State Parks and National Parks

Taum Sauk Mountain State Park

Recreationists seeking a rugged outdoor experience visit Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, situated in the scenic St. Francois (pronounced "Francis") Mountains.

The park is named for the state's highest point, 1,772-foot Taum Sauk Mountain. Because the region is so undeveloped, the absence of light pollution makes Taum Sauk Mountain a wonderful spot for stargazing.

The park access road ascends the mountain, and a short wheelchair-accessible trail runs to the actual summit.

Other natural attractions include the state's highest waterfall, 132-foot Mina Sauk Falls, and a geological curiosity called the Devil's Tollgate, where the trail passes through a large fracture in the rock.

The igneous rock knobs that punctuate the park are dotted with glades, ecosystems resembling both desert and prairie that support distinctive plant and animal species.

The 7,448-acre park makes up most of the 7,028-acre St. Francois Mountains Natural Area. A 13-mile stretch of the 500-mile Ozark Trail links Taum Sauk park with Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park.

There are 12 well-dispersed primitive campsites at Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, as well as a youth group camping area.

The park is nine miles southwest of Ironton on Hwy. CC, off Missouri 21-49.

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