Friday, March 27, 2009

Favorite places...

On my recent trip to Missouri I decided to take my kids over to one of my favorite state parks. When my older boys were younger we used to go all the time ,and they loved it, but when I took them a few weeks ago they couldn't remember having ever been there.
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.

Todd loves showing off how strong he is.





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.


5 comments:

Paige Hinrichs said...

Oh what a wonderful trip!! Those rocks are ginormous and the pictures adorable I drove the Missouri years ago and thought it was beautiful.

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

Oh, I remember going there with your family. There and the shut-ins. I seem to recall that something happened so that you can't go to the shut-ins anymore...is that still the case?

Unknown said...

So sweet. I love your photos. How fun to have a day in the sunshine, exploring!

cat said...

Those two last rock photos are stunning.

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