With a low chance of clouds in early April and a few destinations with totality around four minutes long, Missouri is a great alternative to what is sure to be a busy weekend in Texas. The eclipse cuts across the state’s southeast corner, but there are many great places to spend the weekend before the eclipse.
The average weather in southern Missouri during the first week of April is like a mild spring, with daytime highs in the upper 60s and overnight lows in the upper 40s. You’ll need to pack a light jacket and jeans for after dark, but you’ll be comfortable during the day.
There are almost twenty cities, towns, and state parks in the Path of Totality. Half of those are great places to spend the weekend and watch the eclipse on Monday.
The nearest international airport is about 100 miles away. But you can travel Amtrak along one route with two stations in the Path of Totality. Driving can be easy depending on where you go, but some places in Missouri are remote.

Table of Contents
- What is the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse?
- How to Safely View a Total Solar Eclipse
- How to Choose a Viewing Location
- Essential Eclipse Articles
- Map of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
- Best Places to See the Eclipse in Missouri
- Alternate Places to See the Eclipse in Missouri
- How to Get to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Missouri
- Things to Pack for Eclipse Day
What is the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse?
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the sunlight and casting a shadow on the Earth. As the Earth, Moon, and Sun continue to move, the shadow sweeps across the Earth – called the Path of Totality.
Anyone in the Path of Totality experiences the eerie wonderment of Totality. Totality is the longest on the centerline of the eclipse. And for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, it’s the longest in southwest Texas.
The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse is on Monday, April 8. The partial eclipse in Missouri will last from 12:37 to 3:17 p.m. (CDT). Totality will start between 1:54 and 1:58 p.m. (CDT), lasting up to 4 minutes and 8 seconds.
How to Safely View a Total Solar Eclipse
The only time it’s safe to look at the Sun during a total solar eclipse is during Totality, when the Moon completely blocks the sunlight. But it’s critical to wear solar eclipse glasses or use solar filters while looking at the partial eclipse before and after Totality. These specially designed glasses and filters comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard, allowing only 0.0032% of light to pass through.
During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, the American Astronomical Society found that Amazon was flooded with counterfeit solar eclipse glasses claiming to be compliant. The AAS compiled a list of verified suppliers of safe and compliant solar eclipse glasses to combat the dangerously fake glasses.
All my recommendations for solar eclipse glasses, solar binoculars, and solar telescopes below are made by suppliers verified by the American Astronomical Society.
Here are a few options for certified solar eclipse glasses:
- American Paper Optics Eclipser HD Glasses are stylish and sturdy for long uses.
- Rainbow Symphony offers a variety of options like Solar Eclipse Glasses, Wrap-Around Goggles, and Clip-On Solar Eclipse Glasses.
- You can buy cardboard framed glasses from American Paper Optics or Rainbow Symphony in a pinch.
Read More: Solar Eclipse Glasses, Binoculars, and Camera Filters for Safely Viewing a Total Solar Eclipse
How to Choose a Viewing Location
Photographers, scientists, and avid eclipse chasers will flock to southwest Texas to see the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. That’s because they are looking for the slightest chance of clouds, the longest duration of totality, and the easiest travel logistics. Their sole purpose for traveling is to view the eclipse. But they will see nothing if it’s cloudy on Eclipse Day.
That’s why I think you should use the eclipse as an excuse to travel and not just travel for the eclipse.
Instead of choosing a place based on the best eclipse conditions, choose an exciting travel destination that gives you something to do over the preceding weekend.
Here’s what I recommend you consider when choosing a viewing location:
- Travel destination. Does the place you want to visit have things to do, like local shopping, outdoor recreation, and great places to eat? If the destination has a tourism office, you’ll likely find things to do.
- Historical cloudiness and weather. AccuWeather says places in southwest Texas have the slightest chance of clouds in early April. The further north along the Path of Totality, the greater the chance of clouds. Places northeast of Illinois have the highest chance of clouds.
- Duration of Totality. The duration is longest along the Centerline in Texas. However, it’s only a minute shorter – and almost 3.5 minutes long – along the Centerline in Maine.
- Travel logistics. Fortunately, it’s remarkably easy to travel to almost any place in the Path of Totality.
Read More: How to Plan a Trip to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Essential Eclipse Articles
Browse these essential eclipse articles to learn more about planning a trip to see the eclipse, solar eclipse glasses and other things to pack, and how to find lodging for the eclipse.
