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.

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.

Good place to bring the chairs outs and watch nature…read more If your patient enough and quiet relaxing on your fold up chairs. You're going to see some small four-legged animals. More raccoons, possums. If you post up somewhere by a pond you're definitely going to see and hear lot of loud wild animal noises from frogs and you'll see some turtles there. I recommend bring your binoculars, the ones that can capture electronic pics. You're going to see different species of birds my favorite one are the red-headed vultures. You're going to see deers here pretty often. This is my new hangout so I'm going to try to capture pictures of these animals and post them here. Enjoy!!!

Looks nice, although not sure "dog parks" are here. We were told to go north up the road (just a…read morelittle ways) to happy tails park.

My husband and I Roeland Park, this nature sanctuary the day before Mother's Day. We had a heck of…read morea time finding it because the address was listed incorrectly. The nature sanctuary is on 12th St. and the connecting street is East St. Once we figured out where it was, we took our time on one of the trails I believe there are four trail options and the longest is 1.6 mile loop and the second is a 1 mile loop and the other ones are less than that. But it is a beautiful nature sanctuary with lots of greenery, woods, streams, water falls, and benches to enjoy the scenery. No pets are allowed since it is a nature sanctuary. There is a covered area off of one of the hikes that we went to that leads to some picnic tables. There's also several picnic tables by the parking lot. There are also bathrooms near the parking lot. The parking lot is next to the track and field belonging to the college. We really enjoyed our slow, meandering walk/hike and will definitely go back.

Hidden right by the bustle of downtown parkville, the parkville nature sanctuary has become one of…read moremy favorite places to do an easy hike. The trails are well maintained, and while there are some inclines at certain points, the trail is easy to follow and not strenuous. I love the various view points where you can stop and really appreciate natural beauty, like the waterfall or the butterfly pass. It feels like this is in its own little world despite being so close to the city. Be aware that the parking lot is pretty small so at peak times it may be hard to park.

Yesterday I brought my grandkids here to try out this park. We were unable to try out all of it,…read morebut the areas that we did investigate we really enjoyed. I appreciate it that the play areas we went to had partial shade from the alcove of trees. There was a variety of play sets spread out with natural features of tree stumps and such for the kids to climb on. They had a lot of nice walking plaques to explain the walking trail. The golfing disc course was nice because a lot ofit was shaded. We will definitely go back to check out more of it when it is less hot.

Very cool park immaculately maintained in the viewer are great. Some of the structures are quite…read moreintriguing. It's actually not that flat but there's a couple of hills that will make your thighs work overall just beautiful and definitely will return the only thing that's tricky if you're meeting, other people is which parking lot.

Buying a ticket for their special events is easy. Even though there's currently construction, it…read moredoesn't seem too bad to get around it. I went to the #DarkForest with #Quixotic performances around the woods--if you haven't been, you need to go! Not the scare-you-jumpy type of venue, but some of the masks and makeup, paired with the [amazing!!] soundtrack, could be scary to some and they say it's PG-13, so there's the warning to parents. I'm definitely NOT the haunted house goer--this was not that at all--I LOVED IT!! The lighting, set(s) design and the music was freaking awesome and whoever does makeup and wardrobe are brilliant!! If you're a member you don't have to pay for parking and had I known I could maybe wait to the last minute (ish) I could maybe have gotten a deal on tickets too. Oh well. It's about an hour walk (a mile maybe?), but I kept stopping to take photos and videos. The performers really notice if you're taking photos/videos and play up to it, so that was cool!! While they would have offered a ticket for another time, had they cancelled due to weather, just know all sales are final. However, even if those new dates didn't work, you're kinda screwed which doesn't make a patron happy.

It's simply a beautiful, peaceful place to be in nature, surrounded by colorful blooming things…read more It's fabulous in the spring fall winter and summer.

It was closed. The waterfall was a homeless porta potty, there have been multiple fires started…read morethat have destroyed the beautiful landscape that was there. Plus it has become unsafe and a dump where everyone dumps their trash! Yet if you go on their website it saids it's open and shows all the beauty that it used to be. Do not waste your time visiting' it's a huge disappointment! If I could choose no stars I would, but it's making me choose at least one.

