Taum Sauk Mountain State Park is home to Missouri’s highest point, and Taum Sauk Creek flows through the entire park. The park also includes sections of the Ozark Trail, protected areas and historic sites. To plan your stay in Iron County, you can first decide whether to focus on landscapes and trails, history, or a mix of both.
Landscapes and Trails
Taum Sauk Mountain State Park contains the highest point in the state of Missouri. Taum Sauk Creek flows through the park for its entire length. It is recognized as a State Outstanding Resource Water for its aesthetic and scientific value. The park thus highlights both a distinctive elevation and an officially recognized waterway.
The 33-mile Taum Sauk section is part of the Ozark Trail. The Trace Creek section is also part of the Ozark Trail; it is located in Washington and Iron Counties, southwest of Potosi, and is open to hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. The two sections can be distinguished by different planning details: Taum Sauk has a specific length listed, while Trace Creek is described by its location and permitted uses.
The Braille Trail at Elephant Rocks State Park was created for people with visual and physical disabilities. A spur leads to the ruins of an old locomotive shed, a relic of the region’s quarrying and railroad history. The Elephant Rocks Natural Area is recognized for its outstanding geological value. Here, a nature-focused visit is paired with a specific reference to industrial history.
The 90-acre Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge is located on Pilot Knob Mountain in Iron County. The refuge includes abandoned iron ore mine shafts dating from the mid-19th century. They have since become important habitat for the federally endangered Indiana bat. The refuge offers another way to experience the landscape: alongside geological features and trails, the habitat of an endangered species takes center stage.
Places and History
The Iron County Courthouse was built in 1860. Arcadia Academy was originally established in 1846 as a Methodist high school; Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pilot Knob was built in 1861. These dates place different institutions in context: a courthouse, a school and a church. The region’s history is therefore not reduced to a single building or era.
During the Battle of Pilot Knob, which began on September 26, 1864, the Union Army used Immanuel Lutheran Church as its headquarters and a hospital. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. That same year, the Iron County Courthouse Buildings in Ironton were also added to the register. The Ursuline Academy--Arcadia College Historic District in Arcadia followed in 1998. These different listings give you specific places and dates to help plan visits around local architectural and military history.
Plan Your Visit and Stay
The Iron County Historical Society Museum is located in the Arcadia Valley Visitors Center and Amtrak station in Arcadia. It is currently open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Check the opening hours before your visit so you can fit the museum into your travel day. Arcadia Valley Station is an Amtrak stop; check the current schedule when planning your train trip.
Thee Abbey Kitchen is another recommended stop for guests and visitors: it serves freshly baked goods daily, as well as frozen desserts such as frozen custard. Along with the museum hours and station, it offers concrete planning options in Arcadia, while trail sections and protected areas appeal to other interests.
If you sort out these interests in advance, you can then assess the location of a suitable hotel based on your own plans.
Discover More Destinations
Pilot Knob, St. Francois County, Stoddard County, Christian County, Ray, Hickory County, Andrew County, Greene
For the main travel overview: Missouri.
