Planning a family trip to Roaring River State Park? Here’s our honest review of the trout fishing, lodging, hiking, where to eat, and why we chose Roaring River over Bennett Springs.
This year for spring break, we decided to stay close to home. We visited Isla Mujeres earlier this year and thought a low-key road trip sounded nice. My son has gotten really into fishing lately, and Missouri has several trout hatcheries that we had heard good things about!
Bennett Springs vs. Roaring River
My husband grew up visiting Bennett Springs State Park to trout fish with his family. Our first inclination was to go to Bennett Springs, since it was familiar to him. But, after surveying some fisher friends and reading reviews, we decided that Roaring River State Park seemed to be a better option.
Why? The consensus was that Roaring River was much less crowded and the facilities much more updated. After visiting, my husband was agreed!
Where to Stay
When visiting Roaring River, you have several options for lodging:
- In Park: Roaring River State Park offers in-park lodging, both hotel-style options and private cabins.
- Outside Park Motor Lodges: Along the road into the park, there are several old school motor lodges. We stayed at one, and I provide more details below.
- Outside Park AirBnbs: We passed several cute cabins on our drive in that are available on AirBnb and VRBO.
We opted to stay at the Fishers of Men resort and loved it! I cannot speak to the smaller, 1-bedroom cabins. But the newer, two-bedroom family cabins are squeaky clean and really quite spacious for the price. Our cabin (number 18) had a fully outfitted kitchen, and 1.5 bathrooms.
The kids in our group played basketball and horseshoes and wished that it was summer, so the pool was option. Our cooked most dinners at the resort, using their grills and provided firewood for campfires.
I would definitely recommend this family-owned hotel. It was much more affordable than the in-park lodging, but still close to the park entrance!
Things to Do
Roaring River State Park is located near Cassville, Missouri, a small town with just over 3,000. Despite its small size, Cassville serves as a hub for the surrounding area. In town, you will find most amenities including a Wal-Mart, restaurants and medical services.
Our group kept busy while visiting! Here were the favorite activities:
- Fishing: Of course, we fished for trout! Our group stuck to Zone 3, which allows you to use live bait. Make sure you have your Missouri fishing license and purchase your daily tags from the store near the park entrance.
- Hiking: Roaring Rivere has a well-established trail system, ranging from beginner to expert. We were able to find hikes that suited the youngest kids in our group, as well as some more advanced trails.
- Natural Spring and Hatchery: The Roaring River is fed by a beautiful natural spring. The State of Missouri has built a trout hatchery adjacent to the spring to take advantage of the cold-water environment. The kids absolutely loved seeing the trout in their various stages of growth!
- Family Activities: Outside of the park entrance is Zone 4, a local mini golf course with batting cages and axe throwing. We were impressed with the well-kept facility and the live entertainment schedule at this business. Oh, and there’s ice cream!
Where to Eat
As I mentioned above, we cooked most of our meals at the resort. But we did enjoy one meal out at the restaurant in Emory Melton Inn, which is in the park.
I did not have high expectations, but it was a wonderful meal! The food was fresh and incorporated trout into several menu items, of course. There was a kid’s menu with pizza and burgers, which I appreciated. They handled our large group beautifully.
Overall, my family enjoyed our trip to Roaring River, and we’d certainly return. It hits the spot for an affordable, family trip that keeps you close to home!
If you’re planning a trip to Roaring River State Park, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.