I lived in Kansas City for several years, and this was my favorite weekend trip. It's a great…read moreplace to appreciate the beauty of the dwindling natural prairie, and the roaming buffalo are a treat this far east. It's not a huge park, you could hike the entire thing in one day. The "campground" is a tiny two sites & vault toilet, but this often means you have the place to yourself. If you don't want to rough it and/or prefer to sample some great fried chicken, Pittsburg, KS, is a short drive away.

Off the beaten path definitely describes this State Park located not far from the Kansas border. I…read morestumbled across Prairie State Park while storm chasing and loved the solitude it provided. There is nothing quite like standing in the middle of a tall grass prairie with supercell thunderstorms all around you and you can see the gusts of wind move the grass in giant waves. While many of you will not visit in the middle of a storm chase, it's definitely a beautiful place. The small but info packed visitors center has limited days of operation, check the website before heading out there if you want to go inside it. And yes they have a herd of buffalo that sometimes you can see. Sometimes it seems the prairie swallows them up. But if you get to see them it just seems like an ideal setting for the experience. They have trails that are worth a walk. Bring your own water, don't assume you will find any at the visitors center. Naturally, 4 Stars.

Very nice state historical site with picnic area, restroom, and groomed half-mile courage trail…read moreloop through the field. Open sunrise to sunset, with plenty of reading material about the Battle of Island Mound and Toothman Property.

An architectural relic and scenic walkway over the Osage River; the Joe Dice Swinging Bridge is a…read morecool little pit-stop when visiting the Truman Lake area. Originally a vehicle toll bridge, it has been converted into a pedestrian walkway connecting downtown Warsaw to a park on the opposite side. Adjacent to 7 hi-way, it is easy to find.

Big nest is a bonus! Nice bridge and walkways/paths. Warsaw MO - go hit the dam as well.read more

This was a nice break with a playground (three stories!) and walking paths as we explored Joplin…read more Cunningham Park was originally known as Cunningham Grove and was donated to the city by Thomas W. Cunningham, who was the mayor of Joplin at the time. Cunningham was a significant figure in Joplin's development, contributing to various sectors such as banking, mining, and philanthropy. In 1897, Cunningham donated eight acres of land to the city for use as a public park. The deed was officially dated on July 5, 1898, and the park was dedicated in the early 1900s1. Cunningham Park became the first park in the Joplin Parks System. Over the years, the park has seen many enhancements, including the addition of a fountain, playgrounds, a swimming pool, and picnic areas. The park was also a central location for community gatherings and celebrations1. Unfortunately, the park was destroyed by an EF-5 tornado in 2011, but the community came together to rebuild it. Today, Cunningham Park stands as a symbol of resilience and community spirit. We were here to walk around the park and to see The Miracle of The Human Spirit monument. [Review 2323 of 2024 - 392 in Missouri - 23337 overall]

Cunningham Park is a vast oasis of everything a city park should be. Sporting fields, trails, lots…read moreof playgrounds with nice equipment, water features, picnic and gathering facilities and a world class memorial garden. The Memorial garden is what caused me to visit and pay respect to those 161 Joplin residents that lost their lives to one of the worst tornadoes in American history. The garden consists of natural rock, sculptures, fountains, informational signage and a vast array of beautiful plants and flowers that are well maintained. The park was in the direct path of the tornado and offers great vantage points to see what was, what remains and what was rebuilt in the vicinity. My visit was during a slight rain shower with approaching storm clouds; which only added to the somber and reflective visit. A must see for anyone traveling in the vicinity of Joplin.

Fun little park with rocks to climb. Sadly the cave was closed but we were still able to climb…read morearound above it. It looked like there were some small trails too but we did not follow them

A nice, quiet neighborhood park. Walking, running, and limited cycling (watch out for the…read morechildren!). Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy!

We're traveling through the state of Missouri and planned our trip around this location so that we…read morecould see the Callaway cabin, which is advertised as being open the fourth Sunday of the month, only to arrive and see a sign that says the second Saturday of every month. Very disappointed that information is not kept updated. It is a very small beautiful park with lots of trees and streams and springs.

A cool little park, tucked away in the middle of Marshfield. It has two entries, one from the back…read moreside of the park and one on the front. It has a natural spring areas, a great little walking trail, and some additional elements within the park. Definitely a great place for the family to get out and visit. Very peaceful and relaxing. Highly recommended for a quick and free getaway if you're in the Marshfield area!

