Finger Lakes State Park

Finger Lakes State Park
Missouri State Park
Country United States
State Missouri
County Boone
Elevation 722 ft (220 m) [1]
Coordinates 39°05′26″N 92°19′00″W / 39.09056°N 92.31667°W / 39.09056; -92.31667Coordinates: 39°05′26″N 92°19′00″W / 39.09056°N 92.31667°W / 39.09056; -92.31667 [1]
Area 1,128.69 acres (457 ha) [2]
Established 1973
Management Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Location in Missouri
Website: Finger Lakes State Park

Finger Lakes State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Missouri consisting of 1,128 acres (456 ha) in Boone County near the city of Columbia. The park is unusual in that the site was reclaimed after having been strip mined for coal. Between 1964 and 1967 the area was known as Peabody Coal's Mark Twain Mine, from which the company removed 1.2 million short tons (1.1 Tg) of coal. Peabody donated the land to the state for use as a park, and the state restored the site with one of a dozen federal grants issued with the intent to demonstrate the conversion of strip-mined land to recreational use.[3]

Activities and amenities

Activities at the park include camping, fishing, picnicking, swimming, mountain biking, and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding.[4]

The park has many hills and gullies that are crossed by more than 70 miles (110 km) of trails for off-road motorcycles, ATVs, and motocross. It is one of two state parks in Missouri used for off-road vehicles. The history of the other, St. Joe State Park, is also connected with mining.

A 1.5-mile-long (2.4 km) corridor of water, created by joining small isolated lakes left by the mining, are used for canoeing, fishing, swimming, and scuba diving. The lake features a large sand beach. A shaded camping area has 35 sites, 16 of which have electricity.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Finger Lakes State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "State parks...estimated acres" (PDF). Revised Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan: 2008-2012. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. pp. 142–143. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  3. ↑ "General Information: Finger Lakes State Park". Missouri State Parks. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Finger Lakes State Park". Missouri State Parks. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
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