Fuel Up On Fun Close to Home at Missouri State Parks

By Guest Contributor

07-02-2008

Don’t scrap your vacation plans because of high gas prices; fuel up on fun close to home in Missouri state parks.  Adventures in a variety of formats will please everyone in the family without breaking the budget. Missouri’s 84 state parks and historic sites, managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, are scattered throughout the state, making fun just a short drive away. 

If water recreation is what you’re after, more than 30 state parks and historic sites contain or border lakes, ranging in size from small fishing lakes to the Lake of the Ozarks. Boating, fishing and swimming opportunities are abundant, with some parks offering marinas, boat rentals and swimming pools. Rivers and streams also weave through some state parks, providing an avenue for canoe trips or a cool place for summer splashing.

For those who don’t like to get their feet wet, outdoor adventures, solitude, great scenery and cool cave tours are available. More than 900 miles of trails wind across some of the most scenic landscapes in Missouri. Hike, mountain bike or ride your horse next to rolling streams, by open glades, through groves of trees or to scenic overlooks. Along the way, you will find wildflowers and listen to the peaceful sounds of nature. For the more adventurous, two state parks offer trails and areas to explore on your all-terrain vehicle. 

Extend your vacation with a stay in one of 39 campgrounds. Many memories are created while lounging in lawn chairs around a crackling campfire. If sleeping under the stars isn’t for you, lodging facilities ranging from camper cabins to modern motel rooms are offered at numerous facilities.

Free nature programs are offered at most parks with campgrounds and are open to everyone. Also, check the events schedule at http://www.mostateparks.com/events/events.htm for special events hosted by parks and historic sites throughout the summer. Most are free and open to the public.

If your idea of a vacation includes absorbing some knowledge, state historic sites have what you need. Depending on where you visit, you can learn about many different chapters of Missouri’s history at sites associated with famous Missourians, Civil War battles, German or French influences, and early inhabitants and industries. Knowledgeable tour guides at most sites will lead you back in time.

A vacation to Missouri’s state parks and historic sites will not only save money at the gas pump. Thanks to the parks, soils and water sales tax, the primary funding source for the state park system, there is no entrance fee to any of Missouri’s state parks. Tours of state historic sites are also very affordable.

Visit http://www.mostateparks.com to find information on the state parks and historic sites close to you. To receive a free brochure, contact the Department of Natural Resources toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or e-mail .