Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park

06/22/2026

YES on 1 - Preserve MO State Parks, Soil & Water

You've seen this sign at every Missouri state park.
The trails it points to are free. The path it points down is maintained. The trailhead has water, restrooms, a map, sometimes a ranger.
None of that happens by accident.
For 40 years, Amendment 1 has kept Missouri's 93 state parksand historic sites free and welcoming to 20 million visitors a year. It's funded by a 1/10 of 1% sales tax Missourians have approved five times since 1984. The next renewal is on the ballot August 4th.
About $20 a year per Missourian. Half to parks. Half to soil and water conservation.
Vote YES on Amendment 1, August 4th.

06/18/2026

Congratulations to Dan and Connie for their devotion to Missouri Conservation and for also being trail champions! Well deserved.

A few weeks back, Dan and Connie Burkhardt were presented with the Master Conservationist Award from the Missouri Conservation Commission.

While we celebrate them and their accomplishments, we also extend that celebration and this award to everyone who has worked with and supported MagMO through the years.

At its core, MagMO is not only about preserving the land itself but preserving our community. This is more than a MagMO win - it is a COMMUNITY WIN! Everything we do is made possible by all of you. THANK YOU!

05/31/2026

Rosebud is next!

🌿🚲 What an incredible day for the Rock Island Trail! 🚲🌿

Saturday’s Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony celebrated the newest completed section of the Rock Island Trail — the Owensville to Soap Creek Bridge segment! 💚

The celebration took place at Lakeside Books in Owensville, and after the ceremony, visitors were able to hop on their bikes and experience the new trail firsthand with a ride out to Soap Creek Bridge.

It was exciting to see what this trail means for our area — new faces exploring, families with strollers, dogs out enjoying the day, bicycles hitting the trail, and people genuinely excited about the future of connecting our small towns. 🚲🌿

Now it’s Rosebud’s turn to keep the momentum going! 🌹

On top of celebrating this incredible milestone, several generous supporters donated toward the Rosebud section of the Rock Island Trail, bringing us one step closer to making our stretch a reality:

🌿 $300 in donations at Clancy’s Marketplace
👕 $160 in trail shirt purchases & orders
🚲 $5,000 donated at the ribbon cutting

That’s $5,460 raised in ONE DAY!

Even better? Donations are currently being MATCHED — turning yesterday’s support into:

🎉 $10,920 toward the Rosebud trail project! 🎉

With the $35,000 already raised, that brings the Rosebud Rock Island Trail fundraising total to:

💚 $45,920! 💚

The Rock Island Trail is more than a path. It’s an opportunity to connect our communities, bring visitors to our small towns, support local businesses, and create something that families will enjoy for generations.

The work isn’t finished — and we need your help to keep the trail moving toward Rosebud!

👕 Stop by Clancy’s Marketplace to purchase your Rock Island Trail shirt or make a donation.

💻 Want to donate directly? Donations can be made through the FoRIT (Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park) website, where you can select your donation to go directly toward the City of Rosebud’s section of the trail:

https://tinyurl.com/RosebudTrail

Every shirt purchased, every donation made, and every person who believes in this vision helps get us closer.

Together, we can connect the whole thing. 🌿🚲

Thank you for believing in Rosebud. 💚

— Rosebud Area Enrichment Association

05/30/2026

Support State Parks and soil and water conservation in Missouri! Fun fact- Missouri is one of only 8 states that has free entry into its 93 state parks and historic sites.

Missouri Amendment 1 helps support our state parks, historic sites, clean water, and soil conservation programs using a long-standing existing tax that Missouri voters have renewed for decades.

On August 4, voters will decide whether to continue that funding for another 10 years.

The small tax, 1/10 of 1% (1¢ on a $10 purchase), helps
✅ preserve free access to state parks
✅ maintain and improve trails, facilities, and historic sites
✅support conservation work that reduces soil erosion and protects water quality, especially on agricultural land
✅ provide a stable dedicated funding stream rather than relying on annual budget decisions.

If the amendment fails, the tax will expire in 2028. State parks and conservation programs would lose a major funding source.

Remember to check your voter registration and VOTE on AUGUST 4th!

05/30/2026

Be sure to join us at 10:00 am tomorrow, Saturday, May 30 for the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of the newest Rock Island Trail Segment. The event takes place at Lakeside Books, 1005 Commercial Drive, Owensville, MO Watch for signs for parking on the front side of the building. You are welcome to bring your bicycles and ride to the Soap Creek Bridge following the short ceremony. Water, snacks, and a surprise will be available at the bridge. Round trip to the Soap Creek Bridge and back to Lakeside is approximately 5.6 miles. PLEASE NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE TRAIL AT SOAP CREEK, You will have to return to Lakeside or exit on one of the county road crossings. Please do not trespass on private property.

05/29/2026

Shirts will be available at the grand opening of the new Gasconade County SectIon on Saturday, May 30.

Help support the Rosebud stretch of the Rock Island Trail!

05/26/2026

Energizing a Region

Eastern Rock Island Trail Momentum Continues with May 30 Ribbon Cutting in Gasconade County

The Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park, in partnership with the Gasconade County Commission and regional trail advocates, invites the public to celebrate the opening of another completed segment of Rock Island Trail State Park on Saturday, May 30, 2026.

Since Missouri established its 93rd State Park in June 2023, Rock Island Trail State Park has emerged as one of the most ambitious outdoor recreation and rural revitalization projects in Missouri history. The largely unopened nearly 200-mile corridor has the potential to transform tourism, recreation, and economic development across dozens of communities while creating a nationally significant 450-mile trail experience when connected to the Katy Trail. “The Rock Island Trail is far more than a trail project,” said Rick Mihalevich. “It represents a generational investment in rural communities, small businesses, outdoor recreation, and regional economic growth across Missouri.”

Thanks to grants, local partnerships, advocacy efforts, and private donations, development along the eastern corridor continues to gain momentum. Communities across Osage, Maries, Gasconade, and Franklin counties are seeing new opportunities emerge as additional trail segments open to the public.

The May 30th celebration marks the official opening of the 2.8-mile section from Highway 19 to Soap Creek Bridge in Gasconade County, connecting to the existing 2.4-mile trail segment in Owensville.

The event will feature remarks from Missouri State Parks staff, elected officials, trail advocates, and community leaders, followed by a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Attendees will also be among the first to experience the newly opened trail segment to Soap Creek Bridge, where organizers promise a special surprise.

Local organizations, including the Rosebud Area Enrichment Association, the East 24 Group, and FoRIT, will also provide project updates and information about continued trail development efforts.

Event Details

What:
Ribbon Cutting & Official Opening of the Highway 19 to Soap Creek Bridge Segment of the Rock Island Trail State Park

Hosted By:
Gasconade County Commission with support from the Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park

When:
Saturday, May 30, 2026
10:00 a.m.

Where:
Lakeside Books – Paper Dock Parking Lot
1005 Commercial Drive
Owensville, Missouri 65066



www.rockislandtrail.org

[email protected]

MISSOURI ROCK ISLAND TRAILSupporting the Development of Rock Island Trail State Park Support Rock Island Trail State Park ABOUT Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park is a coalition of communities, businesses, organizations, and citizens. FoRIT seeks to work....

05/21/2026

Trail section opening on May 30.

05/18/2026

Photos from a recent visit to the Rock Island Bridge in Kansas City. This repurposed bridge is an event center just across the street from the HyVee Center and crosses the Kansas River. When totally completed it will connect trails in both Missouri and Kansas.