Sam A. Baker State Park

Sam A. Baker State Park
Missouri State Park
Dining lodge made of native stone and wood
Country United States
State Missouri
County Wayne
Elevation 922 ft (281 m) [1]
Coordinates 37°15′12″N 90°31′34″W / 37.25333°N 90.52611°WCoordinates: 37°15′12″N 90°31′34″W / 37.25333°N 90.52611°W [1]
Area 5,323.62 acres (2,154 ha) [2]
Established 1926
Management Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Location in Missouri
Website: Sam A. Baker State Park

Sam A. Baker State Park is a 5,323-acre (2,154 ha) state park located in the Saint Francois Mountains region of the Missouri Ozarks. The park was acquired in 1926 and is named for Missouri governor Sam Aaron Baker who encouraged the development of the park in his home county. The park's stone dining lodge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC also built most of the park's cabins and the backpacking shelters on the Mudlick Trail.[3]

Activities and amenities

The park offers access to the St. Francis River and Big Creek for fishing, canoeing, and swimming.

Camping

The park has 187 campsites, half of them electric and 18 rustic, plus air-conditioned cabins. A separate campground with 21 sites is available for use by equestrians.

Trails

The 14-mile (23 km) Mudlick Trail is available for hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding. The Mudlick has three stone shelters available for backpackers, and views of the 4,420-acre (1,790 ha) Mudlick Mountain Wild Area and the 1,370-acre (550 ha) Mudlick Natural Area. There is also the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) Shut-Ins Trail, the Hollow Pass Trail, and the nearby Wappapello Section of the Ozark Trail. The park also has a 2-mile (3.2 km) paved bicycle trail open to cyclists, hikers, skateboarders, and roller skaters.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Sam A Baker State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "State parks...estimated acres". Revised Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan: 2008-2012. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. pp. 142–143. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Sam A. Baker State Park". Missouri State Parks. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 1, 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sam A. Baker State Park.