This beautiful and scenic area exudes a real nature and woodsy forest feel. It used to be open for…read morescenic drives, but now it's blocked off to vehicles and has transformed into a stunning stretch for biking, jogging, running, or dog walking. If you know where to look, there are numerous off-road walking trails through the trees and brush. During the Christmas season, they reopen it for a drive-through Christmas lights exhibit. Personally, I find it nostalgic and beautiful, maybe even romantic, to walk through the fall or winter evening with a friend. It offers some of the most fantastic views in Kansas City. My favorite spot is to sneak to the top of the water fountain and light up a blunt!

More people need to know about this place! The Rock Island Spur is a rails-to-trails conversion…read morethat starts in Pleasant Hill and goes 45+ miles to Windsor, connecting to the Katy Trail. Free of cars, largely enshrouded in trees and views of rolling farmland, this is a gem that doesn't get enough pub in the KC area. For starters, it's not necessarily close to things in the metro, but for me on the Plaza, the Pleasant Hill trailhead is about 45 minutes away. Not convenient, but also not a day's trek to get out there either. The best part of this is that you can ride your bike across a crushed limestone (technically could do on a road bike but would opt for a hybrid/cross/mountain for optimal comfort) through nature while not having to worry about cars all around you. Sure you'll have to cross some small roads here and there and be on the lookout, but it's so much more relaxing to ride on this wide trail than on the back highways. This trail is slightly more gravelly than some other limestone trails, likely because it's so new. It'll pack down more in time, but I found my average was 1 mph slower than at some other comparable spots. You'll put in work out here, but it's flat as a pancake so it balances out. Plans are in the works to connect this even closer to the metro, inching towards Lee's Summit (in progress 2018) and then connecting to the Truman Sports Complex, finished by 2020. Hope bike enthusiasts and outdoor lovers take advantage of this trail!

Love it. I ride the trail 2 or 3 times per week, weather permitting. Great little stop in…read moreChilhowee if you need a bite to eat. Hopefully they get the trail connected to Lee's Summit...I really think ridership would increase. If you use the fairgrounds trailhead in Pleasant Hill, you will have to detour on paved road for a short distance. This is a non issue, as it isn't very far, and the road is fairly lightly traveled by cars. The alternative trail head off Purvis Road involves driving a mile or so down a really dusty gravel road to avoid a half mile of pavement on your bike at the other location. Not worth it. I greatly prefer the downtown P Hill trailhead and just deal with riding on the street for two minutes.

Great place to meet somebody and walk around…read more.. Very central location if you're coming from the south or from the north Biggest recommendation is figure out where you're gonna meet ahead of time so you're not driving around going as it near the tennis courts or the front or the rose garden that type of thing because it is about a mile around so there's lots of different areas to park

If I were recommending a place to visit on a beautiful Kansas City day, then Loose Park would be at…read morethe top of my list. The open greenspace, the beauty of the paths, or even the rose garden in season makes for a sensational day at the park. There are photo op spots at virtually every corner of the park. If the fountain is going in the rose garden, then it is a popular place for a bushel of pics. The swale in the middle of the park, lined with bald cypress trees, offers many shady, comfortable spots for a picnic or just a rest. String yourself up your own hammock between trees and catch a cozy nap or a comfortable spot to read. Check out the raised placards for a memorial of the Battle of Westport, emphasizing Kansas City's part during the Civil War. Everyone loves a little history, and to do so looking to the west and learning about that conflict 160+ years ago, you can actually see it in your mind's eye. To place that memorial with beautiful green space is a nod to how Kansas City makes the most of its public real estate. Park in any number of lots or even find a spot on one of the side streets. Restrooms are open in nice weather, and there's plenty of spots in which to reserve a pavilion. Outstanding Kansas City landmark!

Honestly, this is exactly the kind of spot you need in your back pocket for a nice day. It's super…read morecute, but more importantly, it's functional. You aren't fighting for parking, and there are plenty of covered benches so you can actually sit and relax while the family plays. ​Between the walking loop and the playground, it's just a great option. I would totally come back here.

It's a nice warm day. We went for a walk at the trail here. Park has a large shelter for family…read morepicnic and a nice playground for kids to play on. Walking trail around open space. Plenty of parking in a lot. Man-made pond to reflect on and gives a peaceful vibes.