Silver Mines Recreation Area is a U.S. Forest Service site in the Mark Twain National Forest, run by the Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger District, on the upper St. Francis River in Madison County, Missouri. The river here runs through a narrow valley of Precambrian granite and felsite, with low bluffs and boulder fields along both banks. The site takes its name from the Einstein silver mine, worked for silver, tungsten and lead from 1877 until 1946. It sits about 8 miles west of Fredericktown and roughly 11 miles east of Ironton.

From Fredericktown, take Highway 72 west about 4.3 miles to State Highway D near Oak Grove, turn left, and drive 2.9 miles to the entrance on the right. From Arcadia or Ironton, head east on Highway 72 about 13.6 miles and turn right on Highway D. The main river access is the Riverside day use area just south of the Highway D bridge, where picnic sites sit on the embankment and a short sandy path drops to the water. There is parking for about 20 cars at Riverside, 10 at the paddlers' take-out, 10 at Turkey Creek picnic area, and 15 in day use spaces by the Summit and Prospect loops.

There is no swim beach. The Forest Service says this stretch is popular for wading and cooling off in summer and that visitors are welcome in the river, but it is not managed for swimming: no lifeguards, no depth or hazard markers, and no water testing. The St. Francis is a pool-drop river, so calm pools alternate with fast chutes over rock. In late summer the water is often low and you can pick your way between shallow pools among the boulders. In spring the same channel is Class II to III whitewater that draws kayakers from around the region, and the current is strong enough to pin a swimmer. Rocks and drop-offs are unmarked. Get in at your own risk and stay out when the river is up or brown.

Day use costs $5 per vehicle per day, $10 per bus, or $40 for a season pass. Pay in cash or by check at the fee tubes on site, since there are no card machines. Annual and lifetime federal recreation passes cover the day use fee. River access, picnicking and hiking are allowed from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the day use areas are open all year. Only registered campers may stay overnight. The campground (70 sites plus a group site, open roughly March to November) is reserved through Recreation.gov for electric sites and first come for the rest.

The forest lists Silver Mines among recreation sites where soil sampling found elevated lead, a leftover of the region's mining history. Contaminated campsite and day use soils have been capped with clean material, and the Forest Service rates the risk to occasional visitors as low, though it is sensible to wash hands and rinse off sandy gear. The Einstein mine adit is gated and closed to the public. Bring your own trash bags in winter, when Riverside has no containers.

Two 1 mile trails follow the river through the area. The Riverside Trail runs along the east bank from the Riverside pavilion to the old mine, and the Silver Mines Trail runs from the take-out lot past the ruined Silver Mine Dam to Turkey Creek, where a 1.2 mile link continues upstream to Millstream Gardens Conservation Area and Tiemann Shut-ins. Fishing for bass and sunfish is good in the pools, and eagles are often seen along the river.