Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park Will Offer Limited Access This Summer

First posted on 06-18-2008

Visitors to Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park near Lesterville can once again swim in the shut-ins this summer, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced today.

The shut-ins area of the park will officially open for swimming at 8 a.m. Thursday, June 26 and remain open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Aug. 24, 2008.

“We are pleased that visitors will once again be able to visit the shut-ins, one of the main reasons people come to Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and the area,” said Doyle Childers, department director.

The shut-ins area and the store are the only areas of the park that will be open for the summer. Visitors will be able to visit the store, which has flush toilets and drinking water, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Although the new boardwalk has not been completely finished, it does provide access to the shut-ins.

All other areas of the main park remain closed. These areas are considered construction zones and people will not be allowed in these areas for safety reasons. There will be no camping available in the park. The nearby area of Goggins Mountain where the equestrian trail and trailhead are located is closed as plans continue for rebuilding the campground in that area.

The department is also planning an informational meeting this summer to provide the public with an update on progress at the park. Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park was closed following the Dec. 14, 2005, breach of the nearby Taum Sauk Reservoir, which flooded the park.

Also available in the area are other state parks and historic sites, including Taum Sauk Mountain State Park near Ironton, Fort Davidson State Historic Site in Pilot Knob and Elephant Rocks State Park near Belleview. There are many other attractions in the Lesterville/Arcadia Valley area as well. For more information on these other attractions, go to http://www.experienceblackriver.com. For more information on Missouri state parks and historic sites, go to http://www.mostateparks.com or call the department at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf).