Explore the haunts and highlights of Halloween in Missouri state parks

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, OCT. 05, 2026 – From thrills and chills to treats and eats, you can find all sorts of fun fall activities at Missouri state parks and historic sites.

• Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17 – Pomme de Terror at Pomme de Terre State Park.
  Pomme de Terror is Pomme de Terre State Park’s annual Halloween event. Join the fun at the Hermitage Area Campground for campsite decorating, pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, and more. The event is free and open to the public.
  •  Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m. – Creepy Cool Program.
    Attend a program put on by a park naturalist at the amphitheater.
  • Saturday, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. – Wonders of Wildlife Show. 
    Enjoy a live animal show at the amphitheater put on by Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife.
    • Noon – Lunch with the Ranger. Stop by the campground store to meet the park ranger and get a picture in his vehicle. Food will be available for purchase. 
    • 1-3 p.m. – Mad Scientist Contest. Channel your inner mad scientist and create the best monster you can for a chance to win a prize. Pick up craft supplies and an entry form at the campground store starting at 1 p.m. Submit your creation at the same location by 3 p.m. 
    • 2-3 p.m. – Pumpkin Carving Contest. Bring your carved pumpkin to the amphitheater for judging between 2-3 p.m. Impress our judges and compete for the titles of scariest, funniest or most creative jack-o’-lantern. 
    • 5-7 p.m. – Trick-or-treating. Grab a bucket or bag and trick-or-treat your way through the campground.
    • Camp-O-Ween Decorating Contest. Decorate your campsite for a chance to win one of three prizes. 

Pomme de Terre State Park is located on Pomme de Terre Lake in Hickory County. The event will take place in the campground on the Hermitage side of the lake (37.883074, -93.303521).

• Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Spooktacular at Meramec State Park.
  Meramec State Park will be hosting its annual Spooktacular Halloween event on Saturday, Oct. 17. Meramec State Park is located at 115 Meramec Park Drive in Sullivan, Missouri. All events take place in the field across from the check-in booth unless otherwise noted. 
  • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Coloring Contest.
  • 1:30 p.m. – Scavenger Hunt.
  • 2-5 p.m. – Carnival Games. 
  • 4 p.m. – Jack-o-lantern Contest. Pumpkins due at 4 p.m.
  • 5 p.m. – Trick-or-Treating. Campground roads close at 4:45 p.m. to vehicle traffic.
     
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 10:30 a.m. to noon – Persimmon Festival at Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.
  Forest ReLeaf of Missouri will host its second annual Persimmon Festival on Saturday, Oct. 17. This community-focused event celebrates native persimmons with fun and educational activities for all ages.
  The festival will take place at Forest ReLeaf's City Tree Farm, located within Scott Joplin House State Historic Site at 2700 Samuel Shepard Drive in St. Louis. It will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at noon. Admission is free and open to the public.
  • Event Activities:
    • 10:40 a.m. -- "Scott Joplin's Musical Nature Connections" by Royce Martin and Bobby Norfolk.
    • 11 a.m. -- Story time with the St. Louis Public Library.
    • 11:20 a.m. -- Community awards presented by Forest ReLeaf of Missouri.
    • 11:40 a.m. -- "Scott Joplin's Musical Nature Connections" by Royce Martin and Bobby Norfolk.
       
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – 1860s Children’s Day at Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site.
  Children of all ages are invited to Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site, 312 Dawson Road in New Madrid on Saturday, Oct. 17, for 1860s Children's Day. This free event will feature interactive activities for kids, as well as self-guided tours of the Hunter-Dawson House. 
   
  • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., children will have the opportunity to learn what life was like in the 1860s by participating in common chores and games of the period. Activities will include washing clothes with a washboard, dipping candles, making corn shuck dolls, walking on stilts and more. These activities will take place in the front yard of the Hunter-Dawson House.
  • 1-2 p.m., the house will be open for self-guided tours. Staff members will be stationed throughout the house to answer questions.
     
• Saturday, Oct. 17, noon to 3:30 p.m. – Archaeology Day at First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site.
  Celebrate International Archaeology Day at First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site on Saturday, Oct. 17. This year, the site is partnering with Project Archaeology, an educational organization dedicated to teaching scientific and historical inquiry, cultural understanding, and the importance of protecting our nation’s rich cultural resources. Visitors can see how archaeologists use findings from their environment to learn about the past. The site is located at 200 S. Main St. in downtown St. Charles.
   
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 2-10 p.m. – Spooking up the Park at Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park.
  The crew at Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park invite the public to the park’s 6th  annual Spooking up the Park Halloween event. The park is located at 32146 N. Highway 122 in Miami, Missouri. The schedule is as follows: 
  • 2-4 p.m. – Crafts at Shelter 1.
  • 2-3:30 p.m. – Costume Contest registration at Shelter 1. Judging at 4 p.m. in the campground.
    3 p.m. – Decorations due for campsite decorating contest.
  • 5 p.m. – Chili supper begins at Shelter 1.
  • 5 p.m. - Trick or treating begins throughout the park. 
  • 5 p.m. – Haunted tram ride for families with small children. 
  • 6:30 p.m. – Haunted tram ride for other attendees. This will continue throughout the evening in 20-30 minute rotations.
  • 7 p.m. – Campfire in the campground.
     