Map of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
How to use this map | Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the (very faint) star at the end of the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.
Best Places to See the Eclipse in Missouri
Explore one of these destinations over the weekend before settling into a viewing spot on Eclipse Day.
Note About Eclipse Times
Times and durations can vary widely. For precise times while choosing a viewing location, use Xavier Jubier’s Interactive Map. On Eclipse Day, use the Solar Eclipse Timer app for precise times based on your location.
This list is in order by Start of Totality.
West Plains, MO
Partial Eclipse: 12:37 to 3:13 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:54:33 p.m. (CDT) )
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 4 seconds
West Plains is about 80 miles from Springfield and the closest interstate highway – a desirable quality for some travelers. It’s a favorite place for motorcyclists to ride the curvy two-lane highways in the Ozarks. Road trippers will enjoy the scenic routes to historic mills and beautiful springs. Head downtown to find local restaurants, shops, and breweries. Learn more about the Eclipse West Plains festival that kicks off on Friday, with events throughout the weekend.
Poplar Bluff, MO
Partial Eclipse: 12:39 to 3:15 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:56:21 p.m. (CDT) )
Duration of Totality: 4 minutes 8 seconds
With over four minutes of totality, Poplar Bluff will be popular in early April. It’s the ideal hub for a southeast Missouri road trip exploring outdoor recreation, wildlife, and scenic views in the Ozarks. Dive into the local cuisine and then walk off the inevitable food coma downtown. Visit the Total Solar Eclipse page to learn more about viewing locations.
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park
Partial Eclipse: 12:40 to 3:15 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:57:29 p.m. (CDT) )
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 19 seconds
The Boulder Field at Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park will be a great place to experience over two minutes of totality. Spend the rest of the weekend hiking, horseback riding, or exploring the fascinating geology in the St. Francois Mountains. Book one of the camper cabins or reserve a campsite with full hookups to enjoy the peaceful nights.
Read More: 10 Best State Parks to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Ironton, MO
Partial Eclipse: 12:40 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:57:36 p.m. (CDT) )
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 49 seconds
Ironton, Arcadia, and Pilot Knob are in Missouri’s Arcadia Valley. Surrounded by Mark Twain National Forest, you’ll find many places for hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing. Visit one of the valley towns to find local restaurants and shopping. Learn more about the “Blinded by the Light” solar eclipse event, where you’ll experience almost three minutes of totality.
Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site
Partial Eclipse: 12:40 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:57:44 p.m. (CDT) )
Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 28 seconds
Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site preserves a Civil War battlefield and remnants of the earthen Fort Davidson. With large, open fields, it will be a great place to experience almost three minutes of totality during the solar eclipse. Find places to stay in the Arcadia Valley and make it a weekend getaway.
Read More: 10 Best State Parks to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Sikeston, MO
Partial Eclipse: 12:41 to 3:17 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:58:03 p.m. (CDT) )
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 31 seconds
Sikeston is a small town along Interstate 55, making it an easy travel destination a little more than 100 miles south of St. Louis. It’s a great base camp for a weekend of road trips, wine tours, and outdoor recreation. Visit the small downtown for local restaurants and shops. Learn about the town’s Total Eclipse of the Park events throughout the weekend.
Cape Girardeau, MO
Partial Eclipse: 12:41 to 3:17 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:58:22 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 4 minutes 6 seconds
Cape Girardeau has a gorgeous downtown along the Mississippi River in Missouri. It’s a great place for exploring local history, enjoying delicious local food, and relaxing with spectacular views of the Mighty Mississippi. Visit the city’s eclipse information page to learn more about viewing parties and booking lodging.
Read More: 20 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in the United States
Perryville, MO
Partial Eclipse: 12:42 to 3:17 p.m. (CDT)
Start of Totality: 1:58:27 p.m. (CDT)
Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 47 seconds
Perryville is the county seat of Perry County, a rural area about sixty miles south of St. Louis. The small downtown surrounds the towering courthouse and features many local restaurants and shops. It’s also a great place to stay while exploring barn quilt driving trails in the countryside. Visit the town’s Great North American Eclipse page to learn about viewing parties nationwide.
Read More: 20 Best Places to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in the United States
Alternate Places to See the Eclipse in Missouri
Note About Eclipse Times
Times and durations can vary widely. For precise times while choosing a viewing location, use Xavier Jubier’s Interactive Map. On Eclipse Day, use the Solar Eclipse Timer app for precise times based on your location.
