St. Francois State Park

About this park

St. Francois State Park offers visitors a genuine retreat into forested ridges and cool, shaded hollows within the Coonville Creek Wild Area, a landscape that feels remarkably remote despite its accessible location in east-central Missouri. Three hiking trails, including one with dedicated equestrian access, wind through the park's wooded hills and glades, giving both hikers and horseback riders extensive terrain to explore. Easy access to the Big River makes the park a popular launch point for canoeing and floating, a form of recreation that has defined the park's identity for generations of Missouri paddlers seeking a quieter alternative to the more heavily trafficked Meramec and Current rivers. Numerous shaded picnic sites and two covered shelters give the park a genuinely strong capacity for family gatherings and group events throughout the warmer months. A newly expanded campground offers more than 150 sites, ranging from basic sites with no individual hookups to full-service sites featuring sewer, water, and electric utilities, reflecting a significant recent investment in the park's overnight capacity. Rock climbing and rappelling permits are available for visitors drawn to the park's rockier terrain, giving St. Francois a genuinely active-recreation reputation that extends well beyond its traditional hiking and floating base.