Morris State Park

By America's State Parks Editorial TeamMay 9, 2026 · Updated October 6, 2026

🌳 Crowley’s Ridge — 161 acres on the one band of hills that rises out of the flat Mississippi lowlands of Missouri’s Bootheel.

Visitor Information

About Morris

Morris State Park protects 161 acres of Crowley’s Ridge, a strip of low hills that rises 100 to 250 feet above the Mississippi River lowlands of southeast Missouri. The ridge is built of thick layers of sand and gravel washed in from the ancient Ozarks, topped by wind-blown silt (loess) from the ice ages, and it runs from the Cape Girardeau area south into northern Arkansas. Springfield businessman Jim D. Morris donated the land to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in 1999, and the state lists the park as added to its system in 2000. The department keeps development to a minimum so the ridge can stay a natural area.

Things to Do

Morris is a hiking park with a single trail. The Beech Tree Trail starts on top of the ridge, drops into the bottomlands and climbs back, passing through several natural communities on the way. Missouri State Parks rates it moderate, with red blazes and an estimated hiking time of about two hours; its trail sheet gives the loop as 2.6 miles, the park overview as 2.25 miles. Expect a natural dirt surface, roots and rocks, grades steeper than 10 percent, bridges and occasional water over the trail. On the park’s eastern edge, steep eroded slopes expose the layered soils the ridge is made of.

The trailhead has a paved, accessible parking space next to an accessible vault toilet, and a paved path with interpretive panels leads to a shaded overlook with benches. Parking and water are also available. Only the first 0.1 mile of the trail counts as accessible; beyond it the slopes are too steep. The park lists no campground, picnic area or water access.

Getting There

The park entrance is on Highway WW near Campbell in Dunklin County (mailing address Highway WW, Campbell, MO 63933). Morris has no office of its own: Missouri State Parks runs it from Lake Wappapello State Park. Before you go, check the Park and Site Status Map on the park’s Missouri State Parks page for temporary trail closures.

Insider Tips

Private stretch: The last section of the trail runs along an orchard on private property, so stay on the path and respect the landowners. Bugs: Mosquitoes are common and can be abundant from late spring through early fall, and Missouri State Parks has a tick advisory out for all its parks; bring repellent and check yourself after the hike. Maps: Download the trail map and trail sheet from the park’s trail page before you lose cell service.

Best Time to Visit

The park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. Because mosquitoes peak from late spring through early fall, the cooler months make for the most comfortable hike.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Crowley’s Ridge?

Crowley’s Ridge is a narrow line of hills in the flat Mississippi delta of southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas, named after Benjamin Crowley, a War of 1812 veteran and one of the area’s first settlers. It is what remained when ice-age meltwater stripped the surrounding sediments away. For centuries the ridge was the region’s main route for travel and trade.

Can you camp at Morris State Park?

No. The only activity Missouri State Parks lists for Morris is its hiking trail; there is no campground.

Keep exploring: The closest neighbors are Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site (within about an hour’s drive) and Lake Wappapello State Park (within about an hour’s drive).

Wildlife & Nature

More than 300 plant species grow on the ridge, some of them native in Missouri only to Crowley’s Ridge. White, post and red oaks up to 26 inches across shade the uplands, with sassafras, red maple and dogwood below. In the moist hollows, ferns and shade-tolerant wildflowers grow beneath American beech, sweet gum and tulip poplar, trees more typical of eastern forests than of the dry Ozarks nearby; American beech and Hercules club reach the western edge of their range on or around the ridge. Look also for red buckeye and for overcup, cherrybark and willow oaks. Several sedges and grasses in the park’s sand forest, acid seeps and remnants of the former Malden Prairie grow in no other Missouri state park.

About the Author

America's State Parks Editorial Team

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to state parks and other public lands in the United States. Our editorial team compiles park profiles from official agency and operator sources and other identified references, and follows our published editorial policy and review methodology. Where a profile shows a source-check date, that date applies to the detail it names. We correct errors when we find them or when readers report them.

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