River cruise ships, "The Rattlesnake", and low-water bridges
Day Trips for Southeast Missourians
Events, trails, shops, restaurants, museums. All an easy drive away. In your inbox, every Thursday.
Join the 1,800+ SE Missourians reading the local guide on things to do.
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The World Cup has made focusing on this issue nearly impossible.
Behold! For it is a miracle that the thing got written.
Happy adventuring! (Or World Cup binging)
Get Outside - Hartle's Ford / Little Whitewater Creek
If you're a freak for a creek, this one's for you.
The next time you're in Cape County looking for a quick and easy way to get outside, there's a ~4.5-mile stretch of gravel road that takes you to two low-water bridges. The bridges cross Little Whitewater Creek, where local folks like to pull over, hang out on the gravel bar, and watch belted kingfishers plunge headfirst into the water, hunting for fish.
Getting There
Take County Road 352 through Whitewater Township. 352 will turn into 368 when it enters Bollinger County. I mapped it for you, milord.
The crossing closer to Millersville tends to attract more visitors, while the second is a little quieter.
Parking & Amenities (or the Lack of)
You will not find a parking lot, restrooms, or any kind of amenities. Don't go if you're not down for the 'roughin it' creek hang. Parking is limited and informal. Some people park on the gravel bar. (I will deny I ever wrote this if you get stuck.) Others find a spot where the gravel road is wide enough to pull off onto the shoulder. To get a visual before you go, check out this pin on satellite view.
Things to Do
If the affliction of modern living has sucked your outdoor imagination dry, you might not "get" why a little ol' creek is a destination. There's no trail or playground. Heck, it's not even deep enough for a proper swim.
This is a destination for the pro dilly dally-ers who wade, sit in lawn chairs, hunt fossils, catch crawdads, read paperbacks, collect rocks, and people watch.
Safety & Responsible Use Reminders
The last thing I want to do is alarm or preach. But I also don't want angry grannies who happily share their criticisms in my inbox. I want happy grannies sharing virtual high fives. And I mean, the grannies are right anyway.
Pay attention:
This is a natural area. There are no lifeguards.
As with all creeks, avoid submerging your head. Even clear creeks can contain bacteria from wildlife and agricultural runoff.
Water levels, current, and visibility can change after rain. Consider skipping the water altogether for a day or two after heavy rain.
Wear water shoes. You never know what jerks have carelessly broken a bottle. (This is the excuse I use to avoid admitting I have soft 21st-century feet. It's a good excuse though).
Pack out your trash. All of it. In fact, take an extra trash bag to help pick up other people's trash.
Don't block the road or bridge when parking.
And write to me and tell me what birds you saw.
This Week at Mesta Meadows
The big, tough, guard dog pups had their first vet check. Doc says they're as fit as a squeaky, plush fiddle.
Photographic evidence that life on the ranch isn't all fence mending and manure.
In other ranch news, the team is gearing up for Father's Day. The farm store, the Mason Jar, is running a 10% off sale, so dad can brag at the cookout that the brats and steaks are Southeast Missouri-raised.
You can place an order online or hunt down Mesta Meadows at a farmers' market. But I still think you should go visit the ranch in person this Saturday because...puppies.
*Sponsored by Mesta Meadows
Huge head. Mohawk. Solitary. Fishing enthusiast. I'm not describing your bar-hopping uncle. It's the banded kingfisher. Spotted at Little Whitewater Creek off County Road 352 (Hartle's Ford, first crossing from Millersville) on May 31, 2026.
WE'RE PRINTING AN ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE
What might look like a t-shirt render is actually a LOT of time and love. From finding the right local designer (Surefire Studio❤️) to driving her nuts. Then, finding the right local screen printer (Horizon Companies❤️) and driving them nuts. And then what brand??? We all have enough cardboard-feeling-freebie shirts we got at a 5K. So, I chose Comfort Colors. Soft and durable with a worn vintage look. After months of calls, emails, logistics, and decision-making, this thing is finally PRINTING. The goal is open sales by July 9th. All funds raised will go directly to maintaining and growing Backroad Weekly. More info next week🐢.
