Clay County, Missouri
The welcome center for Smithville Lake & Clay County’s parks.
A 4,000-acre lake, more than 80 miles of trail, two campgrounds, three marinas, and the frontier history of Jesse James, trip planning, reservations, and live conditions, all in one place.
Today at Smithville Lake
Sample board, on the live site, staff post updates in seconds.
Updated by park staffStart here
What do you want to do today?
The most-used tasks up front, reserve a site, find a trail, check conditions, or step back into county history.
Parks & places
Eight places, one park system
Smithville Lake
A 4,000-acre lake for every season, boating, camping, trails, and beaches.
Jesse James Birthplace
The farm where the legend began, and the largest collection of James family artifacts.
Tryst Falls
A day-use park around one of the only natural waterfalls in the area.
Rocky Hollow
A former quarry turned county park, fishing, paddling, and a primitive trail.
On the trail
More than 80 miles of trail
Hiking trails
Primitive & paved paths around Smithville Lake
Equestrian trails
Horse trails with a dedicated equestrian camping area and stalls
Mountain bike trails
Singletrack for mountain biking
What’s on
Upcoming at the parks
One-Room School Field Trip
A four-hour living-history program for up to thirty students, taught in 1880s style.
Pharis Farm Special Event
The 1927 conservation farm opens to visitors during special events.
Weekend at the Marinas
Pontoon and fishing-boat rentals, bait shops, and open ramps across three marinas.
Never miss a closure
Get park alerts
Opt in to notifications by email, SMS, or browser push, and choose the topics you care about. When staff post a lake-level change, a ramp closure, or a trail advisory, it reaches you right away.
Where the legend began
Clay County’s historic sites
Jesse James Birthplace
The farm where the legend began, and the largest collection of James family artifacts.
Jesse James Bank Museum
The site of the nation's first successful daylight peacetime bank robbery, restored to 1866.
Mt. Gilead School & Church
An 1870s church and one-room school, a living history classroom and a rentable venue.
Ask Clay County Parks
Have a question? Just ask.
Search answers a plain-language question straight from the park records, then shows you where the answer came from.
Ready when the County is