Pomme de Terre State Park

Pomme de Terre State Park is a 734-acre recreational area on a lake in central Missouri. The grounds include two public swimming beaches, winding hiking trails through forest and meadows, and various overnight options ranging from tent camping to comfortable waterfront cottages.

The area served as a boundary between Native Americans and settlers in the 1800s before becoming a recreational park in 1960. This transformation from a contested frontier zone to a public leisure space marked a major shift in how the region was valued and used.

The name comes from French fur trappers who explored the region and named it after wild fruits they found growing there. Visitors walking along the shoreline can still sense the connection to these early trading routes.

The grounds offer 240 tent sites, three yurts, and four camper cabins directly on the water, plus a boat house and a comfortable lake house for longer stays. Boat launch areas are available throughout the park, and swimming beaches have gently sloping entries while trails are clearly marked for different fitness levels.

The park is home to post and dwarf oak trees over 200 years old with unusually short, rounded crowns shaped by the dry soil conditions in the region. These distinctive trees are scattered throughout the grounds and show how plants adapt to challenging environments.

Location: Hickory County

Inception: 1960

Website: https://mostateparks.com/park/pomme-de-terre-state-park

GPS coordinates: 37.87140,-93.31780

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:40