Don Robinson State Park protects LaBarque sandstone country

Don Robinson State Park is a good Jefferson County shorthand: close to the St. Louis metro, but shaped by wooded hills, sandstone canyons, shelter caves, cliffs, glades, and the upper LaBarque Creek watershed.

Missouri State Parks says Don Robinson bought the land as a personal retreat, and that his wish was for the property to become part of the state park system. For a visitor or new resident, the park explains a lot about western and northern Jefferson County. The county is not only Mississippi River towns and suburban roads. It also has a rugged LaBarque landscape where geology, streams, and public land sit within a short drive of the city.