Family fun planned at Missouri state parks and historic sites

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, June 1, 2026 – Southeastern Missouri state parks and historic sites offer fun activities throughout the month of June.

• Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Bollinger Mill State Historic Site. 
  Join us for a day of fun to celebrate the beginning of the summer season! Activities will include self-guided mill tours, food vendors, a bubble station, bounce houses and a variety of games. Fees apply for the bounce houses. General admission to the event is free and open to the public. There is no need to register. Bollinger Mill State Historic Site is located at 113 Bollinger Mill Road in Burfordville, Missouri.

  Event schedule: 

  • 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Free self-guided tours of the entire mill.

  • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Free self-guided tours of the first floor of the mill. Large format checkers, four in a row, cornhole and other board games and lawn games. Bubble station with bubble solution and wands. Bounce houses from SEMO Inflatables (requires payment).

  • 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Food and drinks available for purchase from Semo Sno Cones and BBQ 2 the Rescue (award-winning barbecue and delicious snow cones, sodas, slushies and ice cream).
     

• Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Birds and Blossoms Festival at Echo Bluff State Park. 
  Calling bird lovers of all ages! Echo Bluff will host its annual Birds and Blossoms Festival featuring a variety of fun and educational activities. The festival will begin with a live bird show at the amphitheater at 10 a.m. This program is presented by Raptor Rehab of Columbia. For safety reasons, pets will not be allowed at this portion of the event. After the live bird show, visitors can browse a variety of booths related to native plants and wildlife and participate in bird-related games, crafts and activities. The booths and activities will be set up around the amphitheater until 2 p.m. The event will end with drawings for prizes at 2 p.m. Contestants must be present to win. Echo Bluff State Park is located at 35244 Echo Bluff Drive near Eminence.
   
• Saturday, June 6, at 10 a.m. – Cathedral Cave Off-Trail Tour at Onondaga Cave State Park. 
  Onondaga Cave State Park is hosting a series of off-trail tours of Cathedral Cave again in 2026. These tours are perfect for beginning cavers who want a more intense cave experience, one that goes beyond the lighted tour with rails and trails. Each tour is led by an experienced guide who will provide general instructions and share information about the cave's biology, geology and history. During the tour, participants will climb, crawl and get a little muddy. They will spend four to five hours in the cave and some additional time outside the cave. Each tour is limited to 15 people aged 13 and up. Paid registration is required. The fee is $75 per adult and $55 per youth. All interested guests will be asked some questions to determine whether they are able to complete the tour, and they will be shown a video of what to expect inside the cave. After registering, participants will receive a list of items to bring. Caving helmets will be provided. To register, call the park at 573-522-3760. Meet at the park visitor center, located at 7556 Highway H in Leasburg.
   
• Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – 100th Anniversary Celebration at Sam A. Baker State Park. 
  Join us to celebrate 100 years of Sam A. Baker State Park! This celebration will feature a variety of activities relating to the park’s natural and cultural history. The CCC Lodge will be open for self-guided tours, and van tours will take visitors up to the Mudlick Mountain Fire Tower. There will also be exhibits and demonstrations, old-time games, bluegrass music, and more. The event will go from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with registration for van tours beginning at 8:45 a.m. Those who ride up to the fire tower will have the choice of either riding down in the van or hiking down. The 2.5-mile hike will take you past waterfalls and bluffs and will include a rest stop at a Civilian Conservation Corps shelter, where you will have a breathtaking view of Big Creek below. If you plan to do the hike, you should be prepared for steep, rugged terrain. Please wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring plenty of water and snacks. Also, keep in mind that while guests will have a good view of the fire tower, they will not be allowed to enter the tower. All activities will start at Shelter 1 behind the park store. Admission to the event is free and open to the public and does not require registration. Food and commemorative merchandise will be available for purchase. Embark on a journey through time, celebrating a 100-year legacy of history, resilience and discovery! This event is being held in conjunction with the park's annual public meeting. The meeting will take place in an open-house format and begin at the visitor center at 11 a.m. Sam A. Baker State Park is located at 5580 State Highway 143, Patterson, Missouri.
   
• Saturday, June 13, at 9 p.m. – Starry Sky Night at Onondaga Cave State Park. 
  Onondaga Cave State Park is hosting a series of night sky viewing events again in 2026. Join astronomy enthusiast Joe Parish in the visitor center parking lot on one or more of the dates listed below to view the cosmos with a high-powered telescope. These events are free and open to the public, and there is no need to register. Although a telescope will be provided, visitors are welcome to bring viewing devices of their own. Onondaga Cave State Park is located at 7556 Highway H, in Leasburg, Missouri.

The primary source of funding for the state park system is half of the dedicated constitutional tax of one-tenth-of-one-percent Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax. The tax provides about three-fourths of the division's budget for operation and development of state parks. All additional funding for Missouri's Division of State Parks comes from revenues generated in the state park system and some federal funds. For detailed information on any of these activities, please visit the website. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit the department’s website.  Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.