Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Missouri State Parks & National Parks
Missouri has 7 National Park Service units that report visitation. Below, each is ranked by annual visits, with the month our data recommends for the best balance of light crowds, comfortable weather and daylight. Crowds peak in summer almost everywhere — the recommended months show where the quieter shoulder seasons fall.
The 47 Missouri state parks are listed in their own section below the national park table. Crowd levels are shown for national park units only; for state parks the best month reflects weather and daylight.
Missouri parks on the map
Click a marker for the park page, or use Where to stay in the table.
Ways to pick a Missouri park
Quietest months
- Ozark — January
- Ste. Geneviève — January
- Harry S Truman — January
- Gateway Arch — January
Most-visited
- Gateway Arch — 2,209,028 visits
- Ozark — 1,116,835 visits
- Wilson's Creek — 370,558 visits
- Ulysses S Grant — 44,732 visits
Most-visited parks in Missouri
Best in OctoberGateway Arch
National Park, Missouri
Ozark
National Scenic Riverways, Missouri
Wilson's Creek
National Battlefield, Missouri
Ulysses S Grant
National Historic Site, Missouri
Best in JuneGeorge Washington Carver
National Monument, Missouri
Best in OctoberHarry S Truman
National Historic Site, Missouri
| Park | Annual visits | Best time | Busiest | Quietest | Stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway ArchNational Park | 2,209,028 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| OzarkNational Scenic Riverways | 1,116,835 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Wilson's CreekNational Battlefield | 370,558 | May | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Ulysses S GrantNational Historic Site | 44,732 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| George Washington CarverNational Monument | 39,081 | June | Apr | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Harry S TrumanNational Historic Site | 19,296 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Ste. GenevièveNational Historical Park | 16,525 | October | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
Missouri State Parks
47 state parks, with the month that usually brings the most comfortable weather and the longest days, where a nearby weather record exists.
- Annie and Abel Van Meter State ParkUsually best in September · about 800 acresOfficial park page
- Bennett Spring State ParkUsually best in September · about 2,300 acresOfficial park page
- Big Lake State ParkUsually best in September · about 400 acresOfficial park page
- Big Oak Tree State ParkUsually best in May · about 140 acresOfficial park page
- Big Sugar Creek State ParkUsually best in September · about 510 acresOfficial park page
- Castlewood State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Crowder State ParkUsually best in September · about 2,100 acresOfficial park page
- Cuivre River State ParkUsually best in September · about 4,400 acresOfficial park page
- Current River State ParkUsually best in September · about 790 acresOfficial park page
- Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State ParkUsually best in September · about 2,300 acresOfficial park page
- Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State ParkUsually best in May · about 1,100 acresOfficial park page
- Elephant Rocks State ParkUsually best in September · about 130 acresOfficial park page
- Finger Lakes State ParkUsually best in May · about 1,100 acresOfficial park page
- Graham Cave State ParkUsually best in September · about 310 acresOfficial park page
- Grand Gulf State ParkUsually best in May · about 260 acresOfficial park page
- Ha Ha Tonka State ParkUsually best in MayOfficial park page
- Harry S Truman State ParkUsually best in May · about 1,400 acresOfficial park page
- Hawn State ParkUsually best in September · about 4,700 acresOfficial park page
- Johnson's Shut-Ins State ParkUsually best in September · about 8,300 acresOfficial park page
- Katy Trail State ParkUsually best in September · about 190 acresOfficial park page
- Knob Noster State ParkUsually best in September · about 3,600 acresOfficial park page
- Lake of the Ozarks State ParkUsually best in May · about 21,000 acresOfficial park page
- Lake Wappapello State ParkUsually best in May · about 1,900 acresOfficial park page
- Lewis and Clark State ParkUsually best in September · about 210 acresOfficial park page
- Long Branch State ParkUsually best in September · about 1,600 acresOfficial park page
- Mark Twain State ParkUsually best in September · about 2,600 acresOfficial park page
- Meramec State ParkUsually best in May · about 5,300 acresOfficial park page
- Montauk State ParkUsually best in September · about 45 acresOfficial park page
- Morris State ParkUsually best in May · about 160 acresOfficial park page
- Onondaga Cave State ParkUsually best in JuneOfficial park page
- Pershing State ParkUsually best in September · about 5,000 acresOfficial park page
- Pomme de Terre State ParkUsually best in September · about 760 acresOfficial park page
- Prairie State ParkUsually best in September · about 3,000 acresOfficial park page
- Roaring River State ParkUsually best in September · about 3,800 acresOfficial park page
- Robertsville State ParkUsually best in May · about 1,200 acresOfficial park page
- Rock Bridge Memorial State ParkUsually best in May · about 2,100 acresOfficial park page
- Route 66 State ParkUsually best in September · about 400 acresOfficial park page
- Sam A. Baker State ParkUsually best in September · about 4,200 acresOfficial park page
- Stockton State ParkUsually best in May · about 2,100 acresOfficial park page
- Table Rock State ParkUsually best in May · about 390 acresOfficial park page
- Taum Sauk Mountain State ParkUsually best in September · about 2,100 acresOfficial park page
- Thousand Hills State ParkUsually best in June · about 3,100 acresOfficial park page
- Trail of Tears State ParkUsually best in May · about 3,000 acresOfficial park page
- Wakonda State ParkUsually best in September · about 1,000 acresOfficial park page
- Wallace State ParkUsually best in September · about 490 acresOfficial park page
- Washington State ParkUsually best in September · about 1,800 acresOfficial park page
- Weston Bend State ParkUsually best in May · about 1,000 acresOfficial park page
State park listings come from the Missouri state park agency. Boundaries and acreage come from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Best-month estimates use NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals and computed daylight.
Missouri park crowd calendar (7 parks, all 12 months)
Download the full best-months table for all 7 of Missouri's national parks — each park's month-by-month crowd index (1.0 = its average month), busiest and quietest months, and Best-Time-to-Visit score. Built from NPS visitation data. Enter your email to download. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Where to stay near Missouri's national parks
Find hotels, cabins and vacation rentals across Missouri to base your national-park trip — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near Missouri national parks
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