It is interesting that you consistently see similar comments in the reviews of this place: (1) It is a good change of pace from go-carts, music shows, and mini-golf, (2) kids were not excited about going until they got there, and (3) it's free. All are true. Seeing that many fish in different sizes really is pretty neat. And if you spring a quarter for fish food, it looks like a piranha horror movie scene with all the fish going after the food. Com'on, you know you want to go see it, even if the kids are making fun of the fact you're making them go...See more..
4.5The Butterfly Palace(1.617 reviews) - Such a Neat Experience Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas
Explore over 1,000 live exotic butterflies surrounded by tropical plants, birds and more! Wristbands are good for 3 days, unlimited access and include; Live Butterfly Aviary, 3D Video "Flight of the Butterflies" about the Monarch Migration, Great Banyan Tree Adventure, Mirror Maze and Rainforest Science Center with Live Reptiles and Amphibians. Bonus Features: -Live Butterfly Releases: Scheduled 4 times per day, newly emerged butterflies are released for their first flight and guests get to assist! -Complimentary nectar flowers for guests to hand feed the butterflies -LIVE MUSIC is played daily in the butterfly aviary by two musicians playing the Hammered Dulcimer -Critter Encounters: Scheduled 4 times per day where guests can learn about and pet one of the reptilesSee more..
4.5Dogwood Canyon Nature Park(1.457 reviews) - Worth the price of admission. This is a beautiful wildlife sanctuary Saturday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is a one-of-a-kind experience for nature lovers and adventure seekers of all ages. Covering 10,000 acres of pristine Ozark Mountain landscape, the park has miles of crystal-clear trout streams, dozens of cascading waterfalls, ancient burial caves, unique hand-built bridges and bottomless, blue-green pools.See more..
5.0National Tiger Sanctuary(753 reviews) - Behind the Scenes Tour is the way to go! Saturday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas
National Tiger Sanctuary is a non-profit, rescue facility that currently cares for a variety of big cats, including bengal tigers, lions, leopards, mountain lions. Visit our big cats from three feet away Wednesday through Sunday. We offer a variety of tours and educational programs. Photography and questions encouraged, National Tiger Sanctuary is an educational campus dedicated to bringing awareness to the environmental conditions and their effects on the earth's ecosystems. Our mission is much bigger than just caring for our furry friends; we believe that through education we can all have a positive impact on the environment!See more..
Nestled within Faust Park and a division of the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Butterfly House was the first stand-alone insectarium to be accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Open year-round, the 8,000 sq foot Tropical Conservatory is the heart of the Butterfly House. Its carefully controlled environment houses nearly 2,000 tropical butterflies in free flight. As many as 80 butterfly species and 150 tropical plant species are exhibited. The Exhibit Hall is where you'll find Small Wonders, a living exhibit focusing on various other invertebrates. The outdoor Native Butterfly Garden is a pollinator-friendly demonstration garden. Plants were carefully selected to provide a habitat for the pollinators and other animals in Faust Park as well as to serve as host plants for caterpillars and nectar sources for butterflies. The Native Butterfly Garden provides a favorite setting for education programs, wedding ceremonies, and other private event celebrations.See more..
4.5Wild Animal Safari(432 reviews) - Unexpected Super Visit Saturday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Zoos
Wild Animal Safari - Springfield/Strafford, Missouri opened in 1951 and was built by Pat Jones, father of Jerry Jones. The park consists of over 250 acres, including a five-mile Drive-Thru Safari and over twenty exhibits in the Walkabout Adventure Zoo. Guests can drive their own vehicle, rent a Safari SUV, or ride in the complimentary safari bus with a tour guide. The Walkabout Adventure Zoo area includes a reptile house, a new giraffe exhibit where the giraffes can be fed inside a warm barn during the colder winter months! Wild Animal Safari Springfield/Strafford has a full restaurant, free parking, large gift shop and over 250 acres where guests can get up front, close to, and feed many exotic wild animals. The park hosts groups, family reunions, school groups, birthday parties, Jr. Zookeeper Summer Day camps and much more. Tickets can be purchased at the park or onlineSee more..
Stopped by on our way to Branson. It has an entire museum with tons of interactive, hands-on exhibits. Lots of information about wildlife. Several living animal exhibits as well. There's a great play area for kids. There's also a fabulous room for bird watching. It's definitely a must do for nature lovers. We also ran around in the snow outside. See more..
