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Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and the surrounding St. Francois Mountains are a special place to visit. The park officially opened as a park in 1955. This park is a unique place to visit today with a mix of ancient geology and recent influences with modern amenities.
The park is named after the “shut-ins” where the rushing waters of the East Fork of the Black River are “shut-in” by hard volcanic rock. The rocks have potholes and plunge pools below small waterfalls, as well as, chutes that form wild, natural waterslides that delight visitors.
The rugged terrain of the St. Francois Mountains and Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park is home to many natural landscapes. These include woodlands, as well as, glades and rivers. The park itself has 17 different natural communities and supports more than 850 plant species. These account for 40 percent of the plant species of Missouri.
WILD AREAS
The park supports two outstanding areas designated as Missouri wild areas because of their wilderness qualities. Covering more than 6,000 acres, the East Fork Wild Area and Goggins Mountain Wild Area have no road access, paved trails or park amenities, making them an outstanding opportunity for experienced backcountry hikers and campers. Most of the park’s geologic and biologic diversity is protected in these areas. A trail in the Goggins Mountain Wild Area leads to Mark Twain National Forest’s 9,000 acre Bell Mountain Wilderness. Together, the Goggins Mountain Wild Area and the Bell Mountain Wilderness makeup the largest tract of wilderness in Missouri.
The signature feature of the park is the shut-ins with its spectacular chutes and waterfalls confined within the canyonlike gorges of the East Fork of the Black River. It is one of Missouri’s most outstanding examples of a shut-in and is the principal feature of the 180-acre Johnson’s Shut-Ins Natural Area. A walkway leads to an observation deck overlooking the scenic pothole shut-ins and gives great views of the shut-in and valley.
Hiking and biking, as well as, horseback riding and swimming are all available at the park. With access to Goggins Mountain Wild Area and Bell Mountain Wilderness, as well as, Mark Twain National Forest, the activities list continues.
PARK HOURS & FEES
Contact Park
PARK PHONE
573-546-2450
PARK ADDRESS
148 Taum Sauk Trail,
Middle Brook, MO 63656
For more information click HERE.
Have you visited this state park? If so, please leave a comment. Thanks.
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