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What kind of rainy-day explorer are you?
Do you like to bust out your rain gear? It's a great time for waterfall chasing, mushroom hunting, salamander searching, and some muddy 4x4 off roading.
Or do you prefer a little roofed fun? As usual in the good ol' Southeast MO., there are plenty of events going on this weekend that do not require a poncho.
Get Outside
After reading about the dude who pulled a 92-lb mammoth femur out of a Northwest Missouri waterway, I've been convinced I'm one lucky creek stroll away from my five minutes of KFVS12 fame. (I'll keep you updated Mrs. Sweeney.) That's why last weekend's outing took me to the water. We visited the Missouri Department of Conservation Area in Millersville, MO., along the banks of the Upper Whitewater Creek - Old Plantation Access.
Upper Whitewater Creek at Old Plantation Access. March 2026.
If you're looking for a traditional trail hike, this ain't it. (Although, the dedicated walkers can pop a walk along the gravel road. No one will stop you.) Instead, what this spot offers is a canoe launch and creek hangs. What do you like to do creek side? Read? Picnic? Sketch? Identify bird calls? Search for leftover mammoth parts? Get creative. Take your Nintendo Switch and meditate. Go be yourself outside. You don't need to wear a Patagonia vest. But you do need to wear bug spray (yes, already!).
The tiiiiiiicks are aLiVe with the sound of muuuUUUuuuusic.
This is an easy one to find. Google Maps will lead you straight there. If you don't see an obvious trail head, you're in the wrong parking lot. Drive a little further.
That's it. That's this week's quiet little creek stop if you want to get outside without driving far from Cape Girardeau. And if you do find a fossil, remember this is public conservation land: Admire it, snap a photo, and leave it where you found it. If it's a mammoth femur, you should probably also report it to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Didja know about the Gnome Roam?
The gnomes are out at Trail of Tears State Park. Each of the park’s five trails is currently home to one tiny forest resident. Find all five gnomies before March 31, 2026, snap a selfie with each one, and send your pictures to the park’s naturalist at tiffanie.atherton@dnr.mo.gov. The first 40 participants to complete the Gnome Roam will receive a unique patch that will make you irresistible to the opposite sex.
Photo courtesy of one of Trail of Tears' own programs specialists, the lovely, Anna Mae Zembsch. Thank you, Anna Mae!
A couple rules from the all-knowing gnome council: you must be in all five photos (duckface optional), and the images you submit may be used by the park to promote future programs. (And to think they laughed at you for buying that selfie stick! Jokes on them!)
Enjoy your woodland scavenger hunt!
Gnome if you want to, all around the world. Or whatever the B-52s said.
Another Resource for Your Arsenal
Day trippers, event goers, Se/MO lovers...I've another arrow for your quiver: capegtheplacetob.com just launched. It’s the brainchild of, Shawn Wood, the same local mastermind behind Cape G Rocks, and it makes what's going on around here a whole lot easier. Shawn says it’s still a work in progress, a few duplicate events here and there while things get sorted, but don’t let that stop you. Take it for a spin and see what fun you find.
Gotta love the folks making it easy to love where we live. I adore anything that saves me from spelunking through the Facebook events cave. Thank you for your public service, Shawn.
This week, VisitCape sends a big SOUTHEAST SHOUT-OUT to the SEMO Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams, who BOTH made it to the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Championships in Evansville!!!
The women’s team is already making things interesting. They defeated Little Rock in the first round Wednesday night and are headed into the quarterfinals today!
It’s been a great season for Redhawk basketball, and it’s always fun seeing a Southeast Missouri team make some noise this time of year.
Good luck to the Redhawks this weekend. Cape is cheering you on.
❤️ VisitCape
To add an event to a future issue, click here, and select 'Event Ad'.