This list is in order by Start of Totality.
Place | Partial Eclipse | Start of Totality | Duration of Totality |
---|---|---|---|
Doniphan, MO | 12:38 to 3:15 p.m. (CDT) | 1:55:28 p.m. (CDT) | 4 minutes 12 seconds |
Eminence, MO | 12:38 to 3:14 p.m. (CDT) | 1:55:30 p.m. (CDT) | 2 minutes 40 seconds |
Ozark National Scenic Riverways | 12:39 to 3:15 p.m. (CDT) | 1:55:50 p.m. (CDT) | 3 minutes 47 seconds |
Echo Bluff State Park | 12:39 to 3:14 p.m. (CDT) | 1:56:50 p.m. (CDT) | 1 minute 20 seconds |
Malden, MO | 12:40 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) | 1:57:11 p.m. (CDT) | 3 minutes 19 seconds |
Dexter, MO | 12:40 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) | 1:57:13 p.m. (CDT) | 3 minutes 51 seconds |
Kennett, MO | 12:39 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) | 1:57:14 p.m. (CDT) | 2 minutes 10 seconds |
Farmington, MO | 12:41 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) | 1:58:17 p.m. (CDT) | 2 minutes 32 seconds |
St. Joe State Park | 12:41 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) | 1:58:26 p.m. (CDT) | 2 minutes 3 seconds |
Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park | 12:42 to 3:17 p.m. (CDT) | 1:59:00 p.m. (CDT) | 2 minutes 44 seconds |
Place | Eclipse Details |
---|---|
Doniphan, MO | Partial Eclipse: 12:38 to 3:15 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:55:28 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 4 minutes 12 seconds |
Eminence, MO | Partial Eclipse: 12:38 to 3:14 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:55:30 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 40 seconds |
Ozark National Scenic Riverways | Partial Eclipse: 12:39 to 3:15 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:55:50 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 47 seconds |
Echo Bluff State Park | Partial Eclipse: 12:39 to 3:14 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:56:50 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 1 minute 20 seconds |
Malden, MO | Partial Eclipse: 12:40 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:57:11 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 19 seconds |
Dexter, MO | Partial Eclipse: 12:40 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:57:13 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 3 minutes 51 seconds |
Kennett, MO | Partial Eclipse: 12:39 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:57:14 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 10 seconds |
Farmington, MO | Partial Eclipse: 12:41 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:58:17 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 32 seconds |
St. Joe State Park | Partial Eclipse: 12:41 to 3:16 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:58:26 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 3 seconds |
Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park | Partial Eclipse: 12:42 to 3:17 p.m. (CDT) Start of Totality: 1:59:00 p.m. (CDT) Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 44 seconds |
How to Get to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Missouri
Do you prefer traveling by plane, train, or automobile? However you like to travel, there are many great options for getting to your destination for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.
Traveling with Amtrak
Traveling by train certainly has some advantages. You won’t have to deal with congested traffic on the highways or find parking at the viewing location. You’ll have to wade through the least number of fellow travelers at the stations. And you can enjoy the gorgeous scenery in Viewliner cars.
However, traveling by train does come with a few disadvantages. Amtrak has a notorious reputation for delayed trains – do not plan to travel by train on Monday. There are also far fewer trains scheduled than any other transportation, which means fewer seats. And the cost of traveling by Amtrak is frequently higher than flying or driving.
The Texas Eagle route cuts across the Path of Totality in Missouri. There are only two stations, but fortunately they are in two of the best places to see the eclipse in Missouri: Arcadia Valley and Popular Bluff.
Read More: How to Plan a Trip to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Traveling into Airports
Flying is a great way to travel for the eclipse because you bypass the congested highways and don’t have to deal with finding parking. It’s a better option than the train because flights are more flexible to sudden increases in air travelers.
International airports are typically larger than domestic airports because they must have customs and border control facilities for passengers flying between countries. These airports offer the most amenities, carriers, and flights.
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) is the closest major flight hub about 100 miles north of the eclipse’s centerline.
Read More: How to Plan a Trip to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Traveling by Car
It’s easy to drive to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse with dozens of interstate highways crisscrossing the Path of Totality. Interstates 10, 40, 70, 80, and 90 cross the nation through the eclipse path, connecting almost every state with viewing destinations.
