State Parks and National Parks

Meramec State Park

Dedicated in 1928, Meramec State Park is a treasure chest of natural attractions.

The park's nearly 7,000 acres include several miles of frontage on the Meramec, which supports the widest variety of aquatic life in Missouri. Also in the park are more than 40 caves and several springs.

The river is a center of park activities. All of the 216 campsites, 23 with full hookup, are within 500 feet of the river.

Floating on the Meramec is a favorite pastime. The park concessionaire not only rents canoes, rafts and inner tubes, but will shuttle you to the launch point for a five-mile float.

The visitor center features a 3,500-gallon aquarium and a lifesize riverbank diorama.

Elsewhere in the park, visitors can take guided tours of Fisher Cave, with its calcified bear prints and huge calcite deposits.

More than 16 miles of hiking trails run through the park, including the designated natural area. In the future, portions of the trail may be incorporated into the 300-mile Ozark Trail. Wilderness camping and backpacking is permitted along a 10-mile section of trail.

Those with an interest in architecture will want to examine the Civilian Conservation Corps structures still in use at the park, some of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are also remants of an iron works.

Swimming is at your own risk in the Meramec River.

Photo credits in order: Courtesy of Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Courtesy of Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Courtesy of Missouri Department of Natural Resources.