3 Best Hiking Trails in Springfield, MO

“Doling Park is a popular destination for hiking and picnic activities. The park covers 56 acres and offers various activities for visitors. This park enhances pedestrian access with walking paths and trails that cross the lake and lead into the Giboney Cave Reserve. The park is the perfect mix of history, geology, and exploration, providing a variety of activities for kids. There's a pleasant walking path around the pond and another path through a wooded area. The park also has a play area for kids and a covered pavilion. Doling Park features tennis courts, a skating rink, and an indoor pool. It's a great place to enjoy the presence of ducks and geese, offering a peaceful yet exciting atmosphere. The park also has an aquatics center, a family center, horseshoes, a museum, picnic shelters, a playground, a senior center, and tennis courts.

UNIQUE FACTS:
• Picnic Tables Available
• Has Basketball Court
• Playground Swings Available.”

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“Springfield Conservation Nature Center is a well-developed trail site in Springfield, MO. The Center has two main hiking trails, with elevation gains ranging from 75 to 147 feet. The longer trail offers a mix of hills, fantastic foliage, and open fields. This park is a beautiful natural area near an urban setting and features a nature center with plenty of exhibits. The center includes a self-guided exhibit area, a gift shop, a 150-seat auditorium, classrooms, and restrooms. The park has six hiking trails spanning 80 acres of forests, fields, creeks, and frontage on Lake Springfield. Springfield Conservation Nature Center offers free educational opportunities for all ages.

UNIQUE FACTS:
• Restroom Facilities
• Shaded Trails.”

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“Valley Water Mill Park is one of the well-known trails in Springfield, MO. The park features a one-mile hiking trail around the lake, other in-park trails, water-and-stream-side learning stations, an outdoor classroom pavilion, fishing piers, a maintenance center, and the Watershed Center of the Ozarks. This 2.3-mile loop trail is generally easy and takes 45 minutes to complete. Most of the trail is estimated to be in the gentle grade category (5% or less), with the steepest sections at about 1.3 and 1.7 miles when counterclockwise. This is a popular trail for running and walking, and visitors can also find some solitude during quieter times. Valley Water Mill Park has trails that include crossover bridges and small meandering creeks. There are benches and picnic tables along the route for resting. The Watershed Center is wheelchair-accessible.

UNIQUE FACTS:
• Picnic Tables Available
• Dogs Allowed
• Marked Paths.”

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