Missouri and Kansas State Parks

May, 2021

Alley Spring Mill, Eminence, Missouri

Echo Bluff

In Missouri, we stayed at Echo Bluff State Park, and explored the surrounding area, which has many springs that put out millions of gallons of water per day. We had to drive our SUV down some rough dirt roads to get to some of the springs, and while we walked on the trail to Blue Spring, we saw an otter near the riverbank! It was an easy drive to Alley Spring from the little town of Eminence, though. That was a perfect spring day and well worth the trip.

Mushroom Rock State Park

We headed west into Kansas. We stayed first at Kanopolis State Park, and visited nearby Mushroom Rock State Park, which is only a few acres in size. We thought the shapes of the rocks looked like hamburgers, boats, and shoes! We also enjoyed visiting the nearby town of Lindsborg, Kansas, where we watched a lady hand-paint Swedish wooden Dala horses at the visitor center.

Sunset over Kanopolis Lake

One of many cute Dala horses celebrating the Swedish heritage of Lindsborg, Kansas.

We continued west and stayed at Lake Scott State Park, so that we could visit Monument Rocks, which is free and 7 miles down a dusty dirt road next to a farmer’s field. Seems like we are driving a lot of dirt roads and going to a lot of places that are in the middle of nowhere! We were able to walk up close to the rocks.

Also in the same area was a new state park called Little Jerusalem Badlands. It had more rock formations in more colors than Monument Rocks, although we weren’t allowed to walk among them. I believe the rangers give guided walks, but not when we were there in the off-season. It was interesting how in both places, these rocks jut up out of the plains. But because the land is gently rolling, and not as flat as you think, the rocks are hidden, and you don’t know they’re there until you’re close to them.

Little Jerusalem Badlands. A little farmhouse in the background gives an idea of the size of the rocks.