4.5World Bird Sanctuary(281 reviews) - Buzz is the Best! Saturday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas
We got to hold Buzz the Tawny owl. She was great! We very much enjoyed the fun facts her handler shared with us, including how successful WBS has been in breeding owls. After we held Buzz we were treated to an outdoor flight demonstration with two other owls.See more..
The nature center offers a variety of trails, both blacktop and natural cover. Inside the building there are exhibits that cater to both children and adults. They also offer many programs that are suited for any age children to adults. My grandchildren love to visit when they are in town.See more..
4.5Pickle Springs Natural Area(142 reviews) - One of THE best short hikes around the area! Nature & Wildlife Areas
I always stop by for a hike when in the area because so there are many different topographical features condensed into such a small area. Everywhere you turn it's something new and different even tho the hike is just under 2 miles long. The trail is better marked than the last time I visited; not only w/ the typical red arrows but also white marking on the trees to keep you on course. This is a hike where you should definitely wear hiking boots, lots of slippery sand, leaves, roots and rocks & boulders. Maybe even a hiking pole as it goes up and down the canyon a few times so be prepared for some steep inclines. The bluffs and water features are wonderful! If one doesn't lolly gag, plan on the hike taking about 1 hour; longer if you spend time checking things out. Definitely bring a camera or phone to take pics. Due to Covid, when the parking lot is full, no more hikers are allowed so keep that in mind, no overflow parking allowed.See more..
Located within Cape Girardeau's North County Park, the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center is a place where families can have fun while exploring the rich cultural history and wildlife of Southeast Missouri. Admission is free. Exhibits begin with a collection of Native American artifacts including primitive tools that were used to harvest plants and animals hundreds of years ago. Interactive exhibits encourage exploration of the forest, marsh, swamp, and big river habitats of Southeast Missouri. Outside, "White Oak Trace" features two miles of nature trails allowing visitors to traverse rolling river hills with sinkholes, deep hollows, and ravines covered with prominent stands of poplar and oak. Native plants featured in the Nature Center's landscape provide habitat for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife species. The nature center also has a gift shop, with a wide variety of educational books, videos, and nature-related items.See more..
Come here to unwind, see wildlife, or to get a workout. There are trails for everyone no matter what your fitness level, Have taken some great pictures of different wildlifeSee more..
4.5Remington Nature Center(120 reviews) - Nice Nature Center Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
Overlooking the Missouri River, this center caters to history and nature buffs alike. Peer into a 7,000-gallon freshwater aquarium; explore the history of the St. Joseph area; stand trunk to nose with a woolly mammoth replica. See our website for a complete listing of activities, sights and adventures. Please also visit our Facebook page.See more..
4.5Sequiota Park(74 reviews) - Beautiful little park Spent < 1 hour Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Caverns & Caves
This park surrounds a small pond with lots of geese. The trail runs along Lone Pine road and is quite popular for hikers and bikers. A small jungle gym type set-up popular with kids. Rocks to climb on. Just a terrific little park.See more..
4.5Shaw Nature Reserve(69 reviews) - Fun for learning plants, exploring habitats, and taking pictured Nature & Wildlife Areas
I love the plant labels in specific areas and all the different habitats to explore. There are glades, ponds, prairies, wildflower areas, overlooks, and more. Really fun for pictures. We didn’t walk the trails too much, but I’m sure we’ll be back in different seasons. We visited before the fall foliage really started to make its debut. I bet spring is gorgeous too. Very affordable. See more..
The refuge is open daily from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset including all federal holidays. This includes the Wild Goose Auto Tour loop and refuge hiking trails. There is no charge to visit the refuge. The refuge is home to more than 300 species of birds, 30 types of mammals and 40 species of reptiles and amphibians. Whether you are hiking a trail or driving the Auto Tour route, wildlife viewing opportunities are plentiful. The refuge headquarters / visitor contact station is open Monday – Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm daily and closed for all federal holidays. During spring and fall migration, the station is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.See more..
The trails are the best hiking trails in the Kansas City area. Trails are rated easy to moderate with some good hills. The trails are very scenic with sites along trails including streams with waterfalls in a very wooded area. Wildlife includes; numerouse species of birds, white tail deer, turkeys, ground hogs/wood chucks, squirrels, turtles, numerous species of butterflies. The trails are not crowded at all, might be about 10 people on the 3.5 miles of trails at any given time.See more..
