-6766) or online at www.mostateparks.com.
For more information about equestrian trails and campgrounds, contact the parks directly or the Missouri Department of Natural Resources toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf). For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit the Web at www.mostateparks.com.
Oct. 4, 2004
