More than 20 million people visited Missouri State Parks in 2016, setting a new attendance record and marking the first time that milestone was achieved, according to a release. Missouri trails and state parks are important drivers of tourism and economic activity
Among the parks seeing significant attendance gains in 2016 to date were:
Castlewood State Park, which has had over 775,000 visitors (up from 660,000 in 2015)
Dr. Edmund A. Babler State Park, which has had more than 675,000 visitors (up from 298,000)
Elephant Rocks State Park, which has had over 345,000 visitors (up from 300,000)
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, which has had over 365,000 visitors (up from 318,000)
Long Branch State Park, which has had over 442,000 visitors (up from 395,000)
Mastodon State Historic Site, which has had over 553,000 visitors (up from 480,000)
Onondaga Cave State Park, which has had over 315,000 visitors (up from 254,000)
Sam A. Baker State Park, which has had over 1,264,000 visitors (up from 1,097,000)
St. Francois State Park, which has had over 294,000 visitors (up from 265,000)
St. Joe State Park, which has had over 629,000 visitors (up from 579,000)
Table Rock State Park, which has had over 1,224,000 visitors (up from 1,033,000)
Trail of Tears State Park, which has had over 152,000 visitors (up from 105,000)
Washington State Park, which has had over 271,000 visitors (up from 214,000)
Watkins Mill State Park & State Historic Site, which has had 493,000 visitors (up from 454,000)
Weston Bend State Park, which has had 236,000 visitors (up from 181,000)