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Parks and Trails
Did you know? The Columbia area is home to one of the largest and oldest Burr Oak trees in North America. With a circumference of 287 inches, 90 feet tall, and holds a spread of over 130 inches. It has seen over 400 years of change in the Missouri River bottoms and has lived through numerous floods. It is easily viewable from the Missouri River Road in McBaine. Just a short drive down Route K in Columbia. Our beloved community “Big Tree” is definitely worth the visit!
To see the McBaine Burr Oak, take Providence Road south out of Columbia until it turns to Route K. Route K will swing west and in McBaine will turn into Burr Oak Road. About two miles northwest of McBaine, you’ll see the tree on your right.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/mcbaine-burr-oak-lewis-and-clark-national-historic-trail.htm
Columbia, Missouri
From picturesque parks and clever cuisine to amazing art and superb shopping, visitors find that Columbia is ‘more than a college town’ and ‘surprisingly sophisticated.’ We like to think of Columbia as a cool neighborhood in a big city, with a young vibe, an active buzz and an engaged community. We’re also a friendly and welcoming community, with a thriving downtown and an abundance of cultural opportunities.
University of Missouri
The state’s largest and most comprehensive university, Mizzou has more than 300 degree programs — including more than 90 online options — through 19 colleges and schools and is one of only six public universities nationwide that can claim a medical school, veterinary medicine college and a law school on the same campus. Designated a botanic garden, MU’s 1,262-acre main campus features more than 42,000 plants and trees in numerous thematic and special collection settings. Many university buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Katy Trail State Park
Katy Trail State Park, the longest developed rail-trail in the country. Katy Trail State Park attracts people of all ages and interests. Whether you are a bicyclist, walker, equestrian, nature lover or history buff, the trail offers opportunities for recreation, a place to enjoy nature and an avenue to discover the past.
The park, built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT or Katy), is 240 miles long and runs between Clinton and Machens with 26 trailheads and four fully restored railroad depots along the way. The section of trail between Cooper County and St. Charles County has been designated as an official segment of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.
Trail users have the opportunity to wind through some of the most scenic areas of the state with the majority of the trail closely following the Missouri River. The park also takes users through a slice of rural history as it meanders through the small towns that once thrived along the railroad corridor and reflect the rich heritage of Missouri.
Rockbridge Park
Just minutes from Columbia, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park gives visitors the chance to scramble, hike and bicycle through a scenic environment – and lets them peek into Missouri’s underworld. The park contains some of the most popular hiking trails in the state and also offers solitude while hiking in the Gans Creek Wild Area. Visitors can also see a large cave system with its rock bridge, sinkholes, a spring and underground stream at the Devil’s Icebox. You can explore Connor’s Cave in the light of the opening for a taste of the underground world.
Finger Lakes State Park
The roar of ATVs and off-road motorcycles combines with the peacefulness of rolling hills at Finger Lakes State Park, one of two ATV parks in the state parks system. Built in a former coal mining area, Finger Lakes’ trails and motocross track are popular with users who come for the day, but often fall under the spell of the spacious campground, leafy trees and hilly terrain. The park is also the site of the challenging 2.75-mile Kelley Branch Mountain Bike Trail and a 4.5-mile water trail.
MKT Fitness and Nature Trail
The MKT is Columbia’s premiere trail. This 10-foot wide trail built on the old railbed of the MKT railroad begins in downtown Columbia in Flat Branch Park at 4th and Cherry Streets. The all-weather crushed limestone surface provides opportunities for walking, jogging, running, and bicycling. The City’s 4.7 mile MKT links to Boone County’s 4.2 miles of trail at the southwest edge of the city at Scott Blvd. The County’s trail connects with the State of Missouri’s Katy Trail State Park near McBaine. The distance from the start of the MKT Trail to the Katy Trail is 8.9 miles. The KATY Trail extends for over 200 miles from St. Charles in eastern Missouri to Sedalia in western Missouri.
Major Trail Accesses:
Trailhead – Flat Branch Park, 101 S. 4th St.
501 S. Providence Rd. (No parking)
800 W. Stadium Blvd.
2701 Forum Blvd.
3662 Scott Blvd.
Les Bourgeois Winery & Bistro
Known for its spectacular view of the Missouri River valley, this terraced, bluff-top wine garden is a favorite retreat for picnickers. Wine tasting and sales are inside the A-Frame. Bring your own picnic from home or purchase snack trays in the A-Frame. Grab a seat at one of the many picnic tables and take in the fabulous view. (No "fast food" and no outside alcohol allowed.) The Les Bourgeois Bistro Restaurant is next door. Located 15 miles west of Columbia: I-70, exit 115; one mile north. Also, a trail leads from the Katy Trail to the winery.
Warm Springs Ranch: Home of the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales
This is the 300-acre Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale breeding facility, home to more than 100 Clydesdales. You will meet the Clydesdale stallions, mares, foals and geldings in their natural environment. Tours include the custom-made harness, a 1903 Studebaker-built beer wagon, the luxury transport trailer, and the gift shop.Guests 21 and older can sample a Budweiser beer.Tours given April thru October; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tours are given rain or shine. Tours are very popular, so reservations should be made well in advance. Reservations required.
