Established in 1917, the Missouri state park system incorporates 92 state parks and historic sites that total more than 150,000 acres.
Boasting hundreds of miles of trails that meander through lush woodlands, jagged cliffs, scenic meadows and flowing rivers, Missouri’s state park system has plenty to explore.
As well as its scintillating landscape, these state parks and historic sites also feature buildings, or honor events of huge cultural significance. This includes Civil War battlefields, the homes of famous Missourians and impressive structures like covered bridges and gristmills.
Every year millions of people visit Missouri’s state parks to partake in activities like hiking, swimming, biking, boating, horseback riding and camping during the summer. Cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are popular in the winter.
For those who live in and around the city of Joplin, these public recreation spaces provide plenty of chances to explore the great outdoors.
Next time you feel like enjoying nature, outlined below is a list of 6 state parks near Joplin which we highly recommend you visit.
Map of State Parks Near Joplin, MO
Here is a map of the state parks in Missouri covered by this post:
List of State Parks Near Joplin
The 6 state parks near Joplin outlined below can all be reached within a 3-hour drive from the city.
This means you can visit them all as day trip destinations. However should you want to stay for a few nights, they all have various camping facilities that you can use.
1. Twin Bridges State Park
Distance from Joplin: about 24 miles southwest of Joplin (straight-line).
The Twin Bridges Area at Grand Lake State Park, previously Twin Bridges State Park, is a park on the north side of the Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees in northeastern Oklahoma.
See our full Twin Bridges State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
2. Prairie State Park
Distance from Joplin: about 30 miles north of Joplin (straight-line).
Location: Mindenmines, MO
Prairie State Park is a public recreation area encompassing nearly 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of grasslands and woodlands in Barton County, Missouri.
See our full Prairie State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
3. Big Sugar Creek State Park
Distance from Joplin: about 34 miles south of Joplin (straight-line).
Location: Pineville, MO
Big Sugar Creek State Park is a public recreation area encompassing more than 2,000 acres (810 ha) in McDonald County in southwest Missouri, United States.
See our full Big Sugar Creek State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
4. Bernice State Park
Distance from Joplin: about 38 miles southwest of Joplin (straight-line).
Location: 54101 E Hwy 85A, Bernice, OK 74331
Bernice State Park, also called Bernice Area at Grand Lake State Park, is an 88-acre (360,000 m2) Oklahoma state park located in Delaware County, Oklahoma.
See our full Bernice State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
5. Crawford State Park (Kansas)
Distance from Joplin: about 42 miles northwest of Joplin (straight-line).
Location: 1 W Lake Road
Farlington, KS 66734
Crawford State Park is a state park in Crawford County, Kansas, United States, located 9 miles (14 km) north of Girard.
See our full Crawford State Park (Kansas) guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
6. Elk City State Park
Distance from Joplin: about 70 miles west of Joplin (straight-line).
Location: Northwest Scammon Road, Kansas
Elk City State Park is a state park in Montgomery County, Kansas, United States, located west of Independence.
See our full Elk City State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
