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Missouri- Things To Do- Outdoor Recreation

14 items

Johnna Wilhite

From fishing to sailing & swimming & kayaking to boating & tubing Missouri has such much outdoor recreation you'll find something for everyone

Sections

Kayaking & Float Trips

Fishing

Hiking

Swimming

Camping

Tubing

Kayaking & Float Trips

Tube, float, kayak, canoe, raft, whatever you choose to do or call it, Missouri has some of the best floats anywhere around. There's no denying that. So relax your summer days away on a Missouri River & just let the water take you down river. *Some areas are not so kid friendly so keep that in mind. During the summer certain areas are more like Mardi Gras on the river- beads, beads, & more beads.

I am a little partial to this area because my husbands dad & family owned a bar in Noel for several years. The area is very small, incredibly rural area so don't expect much. One of the coolest features is the cliffs hanging over the roads. Terri...

Elk River Floats | Float Trips, Camping, & Cabins in Noel ...

Bennet Springs is great for everything- floating, hiking, fishing, & camping. Very beautiful area

Floating

Whether floating or just exploring Caplinger Mills you'll have a good time. Funny story last time we floated Cap our car got stuck at the pick up point. That was fun because we had a long day of getting lost, having to drag our kayaks across 1 little...

Caplinger Woods - Campground, Canoes

Fishing

Pretty much anywhere there's water you can fish, but these are some of the better spots

A more secluded area to fish

Poague Conservation Area

Hiking

Hiking trails

Can't visit southern Missouri without stopping to see the elephants!!! Good hiking trails on your way to see our native resident elephants (rocks in shape of elephants)

Elephant Rocks State Park

You won't regret spending a day here. Hike the trails to see the springs, natural bridge, castle ruins, Red Arrow fault line, cave, & more. Haha Tonka is prettiest in the fall.

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Swimming

Best places in Missouri to swim

Fugitive Beach opened only a few years ago & is one of the top places to swim in summer. From cliff jumping, to relaxing in a cabana, BBQing, all the fun stuff is here. I'm not brave enough cliff jump but maybe some of you are.

The Fugitive Beach

A unique little area where you just sit & relax in small little natural pools or go swimming at the larger lagoon area. Just be careful on the rocks they do get very slippery.

Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

IYKYK… party cove is famous for, well, having a good time. In summer party cove & fugitive beach are the places to be seen. Recently announced plans for a large resort park coming to the area will likely change that.

Party Cove

Camping

RV & tent camping

Stop at Cozy for a nice little retreat. What you'll find- a little store, pool, shower & bath house, laundry, playground, full hookups, pavilion, volleyball, horseshoes, cabins, ponds, fish cleaning station. And its right next to Sparrowfoot boat...

Cozy Corners RV Park

When you stay here stop at the marina to feed the fish.

Bucksaw Campground

Tubing

Yes!!! There IS a difference between tubing & floating. Tubing is being pulled on a tube behind a boat. Floating is jumping in your kayak, canoe, raft, or tube, kicking back & just slowly let the river carry you. With or without your favorite adult beverage.

Pomme de Terre is great for swimming & tubing. Probably the best lake to tube, jet ski, or water ski.

Pomme de Terre Lake

Boat Ramps & Marinas

Get your boat wet

What's great about this ramp is the swimming beach right next to it. So go fishing for a bit then stop by for a swim.

Boating

Another spot I enjoyed a lot. My SILs waitressed here, & my ex BIL DJ'd here often. The marina is on one side of highway, swimming beach the other. Recently heard a rumor the restaurant closed down though. If it didn't they have some great food f...

Long Shoal Marina