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Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park – brown rocks on body of water📷 Photo by Intricate Explorer on Unsplash

Road trips in Missouri

13 road trips and 20 hand-picked places in Missouri, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Trip guides
13
Places
20

Campsites in Missouri 496

Trip guides

Road trips through Missouri

Missouri River wine country – aerial view of city buildings during daytimePhoto by Kawshar Ahmed on Unsplash
94
Things to do in…

Missouri River wine country

148 mi4 stops2 days
Missouri Ozark springs and shut-ins – a large rock with two large rocks on top of itPhoto by Johnathan Palmour on Unsplash
19
National park loops

Missouri Ozark springs and shut-ins

196 mi9 stops4 days
Lake of the Ozarks and the Missouri River – Bennett Spring State Park - Missouri in Spring - Fishing (54122726437)© Tony Webster · CC BY 2.0
54
Things to do in…

Lake of the Ozarks and the Missouri River

178 mi7 stops3 days
Vineyards, a railway trail and granite giants – by camper along the Missouri River to the shut-ins of the Ozarks – A Shell is left (3606078414)© Darin House from Missouri, USA · CC BY 2.0
94
In-depth road trip guides

Vineyards, a railway trail and granite giants – by camper along the Missouri River to the shut-ins of the Ozarks

507 mi14 stops7 days
Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways – Elephant Rocks 1a© Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 3.0
19
In-depth road trip guides

Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways

323 mi14 stops7 days
Trout springs, glades and dammed valleys – by camper through the Ozark lakes on the White River in southwest Missouri – Timeline of the American Civil War in the walkway, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Visitors Center - Battle of Wilson's Creek© Ser Amantio di Nicolao · CC BY-SA 4.0
65
In-depth road trip guides

Trout springs, glades and dammed valleys – by camper through the Ozark lakes on the White River in southwest Missouri

264 mi12 stops6 days
Ozark loop: Branson, Eureka Springs and Crystal Bridges – a church with a steeple surrounded by treesPhoto by Wally Holden on Unsplash
65
Things to do in…

Ozark loop: Branson, Eureka Springs and Crystal Bridges

144 mi9 stops4 days
Route 66, part one: Chicago to Oklahoma City – a statue of a cowboy holding a surfboard in front of a gas stationPhoto by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
66
Classic American drives

Route 66, part one: Chicago to Oklahoma City

873 mi12 stops4 days
Great River Road: the upper Mississippi – The India Gate war memorial in New Delhi under a vibrant pink skyPhoto by shalender kumar on Unsplash
GRR
Classic American drives

Great River Road: the upper Mississippi

642 mi6 stops5 days
Great River Road south: Dubuque to Hannibal – Custodian Residence© Jim Roberts · CC BY-SA 4.0
61
Scenic byways

Great River Road south: Dubuque to Hannibal

249 mi9 stops3 days
Blues, levees and cypresses: by camper along the lower Great River Road from St. Louis to New Orleans – white and green dome cathedral in between high-rise buildings during daytimePhoto by Brittney Butler on Unsplash
61
In-depth road trip guides

Blues, levees and cypresses: by camper along the lower Great River Road from St. Louis to New Orleans

842 mi14 stops7 days
Neon, diners and endless horizons – Route 66 by camper from Chicago to Santa Monica – GeminiGiantMoved© David Quigley · CC BY 4.0
66
In-depth road trip guides

Neon, diners and endless horizons – Route 66 by camper from Chicago to Santa Monica

2,326 mi18 stops21 days
Bison, chalk pyramids and wagon ruts – by camper along the Santa Fe Trail, through the Flint Hills and the Smoky Hills to Dodge City – kansas city, missouri, union station© 12019 · Pixabay Content License
177
In-depth road trip guides

Bison, chalk pyramids and wagon ruts – by camper along the Santa Fe Trail, through the Flint Hills and the Smoky Hills to Dodge City

