One-Tank Trips

Why not rediscover your Missouri state parks this summer? Close to home, Missouri's state parks and historic sites offer something to suit everyone's taste: outdoor adventure, great scenery and a bit of history. 

Here are some suggested "one-tank trips" that offer opportunities for recreation, relaxation, education and adventure and are easy on the pocketbook.

Pick Your Region:

Central Missouri | Kansas City | Lake of the Ozarks | Northeast | St. Louis | Southeast | Southwest

Central Missouri Region

Union Hotel and Lohman Building with State Capitol dome in between

Stops:

  1. Missouri State Museum and Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City
  2. Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, Jefferson City (pictured, with the Capitol in the background)
  3. Clark's Hill/Norton State Historic Site, Osage City
  4. Katy Trail State Park, Jefferson City
  5. Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Columbia

Read more about this trip.

Kansas City Region 

A red brick building

Stops:

  1. Confederate Memorial State Historic Site, Higginsville
  2. Battle of Lexington State Historic Site, Lexington
  3. Watkins Mill State Park and Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site, Lawson (pictured)
  4. Wallace State Park, Cameron

Read more about this trip.

Lake of the Ozarks Region

people on overlook looking at the spring

Stops:

  1. Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Brumley
  2. Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Camdenton (pictured)

Read more about this trip.

Northeast Region

the small cabin where Twain was born sits inside the museum

Stops:

  1. Union Covered Bridge State Historic Site, Paris
  2. Mark Twain State Park and Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site, Florida (pictured)

Read more about this trip.

St. Louis Region

Sunset over a river

Stops:

  1. First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site, St. Charles
  2. Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park, West Alton (pictured)
  3. Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, St. Louis
  4. Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park, Wildwood

Read more about this trip.

Southeast Region

giant boulders on top of a rock bed with fall color trees in the foreground

Stops:

  1. Elephant Rocks State Park, Belleview (pictured)
  2. Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site, Pilot Knob
  3. Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, Middle Brook
  4. Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, Ironton

Read more about this trip.

Southwest Region

A woman sitting on the ground next to a white and yellow tent looks out across the green grass of the prairie with the sun low on the horizon

Stops:

  1. Stockton State Park, Dadeville
  2. Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site, Ash Grove
  3. Harry S Truman Birthplace State Historic Site, Lamar
  4. Prairie State Park, Mindenmines (pictured)

Read more about this trip.