STATE & NATION TRAVEL · alerts
Managed hunts close nine Missouri state parks on November and December dates
By Bob LePage · Published November 5, 2026
Closures begin at Stockton State Park on November 5 and continue at eight other parks on scheduled November and December dates, with park-specific limits on camping and day use.
Official announcement: Missouri Department of Natural Resources · November 5, 2026
Source: Missouri DNR fall 2026 managed-hunt closure announcement
Missouri is closing nine state parks for scheduled managed deer hunts on dates in November and December, beginning with Stockton State Park on November 5. The Department of Natural Resources says the closures protect visitors and staff while hunters are in designated areas; an earlier Cuivre River State Park hunt ended November 2 and is no longer an upcoming restriction.
The November schedule includes Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park and Pomme de Terre State Park through November 8, Mark Twain State Park and Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site through November 9, Long Branch State Park through November 10, and Robertsville State Park through November 8. Exact closing and reopening times vary by property rather than following one statewide timetable.
The practical effects also differ. Babler, Mark Twain, Long Branch and Robertsville post full-park closures during their hunt windows, while Pomme de Terre closes the Hermitage side's Cedar Bluff and campground area but keeps the Pittsburg side and some day-use access available. Mark Twain's camping and lodging are unavailable November 5–8; Babler's campground is unavailable over the same dates.
Three more closures are scheduled in December: Crowder State Park from December 3–7, Knob Noster State Park from December 3–6 and Lake of the Ozarks State Park from December 5–7. Those dates make the notice relevant to both immediate November trips and early-December reservations.
What Travelers Need to Know
Check the active-advisories page and the selected park's notice on the day of travel. Do not enter a closed property or hunt area, and do not assume a campsite or lodging reservation overrides the safety closure; contact the park or reservation service about any affected booking.
For the first November closures, note the posted times. Stockton is closed November 5–8. Mark Twain State Park and the birthplace site close at 4 p.m. November 5 and reopen at 10 a.m. November 9. Babler closes at 6 p.m. November 5 and reopens at 7 a.m. November 9. Robertsville closes at 6 p.m. November 6 and reopens at 7 a.m. November 9.
Pomme de Terre visitors can still use the Pittsburg side and the Hermitage day-use boat ramp while the Hermitage campground, Cedar Bluff, store, playground and associated ramp are closed from sunset November 5 to sunrise November 9. Long Branch closes at 10 p.m. November 6 and reopens at sunrise November 11; its campground is separately closed for the 2026 season because of construction.
For Crowder, Knob Noster or Lake of the Ozarks, recheck the park-specific December advisory before departure. The statewide release supplies the date range, but a later property notice may add exact times, facility exceptions or weather-related changes.
About the Location
The affected properties span different parts of Missouri and different kinds of trips. Mark Twain State Park surrounds the historic site preserving the author's birthplace in northeast Missouri, while Pomme de Terre and Stockton are reservoir parks where boating, fishing and camping shape many visits. Babler, west of St. Louis, includes landscape and structures developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Missouri State Parks coordinates the closures with the Missouri Department of Conservation's managed-hunt program. Because the hunts take place inside public recreation properties, a date that is routine for wildlife management can temporarily remove access to trails, campgrounds, historic sites or boat facilities that travelers otherwise expect to use.
Official sources
- Missouri DNR fall 2026 managed-hunt closure announcement
- Missouri State Parks active advisories
- Mark Twain State Park and historic-site closure advisory
- Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park closure advisory
- Pomme de Terre State Park visitor status
- Long Branch State Park visitor status
- Robertsville State Park closure advisory
- Stockton State Park visitor status