Release Date
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, DEC. 21, 2023 – Now’s the time to start those new year’s resolutions with a hike in a Missouri state park or historic site located in the Lakes Region. Join our team members on a guided hike on New Year’s Day.
- Bennett Spring State Park, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Join master naturalist Kasey Hicks at 10 a.m. at the Natural Tunnel trailhead for a First Day Hike. This hike will cover the entire 7.4-mile Natural Tunnel Trail. This moderately difficult trail has a few steep grades and inclines, and may have occasional water over the trail. Hiking shoes, appropriate outdoor clothing, snacks and water are necessary. Come prepared to enjoy the 296-foot-long natural tunnel. Including lunch, the hike should take about six hours. There are no age restrictions, but parents should use their best judgement in determining whether the hike is suitable for their children. There is a limit of 30 participants, so preregistration is required. To register, visit icampmo.com and use “Choose Date” to find the listing. Bennett Spring State Park is located at 26250 Highway 64A outside of Lebanon.
- Big Sugar Creek State Park, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Take a guided 3.3-mile hike on Ozark Chinquapin Trail. Starting at the trailhead at 9 a.m., participants will see open woodlands, rocky drainages, limestone bluffs and shale outcrops. Ozark Chinquapin Trail is known to have water at several creek crossings during wet weather, so participants should dress for the weather, wear closed-toe shoes or boots (waterproof boots are highly recommended) and bring water and snacks. For information, call 417-847-3742. To register, visit icampmo.com and use the “Choose Date” box to find the listing. Big Sugar Creek State Park is located at 6727 Big Sugar Creek Road in Pineville.
- Bryant Creek State Park, noon – 3:30 p.m.
Take a hike in Bryant Creek State Park, one of Missouri’s newest state parks. Located just 30 minutes southeast of Ava, this park is home to impressively large oaks and shortleaf pines spanning rugged, steeply dissected river hills that front the stream for which it is named. This will be a loop hike of approximately 3.25 miles on a section of Pike Hollow Trail, which is a rugged natural surface trail of easy to moderate difficulty. Hikers should meet at the park’s main trailhead. A track chair is available for individuals with mobility issues, though it can only go on the first mile of the hike to the overlook. The chair can be reserved by calling the park 48 hours in advance. Registration for the hike is required and can be done by visiting icampmo.com and using the “Choose Date” box to find the listing. For more information, call the park office at 417-683-2520. Bryant Creek State Park is located at 1204 Private Drive 3422 in Ava.
- Ha Ha Tonka State Park, 9 – 11 a.m.
Participants will meet at the Spring Trail trailhead off of the lake parking lot. They will hike back to the spring and then up the stairs and to the castle before returning to the parking lot. Along the way, the guide will stop and talk about the history of the park features encountered. Ha Ha Tonka State Park can be found at 1491 State Road D in Camdenton. To get to the lake parking lot from U.S. Highway 54, turn onto State Road D and continue approximately 2.7 miles to Tonka Spring Road. The lake parking lot is located on the right. Registration for the hike is required and can be done at icampmo.com and use the “Choose Date” box to find the listing. For more information, call 573-346-2986.
- Lake of the Ozarks State Park, noon – 2 p.m.
This 2.5-mile hike will be moderately difficult. It begins at the trailhead parking lot located across from the stables on Highway 134, which is 3.5 miles south of the park office located at 403 Highway 134 in Kaiser. On this hike, participants may encounter natural trail surfaces such as dirt, mud, loose rocks and slippery areas, as well as roots, large rocks and downed vegetation, with steep grades over 10%. To register, visit icampmo.com and use the “Choose Date” box to find the listing. For more information, call 573-690-0450.
- Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site, 10 a.m. to noon.
Cover all three of the site’s hiking trails: Spring Box, Interpretive and Prairie View, for a total of 2 miles. This moderately difficult hike will take guests through what was once a thriving 19th century homestead and give them a glimpse into what the early settlement of Ash Grove looked like. Along the way, the guide will share the history of the Boone Homestead and stories from Ash Grove’s past. This family-friendly event is open to all ages, but is limited to 35 participants. Participants should sign up at icampmo.com and use the “Choose Date” to find the listing. For more information, call the site office at 417-751-3266. Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site is located at 7850 N. State Highway V in Ash Grove.
- Roaring River State Park, 1 – 3 p.m.
Park team members will lead participants on a rugged 1.5-mile hike on Devil’s Kitchen Trail. They will start by hiking up to the limestone bluff, where there are two small caves to explore. Then, they will climb above the limestone bluff into chert woodlands and round out the hike with a look at the Devil’s Kitchen rock feature. Hikers should expect steep and possibly muddy, slick sections of the trail. Waterproof boots are recommended. Please bring a flashlight if entering the caves. The hike begins at the trailhead across the river from the CCC Lodge. Registration is required and can be done by visiting icampmo.com and using the “Choose Date” option to find the event. For more information, call 417-847-3742. Roaring River State Park is located at 12716 Farm Road 2239 in Cassville.
- Table Rock State Park, noon – 2 p.m.
This 2-mile hike begins at the Lakeshore Trail trailhead, located in the marina parking lot. True to its name, Lakeshore Trail runs along the shore of Table Rock Lake from State Park Marina to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dewey Short Visitor Center adjacent to the dam. This paved trail is relatively flat, so it is popular among visitors of all abilities. As it runs along the shoreline, Lakeshore Trail provides good views of the lake on the lower side and of the 200-plus-year-old oaks on the upper side. Registration for the hike can be done by visiting icampmo.com. For more information, call 417-334-4704. Table Rock State Park can be found at 5272 State Highway 165 in Branson.
- Harry S Truman State Park, noon – 2 p.m.
Tale a one-mile hike on the 1000th Mile Trail where participants will experience changes in areas from a woodland section at the trailhead, dropping into a glade area that is currently undergoing restoration to remove invasive red cedars that prevent the glade from thriving. The glade continues along the trail up to the bluff, which provides some very scenic views of Truman Lake. The trail then follows the contours of the slop back down into the woodland area until the participants reach the trailhead. There is a possibility of seeing bald eagles, turkey vultures and glade plants like prickly pear cactus. This section of trail is historically significant because it is the 1000th mile of trail installed in Missouri’s state parks. Harry S Truman State Park is located at 28761 State Park Road West in Warsaw.
For information on First Day Hikes at your nearest state park, go to stateparks.org/special-programs/first-day-hikes/. Share your Jan. 1 hiking story on social media with #FirstDayHikes. 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.
