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St. Louis Metro Parks & Nature

Missouri Outdoor Attractions

These are some of the gardens and parks in other cities across Missouri that I’ve visited and photographed. I’ll continue adding new places as I explore more of this beautiful state. For photos and details about gardens and natural areas in other states, visit my Travel page.

Gardens & Conservatories

Missouri is home to a variety of beautiful gardens and conservatories. From the serene Shelter Gardens in Columbia to the expansive Powell Gardens in Kingsville, these locations showcase the state’s horticultural beauty. The Springfield Botanical Gardens offer a mix of formal gardens and natural landscapes, providing a peaceful escape for plant enthusiasts. Beyond these, there are many more lovely gardens across the state waiting to be explored, each offering its own unique charm.

False zebra longwing on leaves at the Butterfly Palace in Branson, MO.

Butterfly Palace
4106 W 76 Country Blvd.
79 acres
1,000 exotic butterflies

Cattleya orchid in the Hoge Greenhouses at College of the Ozarks in Branson, MO.

Hoge Greenhouses
(College of the Ozarks)
Clint McDade Orchid Collection
7,000 plants

Oriental trees and a pavilion at the Chance Gardens in Centralia, MO.

Chance Gardens
319 E Sneed St.
Oriental garden, waterfall, rose garden, and more

MLK Monument among the trees at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial at Battle Garden in Columbia, MO.

Lush plants at the Mizzou Botanic Gardens in Columbia, MO.

Flowers and paths at Shelter Gardens in Columbia, MO.

Shelter Gardens
1817 W Broadway
5 acres
300 varieties of trees and shrubs

Formal gardens and pergola at the Carnahan Memorial Garden in Jefferson City, MO.

Carnahan Memorial Garden
101 Jefferson St.
gardens, sunken pool, terraces, walkways, pergola

Pergola at the Ewing & Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden in Kansas City, MO.

Decorative fountain in the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden at Loose Park in Kansas City, MO

Decorative waterfall at Powell Gardens in Kansas City, MO

Grouping of trees and plants in The Gardens at Woodfield in Nixa, MO

The Gardens at Woodfield
441 Truman Blvd.
6 acres
gardens, 1/2-mile walking trail

Small waterfall in the MODOT Highway Gardens in Sedalia, MO

MODOT Highway Gardens
2200 S Limit Ave.
(Missouri State Fairgrounds)
gardens, waterfall

Ornate fountain at the Dominion Gardens & Arboretum in Springfield, MO

Dominion Gardens & Arboretum
1622 E Walnut St.
gardens, fountain, arboretum

Oriental trees and waterfall in the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO

Lovely flower display at the Springfield Botanical Gardens in Springfield, MO

Springfield Botanical Gardens
2400 S Scenic Ave.
gardens, native butterfly house, lake
gardens map

Bright poppies and blooming trees at the Waterwise Garden in Springfield, MO

Waterwise Garden
1513 S National Ave.
(Phelps Grove Park)
demonstration garden

Parks & Natural Areas

Missouri’s diverse landscape offers plenty of natural beauty to discover. Ha Ha Tonka State Park in Camdenton is known for its castle ruins and scenic views, while the Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield features restored prairies and woodland trails. Maramec Spring Park in St. James is a favorite for its picturesque spring and waterfalls, and the rugged beauty of Pickle Springs Natural Area in St. Genevieve offers unique geological features and hiking trails. These interesting places make it worthwhile to explore Missouri, with even more natural destinations waiting to be discovered across the state.

Annada

Trail through the trees at the Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge in Annada, MO

A trail in autumn woods at the Lakeside Forest Wilderness Area in Branson, MO

Burfordville

The historic mill at the Bollinger Mill State Historic Site in Burfordville, MO.

Camdenton

A natural bridge at Ha Ha Tonka State Park in Camdenton, MO.

Ha Ha Tonka State Park
1491 State Rd D
3,751.74 acres
spring, natural bridge, trails

A path in autumn woods at the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary in Columbia, MO.

Trees and plants at the Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary in Columbia, MO.

A path and trees at the Forum Nature Area in Columbia, MO.

The natural rock bridge at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park in Columbia, MO.

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
5901 S Highway 163
natural bridge, caves, hiking trails
park map

Plants and trees around the lake on a cloudy day at Stephens Lake Park in Columbia, MO.

Stephens Lake Park
2001 E Broadway
116 acres
11-acre lake, waterfalls, walking paths

Bald cypress trees in a swamp at the Conservation Commission Headquarters in Jefferson City, MO.

A trail in the woods at the Runge Conservation Nature Center in Jefferson City, MO.

The waterfall on a cloudy day in winter at Grand Falls in Joplin, MO.

Grand Falls
5685 Riverside Dr.
natural waterfall, walking trails

A path in autumn woods at Henry Lay Sculpture Park in Louisiana, MO.

A pond in the woods at Hidden Waters Nature Park in Marshfield, MO.

Hidden Waters Nature Park
716 W Hubble Dr.
11.3 acres
trails, springs, ponds, waterfalls

New Bloomfield

Trees and plants around a pond at the Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield, MO.

Prairie Garden Trust
8945 County Road 431
240 acres
trails, ponds, creek, scenic overlooks

A path in early spring woods at the Audubon Trails Nature Center in Rolla, MO.

A path in cedar woods at the Little Prairie Conservation Area in Rolla, MO.

Little Prairie Conservation Area
Route RA
342.4 acres
hiking trails, 97-acre Towell Lake

Brightly-colored autumn woods at the Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site in Sedalia, MO.

Beautiful reflection of autumn trees and a bridge at Schaible Lake Park in Springfield, MO.

Schaible Lake Park
3800 S National Ave.
lake, bridge, walking path

Autumn-colored branches over a bridge at Sequiota Park in Springfied, MO.

Sequiota Park
3500 S Lone Pine Ave.
paved trails, lake, waterfalls

A boardwalk in early spring woods at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center in Springfield, MO.

A trail in the woods at Valley Water Mill Park in Springfield, MO.

Valley Water Mill Park
2450 E Valley Water Mill Rd.
70 acres
trails, lake, waterfall, stream

Amazing waterfalls under a bridge at Maramec Spring Park in St. James, MO.

Maramec Spring Park
21880 Maramec Spring Dr.
200 acres
spring, waterfalls, stream, trails

Distinctive rock formations at an overlook at Pickle Springs Natural Area in Ste. Genevieve, MO.

Pickle Springs Natural Area
Dorlac Rd.
256.5 acres
trails, rock formations, waterfalls