Get paid to art (and donate half):
It's time again for the Malone Park Center for the Arts Rodeo Art Challenge!
Here's the deal: You create an original, one-of-a-kind work of art that celebrates the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. All artistic mediums are welcome: mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture, stained glass, macramé, you name it.
Then, all submitted works are auctioned online. You get half the cash, and the other half goes to the Center to support affordable art and music classes in the Bootheel.
“I'm a bluesman moving through a blues-soaked America, a blues-soaked world, a planet where catastrophe and celebration- joy and pain sit side by side. The blues started off in some field, some plantation, in some mind, in some imagination, in some heart. The blues blew over to the next plantation, and then the next state. The blues went south to north, got electrified and even sanctified. The blues got mixed up with jazz and gospel and rock and roll.” ― Cornel West, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, A Memoir
Before there was I-55, there was U.S. Route 61, the Blues Highway...the road that carried American music traditions from southern stages to northern ears. We're proud to say Cape Girardeau was a crossroads in this great music migration.
VisitCape has partnered with Scout Hall to keep the tradition alive. St. Louis-native, Matt "The Rattlesnake" Lesch, will perform "the electrified and sanctified" blues on Cape's historic Broadway St. July 10th. Get info and live music history.
*Sponsored by VisitCape
While you're over here daydreaming about an Alaskan cruise, there are people paying thousands to cruise the Mississippi River and stop in exotic port towns like Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Pick your jaws up off the ground. I keep telling you we're cool. You gotta start believing me.
Go see for yourself. Cruise ships are scheduled to dock at Cape's Riverfront Park on June 23 (12:30-9pm) and June 24 (9am-5pm). It's quite a sight to see a large, decadent cruise ship sitting on top of our big muddy river.
4th Annual Summer Nights Arts Festival, Farmington, MO - It's a two-day festival celebrating art and music. Artists will line Columbia Street, and musicians will be on the patio of 102 Tap House. 4-10pm.
America's Spectacular Hikes with Isaac Hampton, Malden, MO - Malden-native Isaac Hampton is a thru-hiker, meaning he completed the Pacific Crest Trail that is 2,650 miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. It took him 137 days through deserts and mountain ranges. Come hear his story. Free. 6pm. Call to reserve seats.
Music in the Park, Sikeston, MO - Another night of Historic Downtown Sikeston's summer concert series. 6-8pm. Free.
Stained Glass Snake Plant Class, Dexter, MO - Say the name of this event five times fast. They just invented a new tongue twister: stained glass snake plant class, stained glass snake plant class... I can't do it. Anyway, it's a beginner-friendly stained-glass workshop. $50.
Book Bingo,Jackson, MO - It's book-themed bingo at the library! 18+. Play for book prizes. 3-4pm
Sat, June 20
Strawberry Festival, Cape Girardeau, MO - Cape's Riverfront Market turns red! "Celebrate all things strawberry at our sweetest event of the season!" Get fresh, locally grown strawberries and strawberry-inspired treats. 8am-12pm. Free.
Citywide Juneteenth Celebration, Cape Girardeau, MO - A free and family-friendly celebration of freedom with live entertainment, vendor booths, and a kids' zone. 11am-4pm. Free. (sponsored)
Great Rivers Community Band Festival, Cape Girardeau, MO - The Jackson AND Cape Municipal Bands are combining their powers with a special guest. Free, and a great chance to spend some time at the Bedell Hall at the River Campus. 6:30pm.
Owl Presentation: Great Horned Owls, Cape Girardeau, MO - Learn about owls in an engaging presentation by an award-winning naturalist. You're guaranteed to learn something mind blowing. Or your money back. It's free. Registration is required.
4th Annual Summer Nights Arts Festival, Farmington, MO - Day two of the festival celebrating art and music. Artists will line Columbia Street and musicians will be on the patio of 102 Tap House. 11am -10pm.
Juneteenth Celebration, Sikeston, MO - Food, entertainment, and community come together at Lincoln Park to remember the past and celebrate the future.
South High Summer Fest, Jackson, MO - "Get ready for a full-on summer block party in the heart of Uptown Jackson!" Shopping, food, live music, and kids' zones, wooo! 9am-2pm.
Klaus Park Work Day, Jackson, MO. - Help keep your local trail lookin' fresh. Help clear debris and vegetation, and smooth out some rough sections of the trail. 8am-12pm.
Millersville Craft Fair,Millersville, MO - Unique finds indoors and farmers' market outdoors. 9am-3pm.
Band-a-Palooza, Wappapello, MO - Rock out for pets. Five bands will play to benefit the Animal Welfare Alliance of Se/MO. 6:30pm. $10.
618 Jeeps Meet & Greet, Jonesboro, IL - Jeep owners and lovers, meet the current members of 618 Jeeps. 11am at Trail of Tears State Forest Shelter 2. There will be games and trivia, and you might make a friend who also likes Jeeps.
Herbal Medicine Workshop, Anna, IL - Includes guided tours of herb garden & farm, presentations, and demonstrations. Today (June 18) is the last day to register! $50. Potluck lunch.
Big Muddy Monster Festival, Murphysboro, IL - "The day is rooted in the infamous Big Muddy Monster sightings and the region’s deep well of cryptid lore." A market, food trucks, and speakers telling spooky stories at the library. Go get all the bigfoot merch your big heart desires.
Bear Branch Fun Show, Eddyville, IL - Barrels, poles, buddy pick up. If you like riding and watching horses, well giddy up.
Sun, June 21
Kimmswick Father's Day Car Show, Kimmswick, MO - Eat lunch, shop, and look at cars, trucks, and motorcycles. If it's been hard to convince the men in your life to take you out for a day of cute shop hopping in Kimmswick, here's the compromise.
AND A VERY HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE PADRES!
Plan Ahead - The Fun You Can't Improvise
Wild About Watercolor, Puxico, MO - Learn about ruby-throated hummingbirds and paint your own watercolor opus inspired by one of nature's tiniest speed demons. No painting experience required. Ages 12+. Wednesday, June 24. 9-11:30am. Registration required.
Tour de Corn, East Prairie, MO - One of the flattest, friendliest, and paved-iest rides around with 15-, 30-, 63-, and 100-mile routes through the Bootheel. The hometown support and rest stops are legendary. June 27. Ride starts 7:30am.
Klaus Park Klash Mountain Bike Race, Jackson, MO - From youth to adults, nearly 100 riders from 4-5 states gather to take on laps around a 5-mile course at Klaus Park in Jackson for awards and cash prizes. This is a major fundraiser for our youth mountain bike team, so if you want to see locals ride MTB in the Olympics someday, spread the frickin' word, sign up, and ride (or just donate). June 28.
Strawberry Moon Paddle, Ullin, IL - Cache Bayou Outfitters is hosting another guided full moon paddle through the cypress swamp of the Cache River Wetlands - this time under June's Strawberry Moon. Saturday, June 28. $65 adults, $25 kids.
Birding by Season: Summer, Cape Girardeau, MO - A class for beginner birders to learn about our summer resident feathered friends and then hit the trails to try to spot some with a naturalist. Free, but you must register. Wednesday, July 1 at 5:30pm.
Discover Oak Hickory Forests, Cape Girardeau, MO - Learn how to identify oaks and hickory, how to harvest and prepare the nuts, and take to the trails to test your skills. Thursday, July 9 at 5:30pm.
Miner Tough Trail Run & Mountain Bike Race, Park Hills, MO - One of Southeast Missouri's premier endurance weekends returns to St. Joe State Park with trail running on Saturday and mountain bike racing on Sunday. Choose from a half marathon, 5-mile run, fun run, XC mountain bike categories, or tackle both days for a shot at the overall weekend title. July 11-12.
Shawnee Hills Trail Races, Ozark, IL - One of the Midwest's premier trail running events returns to Camp Ondessonk with distances ranging from a half marathon to 100 miles. Runners tackle rugged singletrack through the Shawnee National Forest, passing sandstone canyons, waterfalls, creek crossings, and some of Southern Illinois' most spectacular scenery. August 22-23. Registration closes August 15.
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.