JEFFERSON CITY, MO, SEPT. 7, 2023 – If you’re in northeast Missouri and looking for something fun to do, check out these events offered at state parks and historic sites in the region. 

  • Friday, Sept. 15 – Sunday, Sept. 17: Dutch Oven Cooking Contest at Crowder State Park
    Hopefully you’ve made your reservations for the park’s 2023 Dutch Oven Cooking Contest Weekend. If not, register for the contest by 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, by sending your name, campsite number, whether you are a youth or adult entrant and the categories you wish to enter (main meal, chili or soup, dessert, sides or bread).

    Weekend schedule:
    Friday, Sept. 15
         3 p.m. – Check in to your reserved campsite.
         8 p.m. – Nature movie in the campground amphitheater.
    Saturday, Sept. 16      
         8 a.m. – Two-mile guided nature walk on Redbud Trail.      
         11 a.m. – Join park representatives at the campground amphitheater to learn about wild edibles and medicinal uses of Missouri plants.      
         4-6 p.m. – Bring your Dutch ovens to Site 16 for judging and to share with fellow campers.      
         6 p.m. – Winners announced at Site 16.
    Sunday, Sept. 17      
         Pack up and head for home with new recipes for your next campout.

    Crowder State Park is located at 76 NW Highway 128 in Trenton. 
     
  • Friday, Sept. 15: Petroglyph Tour at Thousand Hills State Park
    Thousand Hills State Park is home to a collection of petrogylphs, or rock carvings, made by ancestors of today’s American Indians. Explore the petroglyphs with park representatives and learn more about this unique piece of history. Meet at 7 p.m. at the petroglyph shelter next to the beach. Thousand Hills State Park is located at 20431 State Highway 157 in Kirksville.
     
  • Quilt with multicolor octagonal design hangs next to a white historic building at Salt River Quilt Show.
    Saturday, Sept. 16 – Sunday, Sept. 17: Sixth Annual Salt River Quilt Show at Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site
    Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site and the Monroe County Historical Society are hosting the Sixth Annual Salt River Quilt Show inside the Mark Twain Memorial Site. One hundred quilts or more are expected to be on display in the museum’s two galleries and around the little cabin where Mark Twain was born. This year’s theme is “The Seasons of Our Lives,” with entrants expressing their favorite life seasons. A quilt-related presentation will be offered Saturday. Admission to all is free. Quilts will be displayed Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site is located at 37352 Shrine Road in Florida.
     
  • Graham cave surrounded by fall foliage is made of St. Peter sandstone. Entrance is 120 feet wide and 60 high. It extends about 100 feet into the hill.
    Saturday, Sept. 16: Public Meeting and Archaeology Day at Graham Cave State Park
    Join park representatives as the celebrate Archaeology Day 2023 at one of Missouri’s most archeologically significant caves. Graham Cave became the first archaeological site in the United States to be designated a National Historic Landmark Jan. 20, 1961. Enjoy activities of the day including prehistoric and historic artifact displays, flint knapping and fire-making demonstrations, wildlife fur exhibits, bone fishhook demonstrations and dart throwing with atlatls. The event begins at 9 a.m. in the Lower Picnic Area. The public meeting will be from noon to 1 p.m. Graham Cave is located at 217 Highway TT in Danville.
     
  • Saturday, Sept. 16: Fall Hike on Redbud Trail at Crowder State Park
    Join park representatives for a guided 2-mile hike on Redbud Trail. Meet at the campground amphitheater at 8 a.m. and wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Participants should bring water and a snack. Crowder State Park is located at 76 NW Highway 128 in Trenton.  
     
  • Left stands statue of Gen. Pershing wearing uniform standing on rock pedestal. On right is the wooden Locust Creek Covered Bridge on rock footers.
    Wednesday, Sept. 20: Public Meeting at Gen. John J. Pershing Boyhood Home State Historic Site
    Attend a town hall-style public meeting for both Gen. John J. Pershing Boyhood Home and Locust Creek Covered Bridge state historic sites. Park representatives will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Leadership Archive Museum Building at 1100 Pershing Drive in Laclede.

For detailed information on any of these activities, please visit mostateparks.com/events. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

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