Look, this is a independent place that has some awesome animals, with a little bit of revenue and participation from the public this can be a greater place for the animals that live there. A little paint and some clean up this is a great place for kids and grown ups to see some animals up close. Especially the Tigers & Lions! The people that run this place seem to care, although they lost a great employee due to an unfortunate circumstance. Go see!See more..
Eagle Bluffs holds a special place in my soul. It has the particular type of Midwest beauty and stillness that, while not as spectacular as the vistas from mountain peaks and deep canyons, draws me to it over and over again. The most exciting times to visit in terms of avian life are spring and fall. Many migrating birds stop here on their way north or south, including pelicans, snow geese, many shore birds and others. The City of Columbia has created a series of pools that provide an inviting place for some R & R. Additionally, Eagle Bluffs is home to its namesake bald eagle population, and they can be observed in the spring building or adding to their huge nests and raising their young. When I am troubled or feeling agitated, I often find myself getting in the car and driving the 7 miles from my home to be enveloped by the meditative calm of this subtly beautiful place.See more..
4.5Lost Valley Fish Hatchery & Visitor Center(41 reviews) - Fun and educational! Saturday: 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Visitor Centers • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Aquariums
Lost Valley Fish Hatchery and Visitor Center *An free admission Visitor Center with views of hatchery production room and aquarium. *Kids fishing pond free to ages 15 and under. *Warm and cool water fish species reared in 77 production ponds. *969 acres of land containing glades, prairies, and wooded areasSee more..
Wow! What a wonderful facility. Rifle/pistol ranges looked very nice. I shot trap at the shotgun range. Well maintained modern equipment; pleasant staff. Can't believe $3 user fee.See more..
5.0Rockwoods Reservation(21 reviews) - Great trails for the average weekend hiker Nature & Wildlife Areas
This is a wonderful conservation area in the west St. Louis Count area. It has several natural trails of different lengths and difficulty's. There are some very nice picnic area's with tables and grills. The visitors center has different activities. See more..
4.5Audubon Center at Riverlands(20 reviews) - Awesome location and facilities Saturday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas
Wonderful location along the flyway. Great facilities with very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Facilities has a great deal of educational and display materials. Great area to walk outside on paved trails down to the river. The inside has many spotting telescopes for viewing live birds. Photography is very limited unless you have massive telephotos. The birds will have to close to the nearest shoreline for any real chance at taking close up photos of birds. See more..
4.5Castor River Shut-Ins(15 reviews) - Fantastic for Adventure Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
Beautiful and so fun. I would suggest that if you have a child under three you bring a wagon or make sure you have a backpack as the trail down is a bit of a hike. Also, encourage each older child to bring their own backpack with all of the essentials (a small net for catching minnows, goggles, snorkel, float or tube, towel and lunch). You may also want to bring a wagon if you have a big load, there were several parked at the end of the trail. Make sure everyone has water shoes! Just a wonderful day in the great outdoors. Lots to see and explore for older children who can swim. Very limited for tots as it can be dangerous because the rocks are slippery and the water does move. Beautiful water falls! Go visit but remember no facilities - you need to bring everything you need.See more..
I needed some running miles whilst passing thru the area. Strava indicated that there some Segments in this park, so I sought it out. I am very glad that I did! After parking at the trailhead off of Old 63 S, you have clean public toilets, maps, and clearly marked trails. The main trail along the river is a 4.0 mile (one way, 8.0 mile with return) double wide crushed gravel, with markers every 0.5 miles. Multiple river crossings are done with very robust wooden and metal truss bridges. Other paths are available for exploring, although less well marked. I definitely recommend if you want a great running experience!See more..
4.5Sodalis Nature Preserve(12 reviews) - Beautiful creek for skipping rocks Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
We stopped here quickly on our first night in town just to see if we could see any bats at the cave. We decided not to make the longer walk to the cave, but instead enjoyed the creek near the entrance to the trail. The water was beautiful and clear and the stones were perfect for skipping rocks. Just a gorgeous evening and beautiful walk. See more..
