Trail of Tears State Park

About this park

Trail of Tears State Park preserves one of the saddest chapters in American history: nine of the thirteen Cherokee detachments forcibly relocated to Oklahoma crossed the Mississippi River at this exact location during the brutal winter of 1838 and 1839, a crossing during which thousands died from exposure, disease, and starvation along what became known as the Trail of Tears. Exhibits at the park's visitor center tell the story of those who perished on the forced march, giving visitors a sobering, historically grounded counterpoint to the park's natural beauty. Beyond its profound historical significance, the park offers genuine natural recreation along a dramatic stretch of the Mississippi River, with majestic overlook views extending for miles up and down the river valley. Shaded picnic sites, hiking and horse trails, and fishing in both the Mississippi River itself and the smaller Lake Boutin give visitors a range of ways to engage with the landscape beyond its historical weight. The park's riverside location makes it one of the best spots in Missouri for viewing migratory waterfowl, as birds funnel along the Mississippi Flyway directly past the park's bluffs each spring and fall. That combination of a profoundly significant historical site with genuinely excellent birding and river scenery gives Trail of Tears a layered visitor experience unmatched by almost any other park in the Missouri system.