This Weekend’s Hand-picked Happenings
Fri, March 06
Nature Center at Night: Marvelous Morels, Cape Girardeau, MO - A naturalist-led program about hunting Southeast Missouri’s most sought-after spring mushroom. Learn how to identify true morels, spot look-alikes, and find the habitats where they grow. Free program; exhibits and gift shop open late. 5-7:30pm at Cape Girardeau Nature Center. (Sponsored)
Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale, Cape Girardeau, MO - Browse thousands of books, DVDs, CDs, and more at the Cape Girardeau Public Library’s annual sale. Paperbacks $1 and hardcovers $2. Those are yard sale prices, y'all. 6-8pm.
MBDA Regional Networking Event - First Friday, Cape Girardeau, MO - A welcoming evening for entrepreneurs and community members to connect, collaborate, and swap resources. Whether you're building something new or just want to meet good people, this is an easy room to walk into. 6pm.
Mix Tape Music Bingo, Scott City, MO - A free night of music-themed bingo at The Riverhouse with prizes and throwback tunes. Registration required. If there’s time left, karaoke takes over. Still can't figure out if that's a promise or a threat.
Countryside Chevrolet Championship Rodeo, Poplar Bluff, MO - PRCA rodeo action at Black River Coliseum with bull riding, roping, and full pro rodeo thrills. Doors open 5:30pm, rodeo at 7pm.
Small Town, Big Scenes: First Friday Art Walk, Piedmont, MO - Downtown Piedmont opens its doors for a monthly art walk with local artists and artisans set up inside businesses along Main, Elm, Fir, and Green streets. Wander, meet makers, and pop into shops you might not normally step inside. Free to attend, 5-8pm.
Beer & Bingo, Sainte Genevieve, MO - Bingo at a brewery? Heck yes. I feel like the longer this goes on, the worse everyone probably gets. 6:30pm-7:30pm.
Riverbend Bluegrass - Concert Series Kickoff, Farmington, MO - Live American folk music at a restored 1920s venue downtown. 6pm doors. $5 per show. $5?! That's about the price of a coffee, with a lot more banjos than you get at Starbucks.
Do Overs - A Cabaret About the Roads We Did and Didn’t Take, Alto Pass, IL - An evening of live performance with Brett Kristofferson and SIU Associate Professor Angela Shultz at Havisham Bourbon, Brew & Spirits. Free and open to the public.
Spring Trash Blast - Iron Furnace Cleanup, Elizabethtown, IL - Volunteer litter cleanup in the Shawnee National Forest helping restore the Iron Furnace area. Buckets and grabbers provided. Registration required. 1pm-3pm.
Sat, March 07
Anything that takes place outside, keep an eye out for weather-motivated cancellations
Cape Try Scuba, Cape Girardeau, MO - A beginner-friendly intro to scuba diving where you’ll take your first breaths underwater with guided instruction. 1pm-3pm.
Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale, Cape Girardeau, MO - Stock up on books, movies, and more. Paperbacks $1 and hardcovers $2. 9am-5pm. Everyone knows reading books and collecting them are two separate hobbies.
RCR Cars and Coffee, Cape Girardeau, MO - A laid-back morning meetup for car and truck enthusiasts at Krispy Kreme. All makes welcome, spectators too. 8am-10am, first Saturdays March through October. Rain or shine.
Underground Comedy, Cape Girardeau, MO - Stand-up comedy night at Scout Hall. 21+. Doors 7pm, show 8pm. Tickets $12 advance / $15 day of. (Sponsored)
4C "Never Too Old" Roping, Burfordville, MO - Roping for the cowboys aged 50+ at the Cape County Cowboy Church Arena with a round robin draw, short barrier, and lunch included. Buckles awarded to eight contestants. 10am. $200 per man.
9th Annual Spring Vendor and Craft Show, Advance, MO - A full day of door-to-door vendors, handmade goods, and early Easter and spring finds at the Advance KC Hall. Zimzala Food Truck on site and door prizes throughout the day. Free admission.
