The Drive from Columbia
About 90 miles and 90 minutes—plus where to make the last grocery and gas stop.
Table of Contents
- The Route at a Glance
- Good Stops Along I-70
- The Last Grocery & Gas Run
- Towing Boats & Bikes
- Keeping Kids Sane (90 minutes)
- Arrival
The Route at a Glance
| Leg | Roads | Approx. |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia → Wentzville | I-70 East | ~70 mi |
| Wentzville → Troy | US-61 North | ~20 mi |
| Troy → park entrance | Route 47 N → Route 147 E | ~6 mi |
| Total | ~90–95 mi · 1.5 hrs |
From Troy: take Route 47 north ~3 miles to Route 147, turn east, and follow it ~3 miles to the entrance at 678 State Route 147.
Plug “Cuivre River State Park” or 678 State Route 147, Troy, MO 63379 into your map app before you lose strong signal. Cell coverage is decent but spotty in the park’s wooded valleys.
Good Stops Along I-70
- Kingdom City (Exit 148) — big gas/travel plaza, fast food, restrooms. Classic first stretch break.
- Williamsburg (Exit 161) — Crane’s Country Store, an old-fashioned general store; a fun, quick leg-stretch with snacks and bathrooms.
- Warrenton (Exit 188) — Walmart and groceries; a solid last big-grocery option if you’d rather not shop at the start.
- Wentzville (Exit 208 area) — full services where you turn north onto US-61; the last major shopping before Troy.
The Last Grocery & Gas Run
Do a final fresh/cold grocery top-off and fuel-up near the end of the drive so perishables spend the least time in the car:
- Wentzville or Troy — full-size grocery and Walmart in Troy (~10–15 min from the park). Best for ice, fresh meat, produce, and anything forgotten.
- Gas up in Troy—it’s the last easy fuel before the park.
- Grab bagged ice here to refresh the coolers right before camp.
See the Shopping List for what to buy and the Meal Prep guide for what to bring already cooked or frozen.
Towing Boats & Bikes
- Secure the load: double-check kayak straps and bike-rack arms before highway speed, and re-check at your first stop—wind on I-70 finds anything loose.
- Mind clearances and rear visibility with bikes/boats on the back; light loads can swing on crosswinds.
- Mirror tags & tail lights: make sure trailer/RV lights work before leaving home.
Keeping Kids Sane (90 minutes)
It’s a short drive, but with little ones (ages 1–12) a little prep helps:
- Snack bags and water bottles within reach (not buried in a packed cooler).
- A “spot it” list for the road: barns, hawks on fence posts, the Kingdom City water tower, semis honking when you wave.
- Downloaded shows/music/audiobooks for the youngest.
- One “are we there yet?” landmark: when you turn onto Route 147, you’re 10 minutes out.
For lots more, see Kids at Camp.
Arrival
- Stop at the entrance / office area; confirm sites and grab a park map.
- Ask about current conditions: burn bans, beach hours, river levels, the week’s naturalist program schedule.
- Find our clustered sites, pick the group HQ site, and start camp setup.