We go up to Columbia frequently (new grandparents, spoiled granddaughter). If you've recommendations on where to have fun up that way, I'd love to hear them!
Welcome!
My Jeep buddy and I are planning on heading out to SMORR some time in the next few weeks, neither of us have been but it looks awesome. It's just outside Springfield MO. St Joe is about an hour South of St Louis, and is fun for skidding around in the sand. They have trails but no longer allow full sized vehicles on them which sucks (ATVs etc still allowed on them though).
I checked out Lost Creek road, in Warrenton (East of Columbia) and its a cool road (dirt track), through some water and a bit of mud etc. Nothing too challenging but was fun to check out, took about 45 mins or so to drive it. I did it in the rain, made it a bit more fun, though you lose where the road is a few times and have to follow the creek until it reappears. There are a ton of signs everywhere with NO TRESPASSING so you have to be careful not to stray off the track onto private property. Massas (sp?) Road is near there too which is supposedly more of that kind of thing, haven't checked that out yet. Might head back over there some time soon and do both in one go.
Not sure of anything else around the Columbia area, though i'd be interested to know of some. Got a buddy that lives in Kansas City that might be into joining in if it was somewhere nearer him, and would be cool to meet up with other Raptor owners also.
