Missouri 21 — St. Francois Mountain Run
Missouri Route 21 threads 61 miles of genuine hill-and-hollow Ozark riding from MO-141 in suburban St. Louis County south toward the Arkansas border. The road earns its reputation through the St. Francois Mountains corridor — one of the oldest exposed mountain ranges in North America — passing Elephant Rock State Park near Belleview, skirting Taum Sauk Mountain (Missouri's high point, accessible via MO-CC spur), and crossing repeated ridgelines in Iron and Reynolds counties. The pavement is well-maintained two-lane with steady curves and minimal truck traffic; riders frequently link it with MO-32 east of Potosi and MO-8 for multi-county Ozark loops. The section south of Hillsboro toward Potosi is the technical core of the route.
What you'll hit along the way.
Rider-verified stops, overlooks, fuel, and the corners worth knowing about — in the order you'll meet them.
Affton
Southern St. Louis suburb where the route begins, offering fuel and services before heading into the Ozark hills.
Caledonia
Small historic town in the St. Francois Mountains, a pleasant midpoint stop with rural Missouri character.
Memorial
Roadside memorial near Graniteville worth a brief stop to take in the surrounding granite-ridge landscape.
Ironton
Iron County seat tucked into the mountains, a good spot for fuel and a short break near Shepherd Mountain.
Lesterville
Quiet community along the Black River corridor, popular with canoeists and a natural resting point on the route.
Hill Top
The southern endpoint of the run, marking the end of the St. Francois Mountain stretch.
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Runs are rider-logged & GPS-traced in the app
Ride your own ride — times are rider-logged & GPS-traced, never a race on public roads.
Shot by the riders who've run it.
Riders upload photos to their profile and tag the road or stop — tagged shots show up here automatically.