Levee & River Trail Ranger Walk, Sainte Genevieve, MO - A 1.5 mile guided walk with a park ranger exploring the Mississippi River’s role in Ste. Genevieve’s history. Family-friendly and free. 9:45am-11am every other Saturday March 7-May 2 at the Welcome Center.
Dirty South Roubaix 2026, Alto Pass, IL - A gravel grinder through the hills of Alto Pass with a 100k main event and a shorter course option for those who like their suffering slightly reduced. GO SUPPORT THE RACERS and enjoy the starting line energy.
5th Annual Shawnee Plunge, Elizabethtown, IL - A cold-water plunge at Pounds Hollow to benefit Friends of the Shawnee National Forest and the Equality Fire Department. Hike at 9am, forest therapy at noon, live music, food trucks, and the plunge at 2pm.
Buds and Bark Tree Hike, Makanda, IL - Learn how to identify trees by their buds and bark on a guided 1-mile hike along the Giant City Nature Trail with a community forester. Free program; registration required. 1pm-3pm at Giant City State Park.
TEA Talks - Cape Girardeau County Historical Society: Our Next 100 Year, Cape Girardeau, MO - Carla Jordan shares what’s ahead for the Historical Society and why preservation still matters. Doors open at 1:45pm at the James Reynolds House. Free admission, optional tea service available. (Sponsored)
Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale, Cape Girardeau, MO - Final day of the Friends of the Library book sale at Cape Girardeau Public Library with half-price deals on remaining books, DVDs, and more. 1-5pm. Do you have any idea what's half of $1? Pretty affordable.
Accessible Birding Hike, Makanda, IL - A guided bird walk along the accessible Post Oak Trail at Giant City State Park led by a Southern Illinois Audubon Society volunteer. Binoculars available to borrow. Free program; registration required. 9:30am-11:30am. We're all bound to bird. It's inevitable. Just give in.
What Frog Is That?, Makanda, IL - A biologist-led presentation on identifying the frogs of Southern Illinois at Giant City State Park. Free indoor program with limited seating; registration required. 1pm-2pm.
Plan Ahead - The Fun You Can't Improvise
Shawnee Hills Trail Group Hike, Shawnee National Forest, IL - Guided 4.5 mile out-and-back hike from the East Trigg Trailhead led by So/ILL celeb - Hiking With Shawn. Donuts and coffee provided after the hike. Saturday, March 21.
Shamrock Shuffle 5K & Fun Run, Patterson, MO - St. Patrick’s themed race through Otahki Lake KOA campground with a 5K and 1-mile fun run/walk. Proceeds benefit the Care Camps Foundation supporting children with cancer. Saturday, March 21. 1 mile starts 9am, 5K starts 9:30am.
GlenVegas Gambler Mountain Bike Race, Glendale, IL - Off-road mountain bike race on the Lake Glendale trail system featuring fast descents, rocky terrain, and steep climbs. Proceeds support trail building and maintenance by the Shawnee Mountain Bike Association. Saturday, April 25. Races begin 10am.
Devil’s Toll Race, Middle Brook, MO - A rugged 13-mile trail run or hike across the Ozark Trail from Taum Sauk Mountain to Johnson’s Shut-Ins with steep climbs, rocky terrain, and Black River crossing. Fundraiser for the Ozark Trail Association. October 4, 2026. I know October is still pretty far away, but I'm telling you now, so you can train.
For each event, you’ll find more info at the link. *Because these events are upcoming, they have not been vetted. That would require a time machine, and we don't have the funds. Party at your own discretion.
WORD SCRAMBLE ANSWER:GRAVEL
Find Us on Social
All the good pics & vids from the local destinations we scout are on Facebook and Instagram.
Welp, (*slaps knees), we better get goin'. Some big, warm gratitude from the Bootheel of our heart to our generous sponsor, VisitCape.
Catch you down the road.
Caitlan Hester Publisher, Backroad Weekly
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