Elephant Rocks State Park lies in the middle of the middle of nowhere Missouri. That's what I like about Missouri, there are state parks and natural areas all over the places. In fact, just down the road from Elephant Rocks is Johnson Shut-Ins State Park and Fort Davidson State Historic Site (Civil War battleground).
I took my children the way I had always been taken, as a child--we drove J Road. J Road is the roller coasters of back roads, very hilly and curvy and you're never quite sure if there is gonna be anything over the top of the hill you're driving. It's an adventure! Sure there are probably quicker, more interstate ways of arriving at our destination, but where's the fun in that? We arrived in one piece, and saw things you just don't see on the highway.
Here we are starting the trail up to the top, where the "big rocks" are.
Of course once the big kids found out they could climb on these rocks they were having a great time showing off, and letting me photograph the fun.
Oddly enough this was one of the only pictures Rose cooperated in having taken.
By the time we climbed down from the top of the rocks the kids were worn out and ready for a nice long roller coaster ride back home on J Road. It was a great day to be playing on the rocks and now the big kids can't say they don't remember ever going.
