Elephant Rocks State Park
Huge pink granite boulders, some of them weighing over 600 tons and standing over 20 feet tall, are strewn across a few acres like a giant natural playground. These rocks were formed 1.5 billion years ago by the slow cooling of molten rock, magma, as it bubbled up into the earth’s crust. Later the Ozark plateau warped upward causing stream down cutting and erosion. The granite was slowly exposed and began to slowly weather along joints – vertical and horizontal cracks in the hard rock.
Elephant Rocks Natural Area can be easily viewed from the one-mile paved Braille Trail. Designed especially for people with visual and physical disabilities, the Braille Trail is the first of its kind in Missouri state parks. An extension off of the trail leads back to the ruins of an old railroad engine house.
Best Time to Visit
Spring
Summer
Fall
Open year-round
Additional Information
Elephant Rocks State Park
573-546-3454
Missouri Department of Conservation
Area Details
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Length: 1.5 miles of trail
Location: About 3 hrs east of Springfield in Mark Twain National Forest
Amenities: Bathrooms and Picnic areas
Pet Friendly: Yes
Kid Friendly: Yes
Best Use
Day Hikes
Rock Climbing