Mastodon State Historic Site: Ice Age Fossil Museum & Woodland Spring Trails
Visit on your scheduleWinter Museum Hours (Nov 16–Mar 15): Thu–Sat 11:00 AM–4:00 PM; Sun 12:00 PM–4:00 PM (Closed Mon–Wed); Historic site trails open daily 8:00 AM to sunset
Mastodon State Historic Site1050 Charles J Becker Dr, Imperial, MO 63052 · 20.1 mi approx. from St. LouisDirections
All ages; youth 12 and under admitted free to museum; trails open to all
From $4$4.00 museum admission for adults and teens (ages 13+); children 12 and under are free; park grounds and trails are completely free
About this adventure
Located just south of St. Louis in Imperial, Mastodon State Historic Site contains the famous Kimmswick Bone Bed, where archaeologists made the landmark discovery of human-crafted Clovis stone projectile points in direct association with American mastodon fossils. The heated museum provides a fascinating paleontology adventure for young dinosaur and Ice Age enthusiasts. Inside the museum, kids marvel at a life-sized replica skeleton of an American mastodon, touch real fossilized bones, and watch a short educational film detailing the prehistoric Ice Age mammals that roamed Missouri 12,000 years ago. Outside, the 0.4-mile Spring Branch Trail is a flat, packed-gravel woodland loop running alongside a clear spring-fed stream, easily navigated with rugged strollers. The museum includes clean accessible restrooms and picnic tables for family lunches.
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