Location: Cassville, Missouri
Find out why a detour to Roaring River State Park is worthy of consideration on your Ozarks family vacation.
Tucked away about an hour west of Branson, and just a few miles from the Missouri/Arkansas state line, is a special gem of a nature preserve called Roaring River State Park.
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What drew us in to visit this park? It was the photos on Google Maps of the crystal clear blue water with a waterfall trickling from the high rock formations above. Yep, it really looks like that! Plus, both the bottom and top of this scene are accessible by trail.
As if the majestic scenery and peaceful thundering of the river aren’t enticing enough, this place is also home to a fascinating fish hatchery operation. Our family, although not big on fishing, was amazed to walk around and witness the holding tanks full of thousands of thriving trout in all different stages of life.
This park blew our expectations out of the water! Below, we share our experience.
The Experience
We planned our trip to Roaring River State Park about a week in advance, but to be honest—it really doesn’t require any pre-planning at all.
Our itinerary included:
Checking out the visitor’s center
Hiking some trails
Taking a look at the fish hatchery (and of course, that beautiful waterfall)
Here’s how it went down.
Nature Center
Our first stop was the visitor’s center, also called Ozark Chinquapin Nature Center. Oddly, it’s located far into the park rather than toward the entrance. When we arrived, it was closed for the season. But we were glad we stopped because we were able to pick up a map of the park and admire some crafty art projects on display to start our adventure off on the right foot.
When the nature center is open (March–October), it features a few live animals, guidebooks, and some interactive exhibits to learn more about the park and the nature inside.
Next to the nature center, there’s a trailhead to one of the longer trails called Fire Tower Trail- It's a 4-½ mile looped trail requiring several hours.
Trails
After getting our map, we headed out to the next nearby trail, which happened to be across the river. We enjoyed skipping rocks across the clear blue water and then embarked on the journey toward the trailhead entrance of Eagle’s Nest Trail. This one is 2.6 miles with partial out-and-back and a large loop in the middle.
We found the most enjoyable part of this trail was walking alongside the river in the beginning section of the trail. I remember listening to the rushing sound of water as it cascaded down the mini-dams built along the stretch of water.
A heads up to those with young ones or mobility limitations—you’re basically walking on the side of a big hill and it is pretty rugged. We continued along the trail for a while as it turned away from the river, offering a simple quiet hike. Eager to explore the rest of the park we took our next adventure.
We headed toward the Roaring River Hatchery at the entrance of the park, where we knew we would find more trails and be able to learn something new.
One of those trails that we wanted to experience near the hatchery was the Devil’s Kitchen Trail. It's a mile-and-a-half loop, but boy is it rugged! The treacherous uphill stretches required that we slow down, take breaks, and even ended up carrying our 4-year-old. The 1.5 miles turned into over an hour and half expedition! There were some beautiful sights along the trail—but I think if we did it again, we would dedicate a whole day to this trail alone. We were super worn out by the end.
Fish Hatchery
The fish hatchery was like nothing we’d ever seen. Well, none of us had ever been to one before—so I guess it’s not that surprising to say! It’s something worth checking out if you’ve never seen the operation. I had also never seen trout in person, and they showed out in abundance here.
Also at the hatchery, you can walk over a bridge that has rushing water flowing over dams and splashing onto the path (and you!). You can also walk the path to the top and bottom of the waterfall. There’s a short, but rough ascent to the top. Deep Leap Trail soars you up above the waterfall to an area overlooking the hatchery. Once you’ve peeked at the operation from above, this quarter-mile trail brings you out just on the other side of the river.
What Else Does Roaring River State Park Have to Offer?
We spent a whole day at Roaring River State Park, but you could totally spend multiple days here! Check out what else the park has to offer.
Cabins, Camping, & Conference Center
If you plan to turn it into a multi-day adventure and stay a night or two, there are multiple ways to stay. If you enjoy camping, there are three campgrounds for tents, campers, and RVs available for as low as $15 per night. There’s a camp store, too—in case you forget anything from home! Reserve your spot here.
Several rustic cabins are located throughout the park and can be reserved during your stay. Some are even river-front so you can hear the whooshing of the water from your deck. Cabins contain two bedrooms and a kitchen and a few of them allow dogs.
If you’re looking for a traditional motel room, those are available from Emory Melton Inn and Conference Center, near the park entrance. Pricing varies, but most of these cabins and rooms go for under $200 per night. Reserve lodging here or call 417-847-2330.
More Hiking
There’s more hiking at Roaring River State Park than your family will be able to do comfortably in a single day. Here are some shorter trail options at the park that we didn’t get to try out:
Pibern Trail: 1.1-mile out-and-back (2.2 miles total distance)
Springhouse Trail: .4-mile out-and-back with loop in center
River Trail: .6-mile one-way (1.2 miles out-and-back)
Fishing
All those fish aren’t being hatched for no good reason! Roaring River State Park is a fishing park. To participate in the fun fishing experience, in addition to a fishing license, you’ll need a trout tag from March through October, which costs $4 for adults and $3 for kids under 16. You can pick both of these up inside the on-site Pro shop, along with any tackle you may need.
Restaurant
If you didn’t pack a picnic, no worries—you can dine with your family at the Roaring River Restaurant. This eatery is found inside the Emery Melton Inn & Conference Center and serves all three meals.
Nearby Beebe’s Roaring River Water Slide
Not part of the park, but on your way and a short distance from the entrance is an in-ground downhill water slide adventure that you won’t want to miss if you’re in the area. This one-of-a-kind experience will have you coming back every year for affordable Ozark family fun. Read about our firsthand experience at Beebe’s Roaring River Water Slide.
Is Roaring River State Park Worth it?
Yes, Roaring River State Park was totally worth our time! And for most families, I think it would be worthwhile to at least check out the fish hatchery and shorter trails. Just keep in mind that the longer trails are definitely not an easy walk in the park. Since I am addicted to hiking, I would love to return to trek that longer Fire Tower Trail in the future without the little kids!
We visited during the off-season, so I can’t imagine how beautiful this place will become in the spring and summer when everything blooms for the season. Even though the colors were dulled down in winter, I would still give it a thumbs up!
Planning Your Visit
You can find Roaring River State Park off State Highway 112 near Cassville in Southern Missouri. Here are some addresses to get you there:
Roaring River Hatchery: 12716 FR 1090, Cassville, MO
Ozark Chinquapin Nature Center: 12716 Farm Rd 2239, Cassville, MO
Emery Melton Inn and Conference Center: 24667 State Hwy 112, Cassville, MO
If the cabins, campgrounds, and motel rooms don’t suit your needs, find alternative accommodations nearby Roaring River State Park in Cassville, MO.
The incredible vacation rental pictured here is located within minutes of the park and sits on 30 acres of forest. Relax in the hot tub or enjoy a cozy fire outdoors, surrounded by nature. It’s clean, cozy, and currently listed for only $120/night and sleeps four in two queen beds.
Start planning your adventure now
by checking availability for this one-of-a-kind stay.
