The park is clean and attractive. Also, you can reserve a shelter for your party. Dogs are also…read moreallowed.

Grossest bathrooms. We are on a cross country driving trip. Stopped for a picnic driving break. No…read morewaterfalls, lots of goose poop, most unclean bathrooms ever. No way I'd let my kids play here.

Got your favorite hot coffee or your favorite hot chocolate?…read more Want to see some cool wildlife? When you arrive here you'll see sometimes a group of turkeys bunched up in twenties. You will see some Elks and Deers. Behind the fence you're definitely going to see a group of Bisons. Good place to visit!

10 stars. Free attraction. Beautiful ride to the area within the forested lake area. Multiple elk…read moreand bison are waiting behind the fence for what veggie/fruit treats you might offer. (No grains/breads, special diet) **Buy 2 5lbs of carrots and maybe some apples to toss over the fence. Feeding them were addictive. ****Don't forget the elk straight in past the parking lot. They are hard to see but they are there. Wave a carrot, give some seconds and they will make their way to you. There is 1 portapotty and 2 picnic tables. Lots of parking.

This area was called "Monkey Mountains," because early settlers deemed the river bluffs too steep…read morefor even monkeys to climb. This place is as close to being out in the wild as you can get in the KC area. A little bit of a drive but worth it if you want a rugged terrain. It's perfect. Reaching the open meadow at the top is wonderful. Use bug spray and check for ticks.

Monkey Mountain is an 855 acre nature preserve in Eastern Jackson County, halfway in-between Grain…read moreValley and Oak Grove. The address I listed is the approximate address of the south entrance to the park, there is another entrance a little over a mile north off Old US 40 Hwy next to a softball field. The park is mostly undeveloped, which is what I love about it. You get to experience nature instead of a sanitized version of nature. There are two primary loop trails, one measuring 3.5 miles and one measuring between 2-3 miles depending on the route taken. Numerous smaller trails criss-cross between these main trails and branch out forming various side loops. You can spend hours hiking here and not see everything. The park caters to hikers and equestrians. I usually encounter a few other people at the park but only between long stretches of complete isolation. The elevation ranges from about 780 feet on the banks of Sni-a-Bar Creek to about 950 feet at the summit. There is a wide variety of terrain in the park: marshy lowlands in the north and northwest, thick woods and steep terrain covering most of the western half, limestone outcroppings along the ridge and at the south end of the park, a huge roiling meadow in the center, and farmed land along the eastern edges. Several ponds dot the landscape, and numerous tiny streams feed into Sni-a-Bar Creek along the western edge. There is even a waterfall in the park, but I will not reveal the location since it is both a fragile and a dangerous feature (especially in winter). Finding it can be part of your adventure. In the spring and early summer the park's meadows are filled with a wide variety of wildflowers, and wildlife can be spotted year-round. I've seen deer, foxes, turkeys, tortoises and turtles, all sorts of birds, and even evidence of some sort of wildcat. In the first half of the 20th century, much of what is now Monkey Mountain Park was part of a show farm called Sni-a-Bar Farms, owned by William Rockhill Nelson. The hillside and meadow were used for grazing sheep. Evidence of that can still be seen today in the form of farm remnants such as an old boundary fence running east-west through the middle of the park. If you hike the park, don't do it alone until you are familiar. Even though there are trails they are not always easy to see, and some portions of the trails can be treacherous. If your hike takes you through the northwest portion of the park you can expect to encounter mud pretty much year round so wear appropriate shoes. You will also need to carry your own water, there are no facilities at the park except at the softball field and an outhouse at the south entrance.

This is a cool place to visit…read more Has an awesome view. I would say it is a good spot to fish also. I saw a few people catching good size fishes out here. And if you love wildlife for sure you're going to see some lizards on the sidewalks. It's also a good place to grab your favorite coffee or tea and watch the sunset or sunrise.

I had a lovely afternoon hike around Lower Rock Ledges Loop trail. Almost no one on the trail at…read more5pm on a Saturday in the Summer. One big tree has fallen over the trail before it splits to upper and lower trails, lakeside, but it's pretty easy to get around it and continue on the path -- except I needed my hiking app to see where the actual trail was. (The trail itself it not always marked, but the rut is fairly visible.) Saw some deer, a woodland giant wolf spider, several six-spotted tiger beetles, and generally enjoyed the ambient music from folks out celebrating Father's Day weekend on the lake.

Good hiking, some trails are paved some are a bit more rough hewn. They have Blue Stem grasses and…read morepaw-paws. Very very much fun.

Reservations for parties could be improved. Staffing was rude. I applied for the application to…read morereserve on the 2nd. They did bor make me aware that they could not do the 2nd and automatically booked me for the following weekend. I have paid full amount already. Their communication and customer service is poor

Our new favorite park!…read more Complete with toddler friendly play equipment, a 9 hole disc golf course, a creek, and a splash pad, Howard Park is our favorite place to play. Tucked into a quiet neighborhood, this park has never been busy the handful of times we've been there. It's like our very own secret splash pad. So happy to have found it.

Paved blacktop parking and small walking trials. Nine holes disc golf. Splash park. Large and small…read moreplayground. Clean bathrooms.

A day well spent! Blue Springs Lake is the closest water location to our current residence. As an…read moreeast coaster and big fan of the beach, I was a tad disappointed by the lack of large bodies of water near Kansas City. Insert Blue Springs Lake. Imported sand made me feel like I was spending a day at the beach. The water was warm. The abounding amounts of trees created a scenic view and provided shade from the scorching sun rays. Picnic tables provided a comfortable place for lunch. Life guards watched over families and kids, splashing around with wild abandon. There is a $8 admission fee for adults and $6 fee for children. Bathrooms with showers available with admission. No alcohol is allowed on the premise. Call to verify their hours-- the website says they open at 11 a.m. but the swim park didn't actually open until 1 p.m. Grab your inflatables and your best friend, then enjoy a day at Blue Springs Lake!

Closed We were disappointed…read more But came back and swam in the pool. Hope it's open tomorrow!

Had a delightful time exploring and learning. Great interactive displays and friendly staff. I love…read moreeagles, so the live-cam and seating area were perfect to view and enjoy. We even got to feel the Western Ratsnake! Excellent and varied walking trails.

This land has been close to my heart for most of my life. I…read moreremember my mom taking us on nature hikes, way back before I knew they were so cool. Now, it's one of my favorite pastimes as an adult. The Hubs and I had a rare day together that we decided to enjoy outside. He had never been here before, so it's just a hop from where we live. Seemed like an easy decision. Went through the nature center first, which is always a nice start. Fun to see the creatures and read about the past. Then we decided to do the longer hike. Great choice. Defined, clean paths. Not terribly busy, even though you are directly in the city. Plenty of wildlife, this time was smaller spring babies. Still a great reminder of seasons and the importance of protecting their environment. Overall, well worth a visit.