STATE & NATION TRAVEL · alerts
Cuivre River State Park closes Oct. 30-Nov. 2 for managed deer hunt
By Bob LePage · Published October 30, 2026
The Missouri park will bar ordinary public access from Friday afternoon through Monday morning, and every form of camping is unavailable during the closure.
Official announcement: Missouri State Parks · October 30, 2026
Source: Missouri State Parks Cuivre River managed-hunt closure advisory
Cuivre River State Park will close to ordinary public use at 3 p.m. Friday, October 30, for a managed deer hunt. Missouri State Parks says entry will be limited to people registered for the hunt and personnel staffing it until the closure ends at 7:30 a.m. Monday, November 2.
The restriction covers the entire park rather than a single trail or campground. Hiking, boating, fishing, picnicking, playground use and interpretive activities are among the affected activities, and all overnight options are unavailable from October 30 through November 1.
That camping shutdown includes the regular campgrounds, equestrian campground, backcountry sites, special-use area and organized group camps. The park ordinarily accepts year-round camping reservations, so travelers with a booking that overlaps the hunt need to contact Missouri State Parks or the reservation service for the terms applying to that reservation.
The park is scheduled to reopen Monday morning, but the advisory remains the controlling notice. Visitors should check the official park page before driving out, especially because the reopening coincides with the move to winter visitor-center hours and reduced off-season campground services.
What Travelers Need to Know
Leave the park before 3 p.m. Friday, October 30, and do not enter until the scheduled 7:30 a.m. reopening Monday, November 2. Only registered hunters and event workers are permitted during the closure.
Do not plan to camp in the park on Friday, Saturday or Sunday night. Regular, equestrian, backcountry, special-use and organized group camping are all unavailable, regardless of whether a site normally operates year-round.
If an existing reservation overlaps the closure, contact the Missouri State Parks reservation system or the park office rather than assuming a refund, transfer or cancellation rule. The general reservation line is 877-422-6766 and the park office number listed by Missouri State Parks is 636-528-7247.
Check the park advisory and facility-hours pages before departing Monday. Day-use areas ordinarily operate from 6 a.m. to sunset, but the hunt closure extends until 7:30 a.m.; winter visitor-center hours begin November 1 and campground water, showers and restroom services are reduced in the off-season.
About the Location
Cuivre River State Park is near Troy in Lincoln County, northwest of St. Louis. One of Missouri's larger state parks, it protects wooded hills and valleys that give northern Missouri an Ozark-like landscape. Lake Lincoln, hiking and equestrian trails, campgrounds and group facilities support both day trips and overnight stays.
The land became a federal Recreational Demonstration Area beginning in 1934. Civilian Conservation Corps crews built roads, shelters and Camp Sherwood Forest before the federal government transferred the property to Missouri in 1946. The managed-hunt closure matters across that broad mix of trails, historic facilities and camping areas because public recreation is suspended park-wide, not merely redirected around the hunt.
Official sources
- Missouri State Parks Cuivre River managed-hunt closure advisory
- Missouri State Parks Cuivre River visitor information
- Missouri State Parks Cuivre River camping and reservations
- Missouri State Parks Cuivre River facility hours
- Missouri State Parks Cuivre River history
- Missouri State Parks reservation policies