Van Meter State Park: An island of green among fields of gold
Van Meter State Park, near Marshall, Mo.
Rolling hills, the Missouri River and Native American heritage make this an unexpected find in Central Missouri.
Trails Van Meter State Park, near Marshall, Mo.
Overview
Van Meter State Park stands out like a green thumb in the gently-rolling prairies of Mid-Missouri. The park is built around two geologic features: loess hills and the Missouri River. Loess is soft soil blown and deposited by the wind. It has created spectacular landforms in Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and other locations around the world. Here, it has created steep-sloping hills that rise abruptly from the Missouri River plain. When it erodes, it creates steep drop-offs and ravines. The hills were natively devoid of trees. With the arrival of agriculture came fire suppression and the rise of forests. These cover most of the park, although there are still remnants of prairie. The Missouri River plain is also a distinctive of the park. As the hills descend, they meet head-tall grasses which populate soggy bottomland soil. It would be nearly impenetrable were it not for metal boardwalks that allow visitors to explore the Oumessourit Natural Area. The park is the site of a Missouria Indian village that sat at the Great Bend of the Missouri River until about 1800. Several artifacts have been preserved.
Length There are about five miles of trails in the park with a total of six trails. They range from one-tenth of a miles to about two miles in length.
Address and location Van Meter State Park, 32146 MO-122, Miami, MO 65344.
Conditions These are natural surface trails that are well marked. Because they are explore hilly terrain, there are some moderately challenging sections on the Loess Hills Trail.
Kid friendly? These trails are generally easy to walk, but they would not accommodate strollers.
How busy? This is generally a quiet area, but holiday weekends will increase the population. It is a popular camping site.
Pets Yes, on a leash (unless otherwise designated).
Bikes are not allowed on trails.
