Meramec State Park is a popular camping and float trip destination for St. Louisans, just 1 hour from from downtown, you can play all weekend and be home in time for work on Monday. The park sits on over 6,800 acres near Sullivan, Missouri off Interstate 44.
The cool waters of the Meramec river are a favorite place to relax and beat the heat and humidity of St. Louis summers. We took our kids camping at Meramec State Park over Mother's Day weekend and here are our tips to make the most of this beautiful destination.
Reserve Your Site Online
Although this park has first come camp sites, they do fill up fast on popular weekends. If you require electricity, quick access to the restrooms or the promise of shade, you can reserve your site online and have it waiting when you arrive. Since Pj sleeps with a cpap machine, we make sure to reserve an electric site online so he can sleep peacefully and have energy to play all weekend.
Stop at the welcome center
I've been visiting Meramec for years but until this spring, we never stopped at the Visitor Center at the front of the park. I just assumed they had the usual brochures and rangers with weather advisories but I was happily mistaken! When entering, we were greeted with some snacks of fruit and cookies with coffee, which the kids eagerly accepted.
The welcome center is a fantastic museum of the area. They have plant, animal and rock specimens that can be found in the park and river including a touch table for kids to feel what snake skin, antler and different things are like. There are interactive exhibits on the natural wonders of the river, the history of the cave, the local towns and a bird viewing room where you can quietly sit and watch birds and other forest animals come to the windows for food.
The rangers are very helpful and will guide you on anything you would like to do at the park. On our way out, we found a turtle in the parking lot and a ranger told us about how to tell the difference between male and female turtles. The one we found was a girl.
Bring a Jacket to Tour Fisher Cave
The flashy, privately owned Meramec Caverns is a few exits down the highway but we much prefer the knowledge of the naturalists who provide tours at state operated cave tours. Tour guides work and study in our state's cave systems and can provide a thorough knowledge of the cave formations, the history of the caves, the animals that live there and answer any questions that visitors may have about the extraordinary site.
Fisher Cave was a spectacular tour. Each person is given a flashlight and that is the only light source in the cave. There is a paved walkway through most of the tour but there is a low ceiling for about 100 feet so you have to be able to walk bent over for a while and be careful to not bump your head. Bring a jacket because its a cool 57 degrees inside the cave, even on the hottest days of the year. Fisher Cave was once a popular nightlife hang out decades ago and home to bears, as is evidence by claw marks on the walls deep inside the cave.
When everyone turns off their flashlights for total darkness, it is a truly amazing experience. Cave tours are $10 for adults, $8 for teens, $6 for kids and kids under age 6 are free.
Chat with the Rangers
Upon arrival make sure to find a ranger and ask if they have any educational presentations happening. When we checked into our camp site, the ranger mentioned a presentation for the kids about Missouri Black Bears at the outdoor theater by the cave.
Bring Water Shoes and Life Jackets
The waters of the Meramec river are pretty clear in the shallows due to the rocky bed but be sure to bring water shoes for everyone so you can enjoy the river to its fullest. The river bed is full of beautiful rocks, many with geodes inside.
Its also a popular fishing and float trip destination so those shoes will protect feet against any hooks or broken glass (which is prohibited at the river). The River can have some very fast currents so keep life jackets and a close hand on the little ones and dogs.
Stop at Fireside Store and Grill
The Fireside Store and Grill is near the park's reservable cabins. Stop in for a map of the park, a souvenir, forgotten camp supplies or burgers. On your way home on Sunday morning, you can stop for a reasonably priced hot breakfast. If you're going on a float trip, check in is also at the store.
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