Photo: Kbh3rd, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park
148 Taum Sauk Trail · Middle Brook, MO
Why you should go…
Johnson's Shut-Ins sits in the St. Francois Mountains, where hard igneous rock narrows the East Fork Black River into chutes, potholes and small cascades that work as a natural water park. Beyond swimming, you can hike, camp, picnic and go rock climbing. In December 2005 the Taum Sauk reservoir on a neighboring mountain failed and flooded the park. An auto tour now passes the recovery area and ends at an overlook of the flood path, where a path leads into the boulder field the flood left behind.
- #state park
- #swimming hole
- #hiking
- #camping
- #rock climbing
Good to know
General sport & outdoor guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Weather calls the shots
Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.
Shoes, water, sun cover
The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.
Parking and launches fill early
On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.
Daylight shrinks in shoulder season
Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.