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.

I went for a trail ride here with my husband. We were very happy with the kindness, preparedness…read moreand professionalism of the staff. The animals there were well kept and happy. We felt that the pricing was competitive as well. It will be a little out of the way for some, but don't let that deter you from these beautiful trails!

Wonderful place for trail rides! I did the one hour trail ride and it was hands down the best part…read moreof my vacation. The owners are amazing and extremely nice. I felt comfortable and safe riding and appreciated that they took the time to find a horse that worked for me. Thank you for such a great experience I will definitely be back the next time I come to town!

We found Chuck and his farm from Groupon originally even though he is located just miles from our…read morehouse. I can not say enough good about this place! First off, Chuck the owner has been in the business of training people & horses for so long that his knowledge is endless. He is also very patient and thoughtful. Libby the trainer is so awesome! She has been amazing with my daughter. I always feel like she has safe and she loves the horses there. We plan to do her birthday party there as well. If you are considering trusting your children in their hands, do it! They truly are awesome!!

I've been taking riding lessons with Libby and Boomer for the last couple months. I absolutely love…read moreit! Libby is patient and fun but she takes the lessons seriously and does not let me slack even for a moment! She provides constant instruction and feedback so that I improve with every visit. I am a 30 yr old returning rider who had a bad riding accident. Libby had such a great approach of keeping my lessons interesting and challenging but moving forward at a pace I felt comfortable with. They have lots of awesome horses for riders with different levels of experience. I got my lessons at a steal through Groupon but I would pay full price to keep coming here. The drive out is serene and the location is peaceful. Love this place!

What can I say i went on the trail this last Thursday with my granddaughter gaby and her bf I had…read morebeen on a horse before but they hadn't but we had a blast! So much fun im ready to go back! the guide was very friendly and helpful and patient with us all very nice people horeses were gentle just loved it

We recently went with some friends to Wild Rose to go riding. We hadn't rode horses since we were…read morekids and some hadn't ever been on a horse before. The staff was more than awesome. We really enjoyed our time out there. The horses are very well trained and the country was beautiful. It was a very memorable trip and we will return. If you are looking for a great place to ride wether for the first time of experienced, i would highly recommend Wild Rose Equine Center.

I want to start by saying THANK YOU so much . We were a group of 7 people and each of us had so…read moremuch fun . ALL of the staff members were respectful, so kind, professional, and most importantly patient with us .Their horses are beautiful and very gentle . Even though we took up more time than scheduled, we were not rushed and we even got to see a show horse preform for us . If I can give this place 100 stars, I would . I highly recommend this place for all your horse events, training, etc.

We attended The Easter Butter event at Liberty Farm it was a blast. Definitely will return for…read moreother upcoming events very kid oriented the horses are gorgeous and the people are amazing.

I have boarded my horses here for almost three years. The knowledge that I have gotten from this…read morestable is invaluable! I learn something new about horse care almost every time I visit my horses. Not only do my horses get top notch care, but I also don't have to haul my horses anywhere unless I want to because most local farriers and vets will travel to the facility. The camaraderie that I experience with the other horse owner's is great! The indoor arena and viewing rooms are added bonuses. The pricing is very reasonable and includes parking for my horse trailer.

My horse gets excellent care at Kill Creek Arena. The owners live on site so I know that things…read moreare taken care of. Very close to Kill Creek Park, large indoor arena and full sized outdoor arena. Trailer parking, nice tack room, heated viewing room with indoor plumbing. No drama facility

Thunder Ridge is a 30 acre facility that offers pasture or self care stall-boarding for horses…read more They have five pastures, a 14 stall barn, a round pen and an arena. At least two pastures are always left on "rest" and available to ride in. It's a private setting, but there's almost always someone around so I feel safe riding alone. It's only about three miles from Blue and Grey Park (great place for trail riders) and offers reasonable rates. Debbie and Gary are great, I would recommend this farm to anyone.