A little over an hour south of St. Louis is St. Joe State Park in Park Hills, MO. The state park was previously a mine, but has now been set aside as a recreation area for visitors. Unlike other state parks, St. Joe is unique because land is set aside specifically for “off-roading.” The park also offers a variety of opportunities to interact with nature as well with hiking trails, lakes that visitors can swim in, picnicking areas, and camping. When we visited we stayed overnight and camped at St. Joe. In the morning we visited one of the beaches and walked along the trail that leads around the lake. Although the park is centered around the opportunity to off-road or visit the beach, we still found it a nice spot to serve as a base to explore the area.

The Park Hills area is part of the Old Lead Belt District in Missouri that consisted of several counties focused on mining. The mining tradition has changed some, but the area still has an assortment of historical elements and spaces to explore to learn more about Missouri’s mining, such as a tour of the Bonne Terre Mine, and continues on with several active mines in the New Lead Belt. When we visited St. Joe State Park we stayed at St. Joe State Park and then in the morning went to the Missouri Mines States Historic Site, a museum focused on Missouri’s mining history, and then grabbed a snack and coffee at No. 9 Coffee in Leadington, MO. Afterwards, we headed to the Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic that is nestled in the Arcadia Valley, another part of the Lead Belt District. We finished at St. Francois Winery and Brewery. The trip provided a great opportunity to learn more about Missouri’s history and explore gems in the Old Lead Belt that are tucked into the St. Francois Mountains.

Side Note: The area is not far from other state parks, including: St. Francois State Park, Elephant Rocks State Park, Johnson Shut-Ins State Park, Taum Sauk State Park, and Hawn State Park.