4.0D&D Animal Sanctuary(12 reviews) - Unbelievably Nice People Nature & Wildlife Areas
It's not open for "show," except if you would like to pitch in and help on a volunteer basis, they would appreciate the help (call first). This is a true animal refuge as opposed to a zoo. Dale and Deb open their hearts to all animals that have been abandoned and/or abused, including lions, tigers, horses, cats, pigs, and on and on. Please call the farm if you can help build pens, wash litter boxes, and do all the things the animals need. It'll change your life.See more..
5.0Bluff View Trail(11 reviews) - World Class mountain biking right here in Wildwood, MO Spent 1-2 hours Biking Trails • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
This is a loads of fun intermediate challenging mountain bike trail of nearly three miles through the heart of Wildwood Missouri. It features switchbacks, rocks, roots, roller coaster up and down fast track, huge trees with huge shade and an ever changing variety of conditions. Hike it, bike it, walk it, run it, it's all good this is a great Trail!See more..
If you are in the area and like birds or fishing - this is a great drive. Go all the way to the end and see the dam. Watch the fishermen ... egrets, turtles, heron, pelicans, eagles, swans... maybe not all at the same time - but always something there. There is a very easy to miss turn off that takes you down to a short trail that will let you be right on the point of the confluence of the two rivers. I don't find the museum worth it - but is is right there and won't take long.See more..
Highly highly recommend. I saw 42 elk in total with 3 bucks and some wearing tracking collars. They were active and running around. One felt comfortable getting very close to my vehicle in the self-guided driving tour. I aimed to arrive between dawn and sunrise times and stayed until about 8am. 4-wheel drive or sport vehicles are good matches for the terrain when you get to the steeper slopes in the conservation area. I had no trouble finding or maneuvering around the area, but I did download the map ahead of time (you can find a PDF online) incase GPS was limited and made sure to enter the area and my return location in case of signal loss before driving over.See more..
It was perfect for family camping and outdoor activities. The place was clean and well maintained. Perfect get away for weekend or longer as we did five-day camping. Good place for families with little ones or just wanting a quiet cozy place to hike or just hang out at the river or just campground to relax. Plenty activities to do for any ages. Close to town with stores and restaurants.See more..
This hike took my wife and I about 1.5 hours. Most people have said it's about 2 miles. My step counter had it closer to 3 miles. The land bridge at the end was really nice!See more..
4.0Greenville Recreation Area(7 reviews) - Family Camping Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
A great family camping site! Or even great for a day visit. It is built around a old town, so it has a lot of historical back ground and features foundations and steps of old buildings. It has a lot of bike trails. It is a great place for fall or early spring camping. Very family geared, not a lot of partying and drinking going on. We feel safe at this site. It has water and electric sites, however no septic hook up. You have to go to the dump station. No swimming at site, you have to go down the road a bit, which is why we go in the fall and take advantage of biking and hiking trails.See more..
4.5Greer Spring(7 reviews) - Beautiful spring after a hike Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
We stumbled here while on a trip to another location. This spring is beautiful. It doesn't not say swimming but I saw other families there. It is about a 40? minute hike to get to the spring. Warning there is poison ivy along the trail. I wish we had brought out suits as after hiking to this location, I would have loved to cool off in the water. See more..
4.0Galloway Creek Nature Park(6 reviews) - Wonderful Find Within the City Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks • Hiking Trails
A lovely park located a short distance from West Plains City Hall. Nice large parking area and public restroom (can be messy at times) available. Several trails to venture down with a nice view of the small creek. Park offers several picnic spots, and plenty of mown side areas for rest or play. A few benches are scattered along the front trails. There aren't many fences with exception of the one that separates the park from the railroad track, so caution is needed in some areas (especially for those with small children or animals). Since this is a nature park, it makes for excellent finds & exploration. A Missouri wildflower book and journal comes in quite handy. A beautiful spot. Highly recommended. See more..
Nice place to just kick back, and enjoy some fun fishing. Lots of good spots to catch fish. A peaceful place.See more..
4.0Reifsnider State Forest(5 reviews) - love creeks State Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests
stopped by here, finding something to do, theres a real nice walkable creek with a low water bridge to cross with your car, theres a few picnic tables there to have lunch. love to walk the creeks finding rocks. had fun, spent a few hours there. hidden gemSee more..