656 mi14 stops8 days
RouteSuggested daysDistanceDrivingStops
Missouri River wine country2148 mi2 h 39 min4
Missouri Ozark springs and shut-ins4196 mi3 h 30 min9
Lake of the Ozarks and the Missouri River3178 mi3 h 11 min7
Vineyards, a railway trail and granite giants – by camper along the Missouri River to the shut-ins of the Ozarks7507 mi9 h 03 min14
Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways7323 mi5 h 46 min14
Trout springs, glades and dammed valleys – by camper through the Ozark lakes on the White River in southwest Missouri6264 mi4 h 43 min12
Ozark loop: Branson, Eureka Springs and Crystal Bridges4144 mi2 h 35 min9
Route 66, part one: Chicago to Oklahoma City4873 mi15 h 35 min12
Great River Road: the upper Mississippi5642 mi11 h 28 min6
Great River Road south: Dubuque to Hannibal3249 mi4 h 27 min9
Blues, levees and cypresses: by camper along the lower Great River Road from St. Louis to New Orleans7842 mi15 h 02 min14
Neon, diners and endless horizons – Route 66 by camper from Chicago to Santa Monica212,326 mi41 h 33 min18
Bison, chalk pyramids and wagon ruts – by camper along the Santa Fe Trail, through the Flint Hills and the Smoky Hills to Dodge City8656 mi11 h 42 min14
Editor's picks

Places worth the detour in Missouri

Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park – brown rocks on body of waterPhoto by Intricate Explorer on Unsplash
Editor's pick
Nature

Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park

Middle Brook, MO
Alley Spring and Mill – Alley Spring in November 2021© 16porkchops · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
History

Alley Spring and Mill

Eminence, MO
Big Spring 1977© Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Big Spring

Van Buren, MO
Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum – Mark Twain HD MO© Smallbones · Public domain
Editor's pick
History

Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum

Hannibal, MO
Ha Ha Tonka State Park – A Shell is left (3606078414)© Darin House from Missouri, USA · CC BY 2.0
Editor's pick
History

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Camdenton, MO
Sainte Genevieve Historic District – Ste. Genevieve Historic District© TCP04 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
History

Sainte Genevieve Historic District

Sainte Genevieve, MO
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge – Old water intake cribs of the Chain of Rocks Water Purification Plant© artistmac · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

St. Louis, MO
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard – A dedicated teacher lives here. (49936346826)© Paul Sableman from St. Louis, MO · CC BY 2.0
Food

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard

St. Louis, MO
cave, meramec caverns, jessie james© nelcathy · Pixabay Content License
Nature

Meramec Caverns

Stanton, MO
Gateway Arch – the st louis arch is lit up at nightPhoto by Kenny Nguyễn on Unsplash
History

Gateway Arch

St. Louis, MO
Elephant Rocks State Park – Elephant Rocks 1a© Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Nature

Elephant Rocks State Park

Belleview, MO
Round Spring - Missouri, 16© Kbh3rd · CC BY-SA 3.0
Nature

Round Spring

Eminence, MO
Rocky Falls ONSR-20130314-045 bw© Kbh3rd · CC BY 4.0
Nature

Rocky Falls

Eminence, MO
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield – Timeline of the American Civil War in the walkway, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Visitors Center - Battle of Wilson's Creek© Ser Amantio di Nicolao · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

Republic, MO
Roaring River State Park – Deer Leap Trail© Keith Snyder · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nature

Roaring River State Park

Cassville, MO
Bennett Spring State Park - Missouri in Spring - Fishing (54122726437)© Tony Webster · CC BY 2.0
Nature

Bennett Spring State Park

Lebanon, MO
2019 Missouri State Capitol 01© Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

Missouri State Capitol

Jefferson City, MO
Hermann – Gasconade County Courthouse© TCP04 · CC BY 4.0
History

Hermann

Hermann, MO
National WWI Museum and Memorial 2025c© Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

National WWI Museum and Memorial

Kansas City, MO
Onondaga Cave State Park – Panaeolus fontinalis 234190466© Alan Rockefeller · CC BY 4.0
Nature

Onondaga Cave State Park

Leasburg, MO

FAQs

What are the best road trips in Missouri?

Popular routes include Missouri River wine country, Missouri Ozark springs and shut-ins, Lake of the Ozarks and the Missouri River and Vineyards, a railway trail and granite giants – by camper along the Missouri River to the shut-ins of the Ozarks. CampingSpirit has 13 trip guides that pass through Missouri, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

Which places in Missouri are worth a detour?

Our editors recommend Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, Alley Spring and Mill, Big Spring, Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, Ha Ha Tonka State Park and Sainte Genevieve Historic District.

Nearby

Illinois 12Arkansas 8Iowa 7Indiana 5Tennessee 17Oklahoma 8Kansas 4Kentucky 9