But since most people traveling for the eclipse will travel by car, it will become increasingly difficult the closer the Eclipse Day. Friday evening and Saturday morning are the best times to drive to your destination before the eclipse, and Tuesday is the best day to drive out.
On Eclipse Day, plan for the driving time to be 2-3 times longer than a typical day. If you plan to spend the night before somewhere outside the Path of Totality, be ready to leave early to account for heavy traffic congestion. You can avoid much of the congestion after the eclipse if you wait about 2-3 hours before leaving your viewing location.
Things to Pack for Eclipse Day
Neatly folding your clothes into packing cubes and grabbing your travel tech bag is a good start to packing for any trip. But packing for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse isn’t like packing for a typical weekend getaway. It’s more like going to an outdoor concert that requires safety equipment.
Here are my suggestions for essential safety gear, chairs, power banks, outdoor games, and apps for seeing a total solar eclipse.
There are only 3 essential things to pack for a solar eclipse:
- ISO 12312-2 certified solar eclipse glasses. American Paper Optics Eclipser HD Glasses are stylish and sturdy for long uses. Rainbow Symphony offers a variety of options like Solar Eclipse Glasses, Wrap-Around Goggles, and Clip-On Solar Eclipse Glasses. You can buy cardboard framed glasses from American Paper Optics or Rainbow Symphony in a pinch.
- The Solar Eclipse Timer. The Solar Eclipse Timer app for iOS and Android provides audible notifications and countdowns to the key moments of the total solar eclipse.
- A comfortable chair. The Coleman Portable Camping Chair is the standard go-to for collapsible quad chairs, and the Coleman Big-N-Tall Quad Chair is slightly bigger and offers a higher seating capacity. The Helinox Chair Zero remarkably weighs just 8 pounds but supports 265 pounds. The Snow Peak Low Beach Chair folds into a storage bag and features a durable canvas material.
A quasi-essential thing to pack is a good power bank to keep your smartphone charged throughout the day. Some of these power banks have enough capacity to keep multiple devices charged:
- The Anker PowerCore III is a versatile power bank for Apple and Android phones. What I love most about this power bank is the wireless 10W Qi charger – simply set a compatible phone on top of the power bank, and it’s charging. There is no need to carry a charging cable. But the power bank also has an 18W USB-C and 15W USB-A port for additional charging options.
- The Anker Magnetic Battery only works with Apple MagSafe iPhones, but Wired
- wrote an article about adapting MagSafe products for Android phones. This power bank features a wireless MagSafe charger with an integrated stand – perfect for setting the phone upright to see the timer on Eclipse Day.
- The Anker Prime 20,000 mAh Power Bank is perfect for charging multiple devices on Eclipse Day. The hefty power bank features two 100W USB-C ports and a 65W USB-A port with a max 200W simultaneous charging capacity.
After packing the essentials for comfort, safety, and power, how about packing a few extra things for entertainment? Take one of these outdoor games for hours of fun while watching the partial eclipse slowly inch across the sky:
- This GoSports Cornhole Set features a solid wood design and includes a hefty carrying case for easy travel.
- The GoSports Left Center Right Giant Dice Game is a recreation of my favorite travel game. This set includes 3.5” wooden dice, giant tokens, and a carrying bag.
- If you’ve played Yahtzee, you’ll understand how Farkle works. The GoSports Giant Wooden Playing Dice Set has 3.5” wooden dice and a dry-erase board for keeping score.
- If you can find a solid playing surface like a picnic table or concrete pad, then you’ll love having the GoSports Giant Wooden Tower Game. It’s an outdoor-sized version of Jenga! The set includes a dry-erase scoreboard and a carrying case.
- The GoSports Regulation Bocce Set is a great game that requires little effort. The set comes with a premium carry case.
Finally, consider downloading some or all these apps that will be extremely useful during Eclipse Day:
- AccuWeather is my favorite app for tracking weather. The app is typically accurate and easy to use and has some great features you might find useful. Download on iOS or Android.
- If you insist on capturing eclipse photos with your smartphone, get the Camera+ 2 app. It’s one of the best camera apps, with many features and settings for getting the most out of your smartphone camera. Download on iOS or Android.
- Google Maps will be invaluable for spotting congested highways and finding alternate routes after watching the eclipse. It’s also a great tool to help you find public transportation to and from your viewing location. Download on iOS or Android.