I love this Springfield park perhaps most of all. I love to trot down here for a good run, and…read moreevery time I do, I feel like I see something new. I see birthday parties; I see families, couples, people walking their dogs; I see LARPers (look it up); I see potlucks; I see high school science projects; I see track teams; I see lone runners. This is a great place to see the Springfield community at their happiest and most relaxed. Not to mention it offers an impressive amount of amenities: a few tennis courts, a full playground, BBQ pits, a sprinking of permament art installations, and a very nice, covered communal area. This is a very old park, and the practicality of it paired with all the old stone work and giant Oak trees makes for a unique place to stop and unwind alone or with your favorite people/pets. A few other reasons why Phelps rocks: it's in a gorgeous, well-established neighborhood full of interesting and well-maintaned forever homes and it's right next to the beloved art museum. It also has a righteously awesome butterfly garden (you'll see it if you look in the direction of the museum from the park itself), and walking through it in the summer is legitimately like walking in a dream. It's quite lovely. One word of advice I can provide is that this park is also historically a not-so-good place to visit after nightfall, as most Springfield parks are. Get your recreational fix in before sunset and call it a day, unless you're with a group.

Phelp's Grove Park is always a winning park to hang out at, and I was most recently there for Yoga…read morein the Park. How perfect is Phelp's for that kind of thing? There is a concrete pad that fits dozens of people for the event. It was really perfect and I absolutely enjoyed myself and the Yoga. As for the rest of the park, there's a lot of room to run around and have fun for both kids and dogs, there are tennis courts and picnic spots, and you just really can't go wrong with an art museum bordering one side.

Small but super nice Japanese garden. Normally $6/adult but they accepted our reciprocal Missouri…read moreBotanical Garden membership which is a nice perk. A lot of the paths seem to have a drainage problem from the heavy overnight rains, but a small issue considering how nice the garden is. Very relaxing and pretty empty for a nice Saturday midday visit!

I love the Japanese culture and enjoy the landscape and architecture they create. I believe they…read morehave a special ability to work with the environment and create spaces that are so aesthetically appealing and unique. This stroll garden is true to form. Developed by a talented and professional Japanese landscaper, this is a place that invites calm and peaceful reflection. You must experience it. Take your time and stroll through. Sit down and take in the view.

Had a great time here!…read more Five friends and I went on an amazing hike and caught some great views! Took lots of pictures of the wonderful nature and wildlife! Would definitely recommend these trails!

We decided to venture out to a really cool state park while we are staying near Lebanon. There is…read moreno admission fee and you can park right next to the castle if you are mobility challenge, but we parked at a lower level and hiked up. I'll paved walkway, not a bad walk at all. I added the picture of the story of the Kansas City businessman that decided to purchase 5000 acres and build a castle here back in the early 1900s. You can read the story on that particular photo. The ruins seem well maintained, you are not allowed to walk in them, but you can get pretty close and take photographs. There are also several viewing platforms around the area, which gives you some pretty cool views of lake of the Ozarks. They do have pit toilet Bathrooms available. Beautiful place and can highly recommend for a historical visit as well as spending some time in nature.

The Prairie Spirit Rail Trail is a 51 mile former railroad line that has been converted for use as…read morea multi-purpose improved trail. The trail runs from the Marais Des Cygne River in Ottawa to the City of Iola. As the trail makes extensive use of the railroad right of way grades are minimal, and the crushed limestone surface allows for higher bicycle speeds to make covering that 51 miles go faster, if you want to. There are restrooms and water resupply points strategically located along the route, and if you want to take a break one can find places to eat or you can go antique shopping in Garnett. Once you escape Ottawa and Garnett you can expect to enjoy solitude and a surprisingly beautiful Kansas landscape as you roll along. I've rode for miles on some sections and the only company I had was an occasional deer or a raccoon cross the trail, in other sections familes were out riding to enjoy the day. The trail is not open at night. As with any trail when you park lock your vehicle and hide valuables. Not that you'll have any issues, but you don't want to be one of the first to experience problems. I consider this one of the relatively unknown recreation options in Kansas. It's about an hour from Kansas City down I-35 to get to, and it's made for several very enjoyable day trips to get away.

A pretty weak offering for a running and biking trail. Just a long straight line that cuts straight…read morethrough Ottawa from the public pool on the North End, to Walmart on the South End. I guess in this case something is better than nothing as there are few if any other options in Ottawa, but this trail could use some serious resurfacing.