Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park with its huge gray boulders and splashing water slide like rapids is a hiking and swimming destination.

It is a little over a two-hour drive from St. Louis and here I can do a combo of exploring the trails and swim in shut-ins.

What is a shut-in you may ask?

It is a type of rock formation that is found in Ozark streams where the water creates pools, rapids, and waterfalls as it descends through the hard rhyolite rock.

Stop for Donuts

I start the drive going through St. Louis with a stop along Interstate 55 for gas and my favorite Donut Stop. Here I pick up some apple fritters and fry pies, which I love more than their donuts, but sadly they are out of apple or cherry so I go with coconut cream.

The drive takes me down Highway 67 to Park Hills then onto Highway 32 to Bismark and Highway N to the park.

Scour Trail

First I drove past the trailhead for the 2-mile Scour Trail. This trail follows where the water rushed down a nearby mountain after the Taum Sauk reservoir was breached in 2005. A total of 1.3 billion gallons of water barreled down Proffit Mountain along with tons of trees, boulders, and debris. The park facilities were extensively damaged and the park was closed for several years.

The scour revealed rocks dating back 1.4 billion years and shows how some of the world’s oldest mountains were formed. There was no time today but I might check this trail out in the future.

Arriving at the park

At the main entrance, I stop at the Black River Center, which was closed but the bathrooms were available. Outside of the restrooms was a brochure with trail maps and information on the park.

From here I head towards the shut-ins. I come to a gate, which I guess is the official entrance then I am directed to take a yellow piece of paper with a number and told to put it on the dash. This place can get packed in the summertime since it is a place to go swimming and to stay out of the heat.

The brochure says that they have to stop letting people in when they meet 100-car capacity and this can be as early as 10 am. I was there at about 10:20 am. It was busy, but not full yet.

I notice a sign that says water on the pavement and that confuses me, I couldn’t tell where this water was. I drive back and ask the entrance gate person.

“Can I drive through it?” I asked.

“The sign is just letting you know that it is wet ahead. Go through the water crossing and the shut-ins are on the other side.”

Driving through it I found it nothing at all to worry about, barely a puddle, and next I pull into the parking area.

I should have checked out the area by the store first because I find out later there are lockers by it.

Instead, I fill my backpack up with my towel, keys, and my phone and decide to leave my stuff by a nice couple by a pebble beach area.

The Swimming Area

The shut-ins are the most interesting natural water slide in Missouri and the rock here is smooth so mind your step and the rapids move fast.

Nearby the store there is a sign of danger. Rapids high, red flag, rapids medium, yellow flag, and the green flag is low rapids. So on my day here has the medium rapids and I can expect some tugging from the water.

Explore this area with some kind of footwear unless you want to scrape or cut your foot on the rocky terrain. I wore my flip-flops, but water shoes would also work.

My main objective today was scouting the area for a future trip with the kid. Judging from some mothers with kids on a pebble beach, it will be fine to take him since he could spend most of his time in the swimming holes that surround the rapids. A shallower area can be found at the front of the rapids and a deeper area can be found farther down for older kids.

It was fun to jump around the smoothed down the surface of the dark rock. Water creates chutes and rapids and branches out among the rock field. It is quite amazing and feels like you are in the mountains here.

Lunch Break

Jumping around on the rocks, I explored for a while before deciding to head back for some lunch, a sandwich and water, and chips in the SUV. I do this in the hatchback, like Andrew and I have done all summer.

Exploring the Shut-Ins Trail

Drying off I decide the Shut-Ins Trail which follows along the river at first. You walk along a wooden boardwalk and down some stairs that end at another lookout. The trail goes from a boardwalk to going up into the hillside.

Starting the ascent, you and have to watch your footing as you walk now on dirt. The trail goes into the forest with fewer views of the river. Hoping to see more than just some cliffs along the way, I was disappointed in the views. I come to the halfway point where there is a connector trail and decide to head back on the other side of the loop further from the river.

Here the trail seems to follow an old road since it is wide. I end up back behind the store. Someday I might try the other mile so I can see if it keeps staying in the woods and only seeing trees.

Black River Trail Bushwhacking

When I go back by the store I decide to take the Black River Trail along the river and day-use area. Along here there are short trails to the river. It heads back towards the visitor’s center.

I head towards the river on a small foot trail. Here there are no rapids. The river flows wide across pebbles and rocks. It is quiet here. I see some striped fish congregating on a rock and snap a photo. They seem to be bottom dwellers eating off algae on the rocks.  

Using the river as my guide, I bushwhack along the shoreline walking along a large pebble area among weeds. A path was either created by people or the stream and then it abruptly ends. I hear people and walk around some brush and end up near the upper swimming area.

I head back into the water one final time and walk through the shut-ins to the entrance area. I notice the time and decide to leave. The park is filling up anyway.

On the way out the gate, the gatekeeper stops me again and I have to show her my number.

After Thoughts

It was good to do this on my own first. I know when the best time to arrive is. Where the best swimming area is for Andrew. That the shut-in trail was not that interesting. I think coming back I would just stick with exploring the river more and then for something new I’ll do the Scour Trail.

Drive Back

I head back the other direction going through Lesterville and checking out Ironton’s downtown with a tall brick courthouse. The drive back through on Highway 72 is nice. You go up into the hills and follow some more streams.

I take Highway 221 on the way home passing by Lake Hanna. It is a private lake community but the lake is gorgeous right below the hills.

On the way back I stop at a gas station to pick a drink and give David a call and tell him I am heading home. The cellphone reception is not the best in the area so I made phone calls once I was back on Highway 67.

DETAILS

Hours: 8 am to 6 pm daily and camping is available

Admission: Free

Address: 148 Taum Sauk Trail, Middle Brook, MO 63656

More Dad Hikes

Horseshoe Lake State Park

Illinois Mississippi River Bluffs

One Last Thing…

Dad Hikes is a new feature on my blog. I will many times do these hikes alone to learn the lay of the land before we do it as a family. Feel free to share suggestions for hikes to do. Also, share any questions you might have on the hikes!