The richly diverse Current River State Park features almost two miles of beautiful river frontage, offering ample opportunity for swimming, floating, and fishing as well as hiking, backcountry camping, and interpretive programming. The intact Alton Club Lodge and about twenty buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 as a rare example of private retreats once common along the Current River. Photo courtesy of Susan Flader When Gov. Arthur Hyde and his new game and fish commissioner Frank Wielandy began searching in 1924 for sites to purchase for Missouri’s first ..read more

In the May 2024 issue of Missouri Life, we encouraged you to head to the edges of our state and then meander just a bit over the state line for some fascinating day trips. Here are 13 more fascinating journeys to add to your edgy travelog. Photo courtesy of Megan Gililand By Danielle Bopp Breshears, Pam Clifton, Glory Fagan, and Susan Atteberry Smith NORTHEAST Coal Mining Across the Border Novinger, Missouri, to Centerville, Iowa Travel Time: 45 minutes Northern Missouri and Southern Iowa were once home to more than 50 working mines between 1880 and 1966. The region was part of one of the larg ..read more

Bennett Spring State Park is well-known among anglers for its excellent trout fishing, but visitors also enjoy its hiking trails, Niangua River access, campgrounds, cabins, and meals served in the park’s rustic 1930s dining lodge. Flowering dogwood flourishes under a white oak canopy in a cove at Bennett. Photo by Pat Whalen Approaching from Route 64 west of Lebanon, Missouri, you wind down an entrance road past several private cottages and a tackle shop, then emerge from the upland into the hill-cradled valley of Bennett Spring. Across the manicured valley floor, you see the racing, tree-line ..read more

In Ste. Genevieve, Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary is committed to providing exceptional care to abused and neglected big cats. Fans of these beautiful beasts can tour the facility to learn more about its mission and how the tigers are cared for. Photo courtesy of Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary By Pamela Clifton Izzy likes to be the center of attention. He paints and plays and makes a lot of noise. He even has a root beer—called the Fizzy Izzy—named after him. As an entertainer, Izzy is no lightweight. In fact, he weighs 479 pounds.  Izzy is one of several tigers living at Crown Ridge Tiger Sanc ..read more

A favorite of conservationists and Scouts, this hilly hideaway in the St. Francois Mountains features a number of special superlatives: highest mountain peak and tallest waterfall in Missouri, and one of the rarest plants in the United States. Taum Sauk Creek, an Outstanding State Resource Water, reveals ancient layers of sedimentary rocks as well as volcanic outcrops. Photo by Mike Sutton The geologic phoenix of the Ozarks, Taum Sauk Mountain was born of volcanic fire 1.5 billion years ago, then rose eons later at the very center of the Ozark dome. If Elephant Rocks is where one goes into the ..read more

A collection of caves and underground streams. Osage influence. Historical ties to a ring of outlaws. Crumbling castle ruins. Tales of a curse. The only thing bigger than the views at Ha Ha Tonka State Park are the stories you’ll hear. The natural bridge is a cool delight on a hot summer day. Nowhere else in the state has such a variety of karst features—springs, sinkholes, chasms, caves, underground streams, and natural bridges—in such a concentrated area. Photo by Nancy Masterson Nearly seventy years passed after Ha Ha Tonka was initially proposed as a park before it was finally acquired by ..read more

Formed 50 millions years ago, this state park has geological treasures to share. Meander along one trail to see the flora of ten thousand years ago. An eroding cliff in the park tells part of the story of Crowley’s Ridge, showing a sequence of deposits but no visible bedrock. You can see the deposits of sands and clays with a band of pebbles and a loess cap above. Photo by Chris Crabtree ABOUT FIFTEEN MILES SOUTH OF CAPE GIRARDEAU on Interstate 55, a remarkable sight appears. Driving south through the rolling Benton Hills, there’s a big visual jolt upon reaching the crest of a moderate rise, w ..read more

Beautiful scenery, colossal rocks, and fascinating history can be found in and around this tiny village. Caledonia nestles in the scenic Bellevue Valley about eighty miles east of Rolla. The village is steps away from some of the state’s most popular outdoor attractions, including beautiful hiking trails and state parks. It’s also full of references to its Scottish roots. Scotsman Alexander Craighead founded the town in 1819, naming it Caledonia, or “Scotland” in Latin. There are twenty-five buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including Craighead House, the town’s oldest hou ..read more

Natural prairie is the headliner at this state park, but the bison, elk, birds, and flowers are also stunning. Prairie State Park is a unique place, dedicated as a living tribute to a nearly extinguished native landscape. To better understand and preserve the prairie, botanists periodically monitor diversity by counting all species within one-tenth-meter quadrants. Photo by Ron Colatskie SPRING IS A GORGEOUS TIME on the prairie. Before the last of winter’s occasional snow, the early sedges bring a tinge of green among the white spots on the hills. These add an upright dimension to ground clean ..read more

As you reemerge from your winter shelter to greet spring, you’ll find exciting changes and challenges afoot. And when those April showers arrive, settle in for some adventures just waiting to be rediscovered. Photo courtesy of William Vanderpool FORTY HIKES Spring is the ideal time to commit to Shaw Nature Reserve’s 40-Hike Challenge. The picturesque nature area at Gray Summit features 17 miles of hiking trails that meander through a diverse variety of native habitats, so you can connect with the flora and fauna as you build muscle and endurance. The staff at the reserve’s visitor center will ..read more