This Dreamy Road Trip Will Take You To The Best Fall Foliage In All Of Missouri
By Liz Oliver|Published September 11, 2017
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Liz Oliver
Author
Liz is a Missouri native with a B.A. in English from Mizzou and a M.A. in Non-Profit Administration from Lindenwood University. She works for a STL metro-area community college and enjoys writing, traveling, and indoor cycling. Her true passion is forcing her encyclopedic knowledge of Missouri facts on uninterested strangers from across the globe!
Vibrant colors are just weeks away from making their comeback across Missouri as summer turns to fall. If you’re looking forward to seeing these beautiful changing leaves, you may want to take this dreamy road trip to all the best leaf peeping spots in the Show Me State. This trip starts just outside the St. Louis metro, meanders south through the Ozarks, and ends in rural Southeast Missouri. With over 10 hours of road time, plan a few extra stops and make this trip a great fall getaway.
Start your foliage adventure at Castlewood State Park. This beautiful park has some awesome hiking trails that provide expansive views of the river bottoms. Bring your camera and hit the trails at 1401 Kiefer Creek Rd, Ballwin.
Down south you can hit the trails or the kayak lake for amazing views of the trees. In addition to the amazing foliage be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife. Find Mingo National Wildlife Refuge at 24279 State Highway 51, Puxico.
The Ozark National Scenic Riverway is an amazing area for viewing fall foliage. Take Chubb Hollow Trail to find this cute bridge. Ozark National Scenic Riverways can be located at 404 Watercress Dr., Van Buren.
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a gorgeous area on the hills over looking the Lake of the Ozarks. In addition to a stunning abandoned castle hike you can take in all the beautiful fall colors from the trails. Find the park at 1491 State Road D, Camdenton.
The Mark Twain National Forest is Missouri's only national forest. There are miles of trails and many campgrounds. There are endless opportunities to see the colorful leaves all across the forest. Find an entrance to the forest at 401 Fairgrounds Rd., Rolla.
You'll have the perfect vantage point of all the colorful leaves from the highest point in the state. Hike to the top of the trails for stunning views of the colorful leaves that go on for miles. Find the state park at Hwy. CC, Ironton,
Elephant Rock State Park has high vantage points for viewing leaves and wooded trails that will take you under the canopy. End your trip with a sunset trip to Elephant Rock for the most beautiful views. Find the park at 7406 Highway 21, Ironton.
Where are your favorite spots in Missouri to see the changing leaves? Let us know your thoughts on this trip or where else we need to stop in the comments below.
