Jefferson County, MO Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

080(E), part of the Article III park regulations adopted under Ordinance No. 09-0347 and last amended by Ordinance No. 26-0207 in 2026, governs open flame and grilling inside the county's park system, which includes facilities like Rockford Park, Cedar Hill Park, Morse Mill Park and the Northwest Sports Complex. Patrons may cook or warm themselves only at fire devices the Department of Parks and Recreation has installed; the code bars bringing a personal charcoal or wood-burning barbecue grill or brazier into any county park, full stop, with no permit process to bring your own.

Campers who want an open fire beyond a provided grill must first obtain a camping permit and are required to keep a five-gallon pail of water on hand at the campsite so the fire can be extinguished before they leave. 080(I) allows using downed trees or branches as firewood in the provided devices but bars cutting or removing any live tree, and a permit from the Department office is needed to remove downed timber from a park. All fires, whether in a provided grill or a permitted campsite fire, must be fully extinguished before patrons leave, and the Jefferson County Department of Parks and Recreation administers permits and enforces these open-fire and grill rules on County-owned and County-controlled park property.