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 2-7 p.m. – Hallowfest at Knob Noster State Park.
  This year’s event will feature hayrides, crafts, games, campfire stories, a haunted house, a historical hike and more! All activities will take place at Camp Bobwhite, 873 SW 10, Knob Noster. Food will be available for purchase, with proceeds going to the Knob Noster Lions Club.
   
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 6-8 p.m. – Historical Haunts at the Homestead at Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site.
  Join the team at Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site for an evening of storytelling and history! The night kicks off at 6 p.m. with drop-in programs about burial traditions at the historic cemeteries and traditional superstitions at the Nathan and Olive Boone home. From 6-7 p.m., enjoy live music from folk duo EznDil at the picnic shelter. Starting at 7 p.m., take a night hike, where guests will learn about some of the site’s nocturnal animals while strolling along pathways lit by lanterns and candles. Nathan and Olive Boone Homestead State Historic Site is located at 7850 N. State Highway V in Ash Grove, Missouri.
   
• Saturday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. – Backyard Movie: “The Fly” at Jefferson Landing State Historic Site.
  Vincent Price, Missouri’s own master of the macabre, is back for a backyard screening of the 1958 science fiction horror film “The Fly.” There will also be Backyard Movie Bingo, where you can play bingo to the most awesome movie cliches ever committed to celluloid! The event will take place on the south lawn of the Lohman Building, 100 Jefferson St. in Jefferson City.
   
• Friday, Oct. 23, 4-7 p.m. – Trick or Treat at Bollinger Mill State Historic Site.
  Come out to Bollinger Mill State Historic Site at 113 Burfordville Mill Road in Burfordville for a night of trick-or-treating inside the mill. The mill will be decorated for Halloween, and all four floors will be open for trick-or-treating, with team members handing out candy and Halloween trinkets. Outside the mill, Semo Sno Cones &Ice Cream will be selling snow cones, ice cream, hot cocoa, caramel apple cups, sodas, hotdogs and nachos.
   
• Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24 – Frightfully Fun Fest at Onondaga Cave State Park.
  Join the fun at Onondaga Cave State Park starting Friday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. with the family-friendly spooky movie “Scoob.” Weather permitting, the showing will take place at the campground amphitheater. Complimentary hot chocolate will be provided.
  On Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., visitors can participate in coloring, costume and campsite decorating contests; a pumpkin and monster hunt; naturalist stations; and trick-or-treating. The campground road will close to traffic at 4:45 p.m. Saturday to allow for extra safety. Onondaga Cave State Park is located at 7556 Highway H in Leasburg.
   
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Fall Fun Event at Wallace State Park.
  Regular camping fees apply, but the event is free, open to the public and does not require registration. Wallace State Park is located at 10621 NE Highway 121 in Cameron.
  • 10 a.m. – Find the Pumpkin. Find the pumpkins hidden along the trails to win a special prize.
  • 1 p.m. – “The Day Shift.” Meet at the amphitheater for a live bird of prey program presented by Operation Wildlife. For safety reasons, no pets allowed.
  • 6-8 p.m. – Trick-or-Treating in the Campground.
  • 7 p.m. – Halloween Campsite Decorating and Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Contest.
    Transform your campsite with lights and decorations for the Halloween campsite decorating contest. Be sure to carve or decorate a pumpkin for the pumpkin contest. Judging for both contests begins at 7 p.m. 
     
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.– Rural Heritage Day at Felix Vallé House State Historic Site.
  Felix Vallé House State Historic Site is participating in Ste. Genevieve’s Rural Heritage Day festival, which celebrates rural traditions of the town and county from the mid-1700s to the mid-1900s. Through live demonstrations and hands-on activities, guests will discover the importance of rural crafts, trades and entertainment. Felix Vallé State Historic Site is located at 198 Merchant St., Ste. Genevieve. 
   
• Saturday, Oct. 24 to Sunday, Oct. 25 – Roaring River Halloween at Roaring River State Park.
  This event will feature Halloween crafts, a campsite decorating contest, and a trunk-or-treat. All activities are free and located at 12716 Farm Road 2239 outside of Cassville. 
  • Saturday from 1-3 p.m. – Enjoy Halloween crafts at the nature center. 
  • Saturday at 4 p.m. – Finish decorating your campsite before judging at 4 p.m. in Campground 1, moving to Campground 2 and finishing in Campground 3. The best-decorated site in each campground receives a prize. 
  • Sunday from 3-5 p.m. – Join Roaring River Adventures in the parking lot of the Emory Melton Inn for a trunk-or-treat. Wear your costume and bring something to collect candy.
     
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 3-7 p.m. – Spooktacular at Wakonda State Park.
  This event will take place in the Boulder Lake and Wakonda Lake campgrounds. Activities include a campsite decorating contest for registered campers and campsite trick-or-treating that is open to the public. Trick-or-treaters should park at the beach parking lot and then will be shuttled by trams to the campgrounds. Wakonda State Park is located at 32836 State Park Road outside of La Grange.
   
