St. Joe State Park ORV
St. Joe State Park OHV Area offers over 54 miles of ATV, UTV, and dirt bike trails across 2,000 acres of former lead-mine land near Park Hills in St. Francois County, eastern Missouri, approximately 65 miles south of St. Louis. The park sits within the Old Lead Belt, where extensive surface mining and processing operations from the late 1800s through the 1970s created the post-industrial landscape that now serves as Missouri's most-visited OHV destination. The riding terrain reflects this origin: sand flats, hard-packed dirt, water-filled pit areas, wooded sections on mine waste hillsides, hill climbs, and open play areas that feel unlike any naturally formed landscape. The variety makes St. Joe State Park exceptionally popular, beginner families can ride the flat sand loops while expert riders find challenge on the technical hill and mud sections. The park also includes four lakes for swimming and fishing, equestrian trails, and developed picnic areas alongside the OHV zone, making it genuinely multi-use. A Missouri State Park OHV permit is required and available for purchase on-site. Operating hours are dawn to dusk daily. The park is managed by Missouri State Parks (573-431-1069).