3.5Sunset Park(5 reviews) - Kind of Sport Park Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks • Playgrounds
It's quite a big open green area with sport fields. We didn't see a park supposed to be. There is a dog area but the rest is not really interesting so we didn't go any further.See more..
I was a bit leery as we followed the GPS directions, but we did end up in the right place. We started at the Coy Bald trailhead and took a right at the first fork. We ended up about 10 minutes down the trail in a secluded area with a perfect clearing for a fire, shade for our tent, and plenty of privacy. The only issue we found was a huge amount of sweat bees that wouldn't leave us alone. If you take the left at the fork it will take you quite a ways down to a creek bed. We traveled up the creek quite a ways and it was beautiful. There were rock overhangs that provided a shaded spot to rest. We saw very few people the whole time and really felt secluded. I would highly recommend starting at this trailhead, as we have read that it is the least traveled.See more..
4.0Little Sac Woods Conservation Area(4 reviews) - Fun walk Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas Yes there may be ticks.. In the woods...SHOCKER... But its a pretty area and very peaceful. Its quite and very natural. This isnt a manicured walk made for city slicker pansies but more of a you and nature type deal. See more..
4.0Mint Springs Conservation Area(4 reviews) - Small but lovely. Spent < 1 hour Nature & Wildlife Areas Basically right off the road there's easy access to a nice little waterfall in a pretty, picturesque creek. I started down the trail to see what else was there, but it kept getting narrower until the surrounding foliage was all over me and I caught a tick trying to take up residence on my arm, so I went back to splashing around in the creek. The water was clear enough to spot little crawdads at the bottom of thigh-deep water without even bending down to look for them.See more..
I have gotten canoes here over the years and an older camp are but still a good one.. good place to float on the riverSee more..
4.5Myron & Sonya Glassgberg Family Conservation Area(4 reviews) - Great hikes Nature & Wildlife Areas Totally recommend going here for a bike / hike. Very manageable for all ages. There are hills but at the top is a great view worth the hike. See more..
Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary is a privately funded endeavor open to the public. The exhibits in the Nature Center are interesting, especially the center piece which a variety of bird mounts. The several small gardens at the Nature Center are tended by volunteers. The main thing to enjoy here are the variety of trails. Several trails (on the south side) are paved and very enjoyable. The unpaved trails (on the northside) basically look like trails made a lawnmower running through the forest. Some of these trails had brush over growth and were also blockaded by spider webs. The Wornall Trail and Rush Creek Trail were the best. They had shade even in in the middle of the afternoon. So, visit Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary for an hour or two of communion with nature. Donations are accepted.See more..
My husband, 6 year old and I visited this past weekend for the first time and it was gorgeous. Beautiful views, interesting rocks and trees. Really good excercise too due to the steep trails. Trail was well marked and would usually have been good, but we had had 3 inches of rain in the past few days so it was a little muddy. You could tell that under normal circumstances, the trail would have been good though. As it was, we were able to go around the muddier parts of the trail with no problems. For families with very young children-keep watch of parts of the trail as there are sheer drop-offs down to the Osage River.See more..
3.5Sutton Bluff Recreation Area(3 reviews) - So pretty and very accommodating. Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails • Off-Road & ATV Trails
My husband and I found this place on Google and decided to stay here because it has showers, bathrooms, electrical outlets, and large parking spaces on each campsite. It's kind of far into the woods so it's a little bit of a drive, but it has smooth roads. The owner, Steven is really nice. 10/10 would stay here again.See more..
3.5Habitat Flats(3 reviews) - Bird Watching Nature & Wildlife Areas
The Habitat Flats are beautiful and serene. I saw many geese outside the refuge due to colder than normal temperatures freezing 99.9 of the lake. It was still enjoyable, we saw lots of prints in the snow on the ice. We also saw a very large eagle nest.See more..
5.0Bismarck Conservation Area(2 reviews) - Bucolic setting in the country Nature & Wildlife Areas I have fished at Carl Disalvo Lake. The boat ramp is fine. The lake is set in the woods, with virtually nothing around the shoreline except trees which hang over the water. Water quality was excellent. On the Sunday when I went, there were no boats on the lake. A great place to fish on a hot summer day, as there is lots of shade on the shoreline. Water depth is good. Frankly, we did not catch much fish but they were all over the screen on our fish finder. I plan on returning.See more..
