JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JUNE 20, 2025 – Vacationing in the St. Louis area this summer? Be sure to check out these free activities at area state parks and historic sites.
- Starting July 2 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Deeply Rooted: Stories of Missouri Farming at Felix Vallé House State Historic Site.
This summer, Felix Vallé House State Historic Site is hosting the traveling exhibit “Deeply Rooted: Stories of Missouri Farming.” The exhibit provides a comprehensive view of Missouri’s rich agricultural history from early Native American agriculture to present-day farming practices. Visitors can view the display in the historic site’s Shaw House, located at 200 Merchant St. in Ste. Genevieve, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday throughout July and August. - Thursday, July 3, 17 and 31 at 10 a.m. – Toddler Thursday at Mastodon State Historic Site.
Come learn, create and play at Mastodon State Historic site at 1050 Charles J. Becker Drive in Imperial. The Toddler Thursday program is designed for toddlers and their grown-ups. This session will meet in the museum auditorium where participants will hear a story and make a craft.
Programs are as follows:- July 3 – Weather
- July 17 – Beaver Dams
- July 31 – Beetles
- Saturday, July 5 from 2 – 8 p.m. – Fourth of July Celebration at Washington State Park.
Join the park team as they celebrate their independence on July 5 with these free activities taking place at 13041 State Highway 104 in De Soto.- 2 p.m. – Picnic Planning at Shelter 2 (Big River Day-Use Area Shelter).
Join the team in discussing ways to plan a foolproof picnic for your entire family or group of friends. - 6 p.m. – Missouri History Bingo at the campground amphitheater.
Take part in a game of Missouri History Bingo to celebrate our beautiful state!
- 2 p.m. – Picnic Planning at Shelter 2 (Big River Day-Use Area Shelter).
- Saturday, July 12 from 2-7 p.m. – Missouri Mammals at Washington State Park.
Join the team at 13041State Highway 104 in De Soto to learn about Missouri mammals, but first take a tour of the petroglyphs.- 2 p.m. – Petroglyph tour at the petroglyph site.
Tour the park’s history carved in stone. Learn about the Mississippian-era carvings, the culture and community that created them and possible interpretations. Enjoy a short stroll on a covered walkway with interpretive panels highlighting the cultural features. - 4 p.m. – Garbage Bandits in the Big River Day-Use Area.
Take a sneak peek into the day in the life of a raccoon! Work your way through a raccoon maze, and learn about raccoon behavior and common misconceptions surrounding these Missouri mammals. - 7 p.m. – Largest mammal in Missouri at the campground amphitheater.
Do you know what the largest native mammal in Missouri is? Join us for an interactive presentation to find out.
- 2 p.m. – Petroglyph tour at the petroglyph site.
- Saturday, July 19 from 2-7 p.m. – Travel through Time at Washington State Park.
Join us at 13041 State Highway 104 in De Soto to explore three different time periods and learn how the character of the park and the surrounding area was shaped during each of these eras.- Stop 1: Mississippian History – 2 p.m. at the petroglyph site.
Tour the park’s petroglyphs and hear about the research of the rock carvings, possible connections between this site and other archaeological sites, and what life might have been like for the people who made these carvings.
Stop 2: Old Mines History (1700s) – 4 p.m. at the campground amphitheater.
Located just south of the park, Old Mines was home to one of the earliest French settlements in Missouri. Learn about the community’s establishment, how it functioned commercially, and what life was like during the 1700s. - Stop 3: Great Depression Era: Washington State Park is Built – 7 p.m. at the campground amphitheater.
Learn about the development of Washington State Park in the 1930s. Hear the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps Company 1743 and see interesting photos and artifacts from the construction of the park.
- Stop 1: Mississippian History – 2 p.m. at the petroglyph site.
- Friday, July 25 at 2 p.m. – Outdoor Classroom: Technical Backpacking at Washington State Park.
Listen to accounts from an avid hiker and backpacker. Get an introduction to technical backpacking and tips on gear selection, route planning and backwoods survival. Washington State Park is located at 13041 State Highway 104 in De Soto. - Saturday, July 26 from 2-8 p.m. – Birds of Missouri at Washington State Park.
Join the team at Washington State Park, 13041 State Highway 104 in De Soto, for a day filled with history, crafts and presentations about birds.- 2 p.m. – Petroglyph Tour at the petroglyph site.
Tour the petroglyph site and learn about these Mississippian-era carvings, the culture and community that created them, as well as possible interpretations. Enjoy a short stroll on a covered walkway with interpretive panels highlighting the cultural features. - 4 p.m. – Bird Feeders and Journals at Thunderbird Lodge.
Make your own bird feeder to take home and decorate a journal to go with it. Hang your feeder up when you get home and see how many birds you can identify and sketch using your new journal. - 7 p.m. – “The Flight of a Bird” at the amphitheater.
Join the park team for a presentation about the unique anatomical features that allow birds to fly.
- 2 p.m. – Petroglyph Tour at the petroglyph site.
For detailed information on any of these activities, please visit mostateparks.com/events. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.