A Little History
Long before campers like us showed up, people were taking shelter in Graham Cave. Archaeologists have found evidence that Native Americans used the cave as long as 10,000 years ago, during the Dalton and Archaic periods. The cave is named for Robert Graham, who bought the land in 1847. Excavations by the University of Missouri and the Missouri Archaeological Society ran from 1949 to 1961, and in 1961 Graham Cave became the first archaeological site in the United States to be designated a National Historic Landmark.
Our Visit
We woke up early at Raccoon Mountain and squeezed in one last morning walk. Then we packed up and pointed the truck toward Missouri. The drive to Graham Cave State Park near Danville wasn’t too long, so we rolled in with plenty of daylight left to explore.
A Quiet Midweek Campground
Arriving in the middle of the week has its perks. For one, the campground was nearly empty and blissfully quiet. As a result, Lola and I wandered the grounds at our own pace.
She took full advantage of having the place mostly to herself. She trotted across the grass and sniffed every trail marker. She also stopped to greet the few campers we did run into.
Hiking the Glade Trail at Graham Cave State Park
The next morning we slept in (by camping standards, anyway) and were up around 7 to hike the Glade Trail. It’s a short trail, but a really pretty one. Because of that, it made for an easy, relaxed morning.
Lola set the pace, which mostly meant stopping every few feet to investigate a new smell. You can read more about it on the Missouri State Parks website. Overall, this was a great place to camp.
Wet Wood and Wings
Back at camp, I took on a real challenge: starting a fire with everything still soaking wet. It took some patience (and a few choice words). Eventually, though, I coaxed out just enough flame to cook some wings. 🔥
Lola supervised from a safe distance with her nose in the air. She made sure I knew exactly who deserved a share. I also managed to make the only campfire s’more of my trip here. So yummy!
After a small dinner, we retreated to the tent to relax for the evening. After all, we had a long push north ahead of us.
I also made a few drone videos however I accidentally grabbed the wrong versions, so this campsite wound up with crappy quality drone footage. If you’d like to see the others, visit my YouTube channel.
Next stop: Lake Mitchell Campground, South Dakota →
Enjoying the adventures?
Buy my human a coffee for the long drives, or buy me a biscuit. 25% of your purchase goes to local rescues & shelters. — Lola 🐾
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