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From St. Louis Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park is approximately 130 miles from St. Louis (South County); the trip will take about two or two and one-half hours depending on traffic. Take I-270 south to I-55 south. When you get to the Festus area, take U.S. Hwy. 67 south to Farmington. At the second Farmington exit, turn right onto Hwy. 221 toward Doe Run. Travel 17 miles on Hwy. 221 (will merge with Route NN). At the flashing red light, turn right/north onto Hwy. 21. Travel about one-half mile and turn left onto Route N. Go 13 miles on Route N to the park entrance on the left.
Great place to relax lots of walking so you definitely need good shoes. Good shoes with grip on them because it’s hard to walk on the slippery rocks. Water was very cold and refreshing but if it’s your first time going you need to be very careful because it’s very deep and the the water has currents. One wrong step and you will be taken by the currents the place has good restrooms and picnic tables! Definitely a place to visit in Missouri!
Johnson's Shut-Ins is a unique park with lots of waterfalls you can sit in and enjoy. They have a swimming hole at the top and bottom of the rocks for anyone that has trouble climbing. Great views! Clear water! This park is quite the experience. They do not allow pets on the trail to or near the water falls. They are ok to be in day use areas 1 and 2.
Early fall and still 90 degrees outside. We did the Blue Trail around 10am and then spent a couple hours playing in the shut-ins. The trail is a moderate intensity due to the elevation, otherwise it's a pretty straight forward hike eith a mix bag of rock, roots, and dirt path. You will climb stairs regardless of the direction you choose to begin.
The Shut-ins are SUPER slick, make sure you have grippy water shoes. Yes, it gets deep enough that you can't touch.
I do not recommend this area for small kids.
Pretty dangerous but worth it. A fun filled natural waterpark. Highly recommend wearing water shoes, and you might even want some knee protection. Some of the water can get swift, deep and watch for whirlpools. Keep going beyond the main shut in for more fun downstream. A popular park with limited parking at the hotspot. There is a gift shop offering swim gear and snacks. Tons of trails, picnic areas and we'll organized roads. I'll go back for sure for another adventure. Be Safe out there
