Missouri

Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

Established: 1955
Acreage: 9,432 · 9,432 acres on the East Fork Black River in the St. Francois Mountains; primary land donated 1955 by St. Louis resident Joseph Desloge
Location: Reynolds County, MO (Ozarks, near Lesterville)
Key features: 'Shut-ins' — natural pools and water chutes carved through 1.5-billion-year-old igneous rock (rhyolite); part of the St. Francois Mountains; Goggins Mountain wild area; Black River; Ozark Trail; new Black River Center
Activities: Wading and swimming in the shut-ins, hiking (Ozark Trail), camping, picnicking, fishing, backpacking
Notable: On December 14, 2005, Ameren's Taum Sauk reservoir breached and released 1.3 billion gallons of water through the park in 25 minutes; the park reopened fully in 2010 after a $52 million restoration funded by AmerenUE settlement

Visits

Source: mostateparks.com · 2026-05-10