I Was Pleasantly Surprised by This Incredible Hiking Trail in Missouri

I’m going to be honest: From the online photos, the jumbled rock formation on the Devil’s Kitchen Trail at Roaring River State Park didn’t look that impressive. I’ve seen a lot of rocks in my life, and I couldn’t imagine how these could be all that special. Luckily, I set my skepticism aside and set out to explore.

I usually think of Roaring River State Park primarily as a place for trout fishing. After all, that’s the main activity that draws my family to the park year after year for camping trips. You can often find us standing on the banks of the tumbling river, flicking our flies, hoping to catch some beautiful rainbow trout. However, on one fall trip with my teenage sons, we decided to mix things up and check out the Devil’s Kitchen Trail.

Like another infamous bedeviled trail in Missouri, the Devil’s Kitchen earned this name due to its unusual rock formations, which seemed to come from the devil himself, as the giant boulders appear so precariously perched. The rock formation is as tall as a house and large enough for people to stand under.

While noted as “moderately challenging” on AllTrails, this 1.5-mile trail was easy enough for my family of non-hikers, though there are some steep grades with 314 feet of elevation gain. The trail starts off with a stroll through open glades and shady woodlands. That is, until you reach the Devil’s Kitchen itself. The massive rocks seem to have been dropped from space, and you can climb on, in, and around them. 

My sons don’t always love nature hikes; however, the Devil’s Kitchen Trail won them over since they were able to do so much climbing in a relatively safe spot. It had just the right level of adventure to keep them interested…without making me fear for their safety. That’s a perfect trail, in my book.

As with almost any cave in Missouri, this one was rumored to be a hideout. While most are associated with the outlaw Jesse James, the Devil’s Kitchen is said to have been a hiding spot for guerrilla soldiers during the Civil War. I couldn’t find verification of these tales, but it is always interesting to imagine what might have been. As far as hideouts go, this seems like a pretty good one since it’s such an expected find.

We hiked the Devil’s Kitchen Trail on a cool fall day, but if you visit in the summer, you will certainly work up a sweat. Some reviewers on AllTrails noted the presence of a refreshing trailside spring. If the spring doesn’t cool you off, Roaring River State Park also has a large swimming pool and some open access to the river. 

Another option for cooling off is Beebe’s Roaring River Waterslide, a man-made waterslide built in 1978 located near Roaring River State Park. This kind of nostalgic thrill isn’t found in many places these days! You’ll be dreaming of roller skates and disco music as you fly down the epic curved walls.

In addition to hiking and fishing, there’s a lot of other truly fascinating stuff to explore in Roaring River State Park. We always make a point to walk to the beguiling blue spring that serves as the headwaters for the river, making it cold enough to support the stocked trout from the hatchery. At the hatchery, you can feed the fish. Our kids always got a kick out of watching slippery fish bodies leap from the water.

If you want to stay onsite for your hike, the state park also offers 26 cozy cabins, a lodge with hotel rooms, and over 180 campsites for tents and RVs. Several sites are on the waterfront and offer RV hookups. It's one of our favorite spots for a slow-travel getaway.

Roaring River State Park is truly a full-service spot for adventure in the Ozarks. Whether you hike the trails, tempt the trout, or enjoy an old-fashioned camping trip, it's perfect for a day trip or extended stay. Trust me when I say to do the Devil's Kitchen Trail, and I bet you'll be as surprised as I was! It's even better than the photos.