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 4-6 p.m. – Spooktacular at Arrow Rock State Historic Site.
  Join the site team in the campground for games, costume contests, trick-or-treating and more. Arrow Rock State Historic Site is located at 39521 Visitor Center Drive in Arrow Rock.
   
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 4-7 p.m. – Stockton Spooktacular Soiree at Stockton State Park.
  Grab your Halloween decorations and costumes and come out to the Stockton Spooktacular Soiree at 19100 S. Highway 215 near Dadeville. Activities will take place in the campgrounds. Refreshments from The Infinite Kitchen and The Salty Pirate Coffee Ship will be available for purchase.
  • 4-6 p.m. – Goblin Games and Activities near the showerhouse in the East Campground. Participate in a variety of games such as cornhole, washers, sack races and tug-of-war. There will also be a donut-eating contest and crafts for families.
  • 6 p.m. – Costume Contest. Prizes awarded for the three best costumes in each of the following categories: baby/toddler (0-3 years); kid (4-12) and teens and adults (13 and up). Meet near the East Campground showerhouse. 
  • 6 p.m. – Jack-o’-Lantern Jamboree. Bring your carved or decorated pumpkin to the judging table near the check station. Limit one entry per person. 
  • 7 p.m. – Trick-or-Treating. Campers and day-use visitors are invited to trick or treat through the campgrounds.
  • 7 p.m. – Campsite Decorating Contest. Registered campers are encouraged to decorate their campsites for Halloween.
     
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 5-8 p.m. – Public Halloween event at St. Francois State Park in Bonne Terre, Missouri.
  Everyone is invited to partake in some Halloween fun starting at 5 p.m. with a costume contest. At 6:30 p.m., members of the public can start trick-or-treating in the park campground until 8 p.m. The best decorated campsite award will be presented at 8 p.m. St. Francois State Park is located at 8920 U.S. Highway 67 N, Bonne Terre, Missouri.
   
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 5-8:30 p.m. – Halloween Happenings at Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park.
  Join the park team dressed as your favorite movie character or supernatural creature, or in some other extravagant costume. The event kicks off with a hayride, self-guided fen hike and pumpkin carving at 5 p.m. at the Black River Center. From 6:30-8:30 p.m., there will be trick-or-treating in the campground. At 7:30 p.m., participate in the costume contest at the campground store. The night will conclude with the campsite decorating contest presentation in the campground. Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park is located at 148 Taum Sauk Trail, or 15 miles southwest of Middle Brook and 9 miles north of Lesterville.
   
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 6 p.m. – Campground Decorating Contest and Trick-or-Treating at Knob Noster State Park.
  Join the team for the annual campground decorating contest in conjunction with a public trick-or-treating event. Contest judging begins at 6:30 p.m. Trick-or-treating takes place in the campground starting at 6 p.m. Knob Noster State Park is located at 873 SE 10 in Knob Noster. 
   
• Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:45 a.m. – Halloween Trail Runs and Costume Contest at Crowder State Park.
  Crowder State Park, 76 NW Highway 128 in Trenton, will be hosting Halloween trail runs on Saturday, Oct. 31. There will be a 1-mile fun run on the group camp trail, a 5K on Tall Oaks Trail, a 10K on Tall Oaks and Redbud trails, and a marathon on every section of trail in the park. There will also be a costume contest for all who participate in one of the runs. The costume contest will begin at 7:45 a.m., with the runs following immediately afterward, at approximately 8 a.m. The costume contest will take place in the Shelter 3 parking lot, which is also where all four runs will begin. Snacks and water will be available along the routes for participants. Medals will be given to the top three female and male finishers in each age group (18 and younger, 19-59, and 60 and over) in each distance. Awards will also be given for the top three places in the costume contest.
  Online registration is required and must be completed by Oct. 20. T-shirts will be given to those who register by Oct. 3.  There is a fee of $25 for registration. 
   
• Saturday, Oct. 31, 2-6 p.m. – Halloween Bash: It’s Haunting in the Park at Sam A. Baker State Park.
  Join the park team for an afternoon of Halloween frights, fun and family-friendly festivities! Come to 5580 State Highway 143 near Patterson dressed in your favorite costume and trick-or-treat your way through the campgrounds, searching for sweet treats and spooky surprises.
  • 2-4 p.m. – Trick-or-treating in the campgrounds.
  • 2-5 p.m. – Trunk-or-treat at the recycling station by the Mudlick Mountain Store.
  • 3-6 p.m. – Games and interpretive activities, free food, photo booth and campfire and s’mores at the Mudlick Mountain Grill.
     
• Saturday, Oct. 31, 6-9 p.m. – Halloween Event: Storytelling, Night Hike and Crafts at Crowder State Park.
  Join the team at Shelter 3 at 76 NW Highway 128 in Trenton for a fun-filled evening!
  • 6-7 p.m. – Halloween crafts, games and treats. 
  • 7-8 p.m. – Storyteller Gary Kuntz.
  • 8-9 p.m. – Guided night hike through the forest.

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 Missouri State Parks Events.

For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit Missouri State Parks. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

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