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Off-Road Adventures
St. Joe State Park is located in
the old "Lead Belt" region of southeast Missouri. The area's
first successful mining venture began in the early 1700s when
miners extracted lead by hand from shallow pits and
operations were conducted only three to four months a year.
Thanks to the introduction of the diamond-tipped drill by the
St. Joe Lead Co. in 1869, the lead mining industry took off
and the recovery of the world's richest known deposit of lead
began in earnest. The company consolidated a number of small,
independent diggings and emerged as the largest of four
principal mining companies in southeast Missouri by 1900. For
more than 100 years, this area produced nearly 80 percent of
the nation's mined lead. The discovery of rich new deposits
in other areas led to the demise of mining at the site.
In 1972, St. Joe Minerals Corp. ceased operations in the area and subsequently donated the land to the state in 1976. Mined areas underlay approximately 25 percent of the parkland, and remnants of the mining era remain visible throughout the 8,238-acre park. The milling complex used by the St. Joe Minerals Corp. still stands and has been designated as the Missouri Mines State Historic Site. The site houses an excellent rock and mineral museum and a gallery of mining equipment.
The most distinctive feature of St. Joe State Park is the 2,000 acres of riding area for off-road vehicle (ORV) use. Trails wind through the wooded portions of the park, as well as through 800 acres of sand flats, an area created by the sandlike residue - or tailings - from the lead mining process. Signs clearly mark the boundaries of the ORV area, and all off-road vehicles must stay within these boundaries at all times. A staging area is available for parking and unloading vehicles. Snowmobiles are permitted during the winter months. For the convenience of ORV users, Campground 1 is located near the riding area with 40 electric and 35 basic sites. Thirty-five electric sites and 23 basic sites can be reserved; the remainder are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Laundry facilities, modern restrooms, hot showers, a playground and a dumping station are located in the camping area. Trails from the campground to the ORV area provides access for unlicensed ORVs that are not permitted on park roads.
In addition to the ORV area, St. Joe State Park offers a diverse mix of outdoor activities for the whole family. Hikers, equestrians and mountain bicyclists will enjoy the 15 miles of trails winding through the hills and across serene creeks. In addition, 13.8 miles of paved bicycle trails are popular, with cross-country skiing allowed when the weather permits. For visitors who want to spend the night on the trail, five basic trailside sites are available. Equestrian campers and campers without ORVs can take advantage of the 13 electric and 12 basic sites in Campground 2. All electric sites and six basic sites can be reserved; the remainder are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
St. Joe State Park boasts four clear lakes, two of which are easily accessible and have excellent swimming beaches with changehouses and restrooms. Anglers in search of bass, catfish and crappie can cast their lines into any of the four stocked lakes. Man-powered boats and boats with electric trolling motors are allowed on the lakes; the use of gas-powered motors is not permitted.
Maturing second-growth forests of oak and hickory that are natural to the area cover most of the park. The forests are interspersed with native grasslands and a number of intermittent streams and wetlands. The Blankshire Savanna and Pimville Prairie can be seen from the bicycle trail and Pimville Road, respectively. Excellent picnic sites are available at the Pim day-use area and at the trail heads. Picnic shelters are located at various places around the park. For a nominal fee, the shelters at the Pim day-use area can be reserved for large group gatherings.
The historic mill buildings, where St. Joe Minerals once processed lead ore, still stand nearby and have been designated as the Missouri Mines State Historic Site. A path off of the bicycle trail will lead visitors to the site, which features a mining museum that houses a large collection of geological specimens and antique mining and milling equipment.
