Thousand Hills State Park
About
Thousand Hills State Park is situated in northeast Missouri just a few miles west of the city of Kirksville. The park consists of 3,086 acres with Forest Lake as its centerpiece. Woody shores and broad savannas recall a time when northern Missouri was far less developed. Thousand Hills State Park offers camping, hiking, mountain biking, and abundant opportunities to see wildlife and the night sky. Diverse flora and fauna, including resident and migratory species make Thousand Hills State Park their home. Visitors can also visit the petroglyphs left behind by the area’s inhabitants more than 1,500 years ago.
By the 1950s, Kirksville officials were concerned about an adequate water supply for the expanding population. Heirs of Dr. George M. Laughlin, a longtime supporter of a city reservoir, provided a 1,100-acre tract of land for the building of a lake, and the additional acreage was purchased. In 1951, construction of the lake began with the damming of Big Creek, a tributary of the Chariton River. Construction was completed the next year, and the 573-acre Forest Lake was filled by 1956. The land was given to Missouri as a state park in 1953.
Collaboration between Thousand Hills State Park and partners such as the Adair County Public Library, Truman State University staff, and others have resulted in outreach events to raise awareness of night sky conservation. Park staff will continue to educate the community about proper outdoor lighting and continue long-term monitoring of the night sky. The park has implemented a lighting management plan that regulates outdoor lighting. With 78 percent of the outdoor lighting currently compliant and plans for 100 percent compliance by the end of 2025.
Most of the park is easily accessible to the public by foot, bike, or motor vehicle for night sky viewing every night. The adventurous may access the more remote areas of Thousand Hills State Park by foot or mountain bike via the popular Thousand Hills Trail, a 10.5-mile trail around Forest Lake.
Area
12.46 Sq. Km
Designated
2024
Category
Urban Night Sky Place
Address
Thousand Hills State Park
20431 State Highway 157
Kirksville, MO 63501
Google Maps
Contact
Ryan Persinger
Park Superintendent
Thousand Hills State Park
[email protected]
Documents
Application
Announcement
Annual Reports
Weather
Click here to find ideal environmental conditions for enjoying dark skies near Thousand Hills State Park (40.359, -92.648).
