Jefferson City Parks and Gardens

(Jefferson City, Missouri - MO, USA)

This state capital has really considered the needs of its locals, and as Jefferson City has slowly expanded its boundaries over the decades, it has always ensured that there are plenty of parks and public gardens on hand.

A number of these parks are scattered around downtown Jefferson City, being popular places for local office workers to come at lunchtime with their sandwich boxes. Others are particularly suitable for families, with good sports facilities, picnic tables and playgrounds.

Washington Park is especially central and is to be found just off the Missouri Boulevard and Highway US-54, where it is intersected by the Greenway Bike Trail and the meandering Wears Creek. Attractions here include several baseball diamonds (including the Duensing Field and the Lions Field), seven tennis courts, picnic tables complete with BBQ grills, play areas and a hard-surface court suitable for playing basketball on.

General Information

Further sports facilities in Jefferson City are available at McKay Park on Southridge Drive, in the form of fitness trails, courts for basketball and a play area for children. A short drive away along the Southwest Boulevard is the Memorial Park on West Main Street, where its Family Aquatic Center is the principal draw card. There are also BBQ pits, covered picnic tables and a playground, amongst other family themed attractions.

If you are vacationing in the Missouri capital and enjoy a spot of fishing, then head roughly 15 minutes along Highway US-50, west of central Jefferson City, until you reach the Binder State Park on Rainbow Drive.

This spreading green space is very much centered around Binder Lake itself, where you can fish for bass, catfish and many other types of fish. Children will enjoy playing a round of disc golf (with Frisbees), while grown ups may well enjoy making use of the woodland golf course or trying out the trail for mountain bikes.

If you wish to get out and about during your time in Jefferson City, then you may like to consider spending a day walking or cycling along the famous Katy Trail. This long trail passes through the city and measures in at more than 220 miles / 354 km in length, running along the former route of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad.