Missouri has one of the best State Park and Conservation Lands programs in the country, and we are the beneficiaries. If COVID 19 restrictions have your family feeling cooped up, try venturing our a little further to Missouri State parks and Conservation Lands.
Wallace State Park (pictured), Harry Truman State Park, and Knob Knoster State Park are three parks within 90 minutes of Kansas City, that remain open because the state has deemed them safe to use while social distancing. State parks are managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and they have real time updates about closures.
The Missouri Department of Conservation manages state Conservation and Natural Areas – together called Conservation Lands. Natural Areas are unique ecosystems in Missouri and are often located within larger Conservation Areas, which are managed more for birding, hunting and fishing, but are hikeable too.
Fortunately, because they are less traveled, Natural Areas and Conservation Areas remain open. Kansas City has four Natural Areas that are managed in cooperation with parks organizations. They are each spectacular. Find them here. There are 22 Conservation Areas within 50 miles of Kansas City. Here’s how to find them and their hunting seasons. Conservation areas often have fishing lakes, and because they have hunting (unlike natural areas) be sure to check the hunting seasons to make sure you’re aware and dress to be seen in hunters orange if you venture in during hunting seasons.
If these places inspire the sense of adventure in you, check out the MO Outdoors App.
Be sure to bring plenty of drinking water and toilet supplies (a spoon or hand shovel, TP, hand gel, small plastic bag). All waste should be buried and toilet paper carried back out to be thrown in trash. The ethical code for visiting natural areas is Leave No Trace!
