Tucked into the rugged St. Francois Mountains of Wayne County, Sam A. Baker State Park covers 5,323 acres of some of Missouri’s most scenic Ozark landscape. The park straddles Big Creek and Logan Creek, where clear, spring-fed water tumbles over rocky shoals beneath towering bluffs — a setting that feels worlds away from the flatlands most people associate with the state.

Hiking is the main draw here. The park maintains several trails ranging from easy creekside strolls to the challenging Mudlick Mountain Trail, which climbs through dense oak-hickory forest to ridgeline views of the surrounding wilderness. The 12-mile section of the Ozark Trail that passes through the park connects hikers to a much larger backcountry network stretching across southern Missouri.

Big Creek offers excellent swimming holes in summer, along with fishing for smallmouth bass and goggle-eye. Paddlers can float the St. Francis River nearby when water levels cooperate, typically in spring. The park’s campgrounds sit along the creeks, shaded by old-growth shortleaf pine — some of the last remaining stands in the state. Basic and electric campsites are available, along with cabins and a dining lodge for those who prefer a roof overhead.

Spring brings wildflowers and waterfalls at peak flow. Fall delivers vivid color against the granite shut-ins. Summer weekends draw crowds, so midweek visits offer more solitude. Winter is quiet but rewarding for anyone who enjoys cold-weather hiking on empty trails.

Sam A. Baker is one of Missouri’s original state parks and still one of its best.

Explore Nearby

• Mark Twain National Forest — National Forest in Missouri
• Mary’s River Covered Bridge — Covered Bridge in Illinois
• Shawnee National Forest — National Forest in Illinois
• Crowley’s Ridge Parkway — Scenic Byway in Arkansas