🏆 Official Guide: Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park — 1,105 acres above the Great Bend of the Missouri River, protecting a Missouria Indian village site, ancient earthworks, and the state’s American Indian Cultural Center.
Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park gives Missouri its name a home. On 1,105 acres of hills, ravines, marsh, and bottomland forest known as The Pinnacles, above the Great Bend of the Missouri River in Saline County, the park preserves the landscape of the Missouria (“Oumessourit”) people — the tribe whose village here was marked on a 1673 map by the French explorers Marquette and Jolliet, and from whom the state takes its name.
The park grew from a 369-acre gift by “Miss Annie” Van Meter in 1932, in memory of her husband Abel. Today its Missouri’s American Indian Cultural Center interprets 12,000 years of Native history, while the land itself holds a hand-dug earthwork called the Old Fort and a field of Woodland-era burial mounds. Entry and parking are free.
What Makes This Park Unique
The Missouria Homeland
This was the great village of the Missouria people, mapped by Marquette and Jolliet in 1673 — the namesake ground of the entire state.
American Indian Cultural Center
Missouri’s American Indian Cultural Center uses displays and exhibits to interpret thousands of years of Native life along the river.
Old Fort & Burial Mounds
A hand-dug earthwork on the Pinnacles and three Woodland-culture burial mounds survive within the park’s wooded hills.
Lake Wooldridge
An 18-acre fishing lake anchors the park’s trails and campground — a quiet spot for bass and bluegill.
Things to Do
History & culture: Start at the American Indian Cultural Center, then walk to the Old Fort earthwork and the Mound Field to see the archaeology in the landscape.
Hiking: Three trails traverse the wooded ravines of the Pinnacles and skirt Lake Wooldridge — expect bluffs, marsh, and river-valley views.
Fishing: Cast Lake Wooldridge’s 18 acres for bass and panfish, or picnic along the shore.
Camping
The park has a small campground with basic and electric sites, a showerhouse, and a playground — a peaceful base far from any crowd. Reserve through iCampMO up to 12 months ahead.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Entry Fee | FREE — no entrance or parking fees at Missouri State Parks |
| Size | 1,105 acres (The Pinnacles) |
| History | Missouria village site; 369-acre gift 1932 |
| Lake | Lake Wooldridge (18 acres) |
| Location | Miami, MO 65344 (Saline County) |
| Official Info | Missouri State Parks – Van Meter |
Getting There
The park is off Highway 122 near the village of Miami, Missouri, in the Missouri River bottoms — roughly an hour east of Kansas City or 90 minutes northwest of Columbia.
Nearby Parks Worth Combining
Combine Van Meter with the paved miles of the Katy Trail along the Missouri River to the south. The Missouri state parks guide has the full picture.
Facts verified against Missouri State Parks (DNR) and public records, July 2026. Cultural center hours and camping fees are set by the DNR — check the official park page before your trip.
Park Location
Plan your gear for Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park
From our editorial guides, matched to this park’s activities:
