Meramec State Park, Sullivan, MO

After a long hiatus, I'm back. We've been camping, I just haven't been writing on this site. I wish I had kept it up better -- I guess I can start today.

So on to Meramec...

Location: 3 miles south of Sullivan, MO (on I-44, near St. Louis)
Terrain: rocky, wooded, campground borders a river
Size: 6,896.33
Modern Campsites: 210 (basic through full service)
Phone Reservations: limited
Online reservations: yes
Link: Meramec State Park

Meramec is one of the most popular state parks in the Missouri systems and for good reason. It is a family-style park with tons of amenities: when you pull in there is a great visitor center on the right, complete with a buzzing community of hummingbirds that may be viewed out the back windows. Nothing like watching a bunch of ruby-throats diving at each other like tiny WW2 era fighter planes to get your trip started the right way.

At the front of the park is a spacious and very well-equipped play area and day use area with access to the river. On a little higher ground there are several cabins for rent: I couldn't see much through the windows but they look small, clean and comfortable -- I'd definitely consider renting them if we didn't want to drag the camper. On another road there is a conference center and hotel which was dead quiet when we were there.

A little further down the main road and off to the right is a former dining hall, now camp store and grill. It has a good variety of fun merchandise and camping essentials as well as a memorial and historical display dedicated to the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp). I thought that was pretty cool, since my father recently told us that his father was a member of the CCC "out west". Anyway the CCC did so much for the parks system throughout the U.S. and it's good to see them getting their due. Behind the dining hall are some other double cabins. Somewhere up there there is a beautiful view to be seen (there's an observation deck in another part of the park which I didn't get to see). But it's hard to tell with full summer growth.

More driving and you finally arrive at the campgrounds. There are 3 areas, all strung out along the river. The river can be heard but not seen since it resides behind a heavy growth of trees and brush and down a steep embankment in most places. But if you poke around enough there are spots that lead to the water and some very peaceful views. The spots are tucked in to the trees all the way around the perimeter and seem pretty spacious. The park isn't lit at night like some so it gets pretty dark around the outer edges. The shower houses (there are 3) are basic and moderately clean -- shower temps were cold and "turn all the way to the left and press your luck" -- you may get warm or hot water, depending on the plumbing's mood.

While you're there, go float, hike, swim, fish and take a tour through Fisher Cave. Fisher Cave is a beauty and a great way to kill off an hour and a half in the summer heat. If you like caves, they say there are 47 throughout the park -- but only one gives tours. Many are small and don't go back very far and some are permit only, you'll need to check with the conservationists. During the week the groups for caving and floating are small, the park is uncrowded and the river is peaceful. I hear the weekends get really hairy, though so plan for larger crowds and make the appropriate reservations. You can make arrangements for rafts, canoes or tubing at the boat landing inside the park and it's relatively inexpensive for a day of fun: we paid $5 each for the shuttle to the put-in and $10 each for inner tubes, plus another $3.50 for a cheapy to float the cooler in so we could have snacks and drinks on our float. With the river so low and slow it took almost an hour per mile, so a cooler gets pretty important.

Also keep your trash secure and your coolers bungied at night -- the critter are plentiful and not very shy. While we were there we saw (in the campground) deer, raccoons, opossum, groundhogs and squirrels. Along the river watch for turtles and bullfrogs and herons.

I loved Meramec almost as much as the original Johnson's Shut Ins, which is another hour or two south and also situated on a river. JSI has recently reopened for some activity -- I hope that AmerUE is paying plenty for the restoration of that very beautiful park after their reservoir failed last year and took out half the park, not to mention putting the park ranger's kids in the hospital and wiping out his home.

4/5 Stars