Historic Rocheport Missouri
Rocheport is a beacon of tranquility, drawing visitors to the world-class bed and breakfasts, the scenic Katy Trail, an award-winning winery, splendid dining, quaint shops, galleries and artisans — all amidst our beautiful hills and bluffs, just a short drive from where you are. Visit us and you’ll see why Rocheport, Missouri was recently named “One of America’s 10 Coolest Small Towns” by Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine!
Jefferson City, Missouri
The Capitol, completed in 1918, covers three acres in downtown Jefferson City. The dome rises 238 feet above ground level and is topped by a bronze statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of vegetation. Guided 45-minute tours are given daily, free of charge: Monday-Friday, on the hour, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (except at noon), and Saturday-Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Self-guided maps are available at the tour desk, on the first floor.
Missouri State Penitentiary
Decommissioned in 2004, the Missouri State Penitentiary was the oldest continually operating prison west of the Mississippi. The prison was 100 years old when Alcatraz began taking inmates. When the prison opened in 1836, the Battle of the Alamo was going on in Texas and Andrew Jackson was in his second term. Public history and paranormal tours showcase the prison’s grisly past, including cells of famous inmates such as heavyweight champion Sonny Liston and James Earl Ray, the gas chamber where 40 men and women were executed, several housing units and the upper yard. In 1967 the Missouri State Penitentiary was infamously named the "bloodiest 47 acres in America" by Time magazine because of the incredibly high number of serious assaults on the grounds between 1963 and 1964. Reservations are recommended. Groups of 20 or more can book a private tour.
Clark Amish Community
The Clark Amish community, which began in 1953, is one of Missouri's largest Amish settlements. There are over 200 families spread out over more than 15 square miles in Audrain, Randolph & Monroe counties with more than 50 family operated businesses. Amish stores do not accept credit or debit cards. They prefer cash. The Amish do not observe Daylight Savings Time and will remain one hour behind until Daylight Savings Time ends in the fall. All local stores are closed on Sundays and Christian holidays which include Old Christmas, Palm Sunday, Easter, Good Friday, Ascension Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Click here to download a PDF of the Clark Amish Community Map and Shop Information.
Arrow Rock State Historic Site
The Santa Fe Trail crossed the Missouri River here. Landmarks include artist George Caleb Bingham's house, the circa 1834 Huston Tavern, a one-room jail, a visitor center museum, camping, hiking trails and picnicking. The J. Huston Tavern offers dining in an 1860s atmosphere. Pets on a leash are allowed outdoors only. Arrow Rock is 13 miles north of I-70.
Herman, Missouri
The Santa Fe Trail crossed the Missouri River here. Landmarks include artist George Caleb Bingham's house, the circa 1834 Huston Tavern, a one-room jail, a visitor center museum, camping, hiking trails and picnicking. The J. Huston Tavern offers dining in an 1860s atmosphere. Pets on a leash are allowed outdoors only. Arrow Rock is 13 miles north of I-70.
Route 66
Route 66 is one of the most famous highways in the United States. Missouri is home to more than 280 miles of the “Mother Road,” and features some of the Route’s most historic tourist attractions. As you travel Route 66, we recommend taking the “scenic route” and spending a few days to cover a handful of the things to do on Route 66 in Missouri.
Lake of the Ozarks
Missouri’s most popular lake destination features more than 1,100 miles of shoreline – that’s more shoreline than the coast of California. The Lake of the Ozarks offers access to public beaches; great fishing; and plenty of room for fun and recreation on the water.
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal offers plenty of fun activities. Shop 'til you drop on our Historic Main Street; relax at our winery or microbrewery; get chills and thrills during a haunted ghost tour or a thrilling escape room. For Mark Twain fans visiting Hannibal, the adventures of Mark Twain’s days are alive and well. Start with a tour of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum. Continue in his footsteps as you explore the Mark Twain Cave Complex; find out where he got his pen name as you take a cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat and enjoy a night of entertainment at one of Hannibal's live theaters.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is a major city in Missouri along the Mississippi River. Home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. Its iconic, 630-ft. Gateway Arch, built in the 1960s, honors the early 19th-century explorations of Lewis and Clark and America’s westward expansion in general. Replica paddlewheelers ply the river, offering views of the arch. The Soulard district is home to barbecue restaurants and clubs playing blues music.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City sits on Missouri's western edge, straddling the border with Kansas. Home of the Kansas City Chiefs football and the Kansas City Royals baseball teams. It's known for its barbecue, jazz heritage and fountains. Downtown, the American Jazz Museum shares a building with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, with giant shuttlecocks out front, houses nearly 40,000 works of art, from ancient to contemporary collections. Kansas City is also home to the National World War I Museum.
Historic Clay County, Missouri
History buffs will fall for Clay’s storied past, our sites and museums tell tales of the Civil War, nineteenth century agriculture, the infamous Jesse James and much more. This is Jesse James country, so it's the perfect place for history buffs. Tour the Jesse James Museum & Birthplace, which houses the world's largest collection of James family artifacts. Explore the nearby cemetery where James is buried. For live entertainment, take in a concert at Kearney Amphitheater, or attend annual events like the Jesse James Festival and Jesse James Outlaw Airshow.
