Missouri outdoors

Late July is the prime time to go see beautiful, sunny, sunflowers. They are glorious to look at and they make bees, other pollinators, and deer happy. Take a day trip to see thousands of these bright, colorful flowers and hear the buzzing of the bees.

You probably know bees are pollinators, and very beneficial to the environment. But how much do you know about bees that live in an Ozark fen— a wetland fed by groundwater, not rain or surface streams? Here’s a chance to bee-come more informed.

By foot is the best way to see Pickle Creek, sandstone landscapes, shut-ins, and distinctive flora. Rose azaleas accent fern-covered ledges and Whispering Pine Wild Area beckons you to discover the wonders this State Park has to offer.

The silence that surrounds you at this site belies what happened here during the Civil War. This is where one of the earliest engagements of the Civil War took place. Stand in the spot where the Union fired the final battle shots.

Granite “elephants” came to be due to uplift and erosion. Make plans to visit today. You can follow a Braille trail and have a snack on the picnic tables hidden among the rocks. There is so much to see and learn among these “elephants.”

Learn how the site of an early Civil War skirmish became a State Historic Site. Uncover prehistoric Indian sites and part of a Sauk Indian village. Take a hike to see rich flora that are relics of glacial times. Can you find the “cannonball house?”

Dedicated in 1938, this gem of a state park now sits amid an expanding suburban landscape and is worthy of a visit any time of year. There are twenty-two CCC-era structures to visit, rocky hills to hike, and massive trees to stop and rest under.

Pure Air Natives has been supplying Missouri and adjacent states with high-quality native seed and plant material for more than 25 years. The Pure Air Natives team has worked with farmers, recreational landowners, developers, architects, engineers, landscape architects, owners and enthusiasts on projects across the Midwest.

Jump in the car or fire up your motorcycle for a really fun ride. Grab a burger or some Texas-style BBQ. Find out why Missouri is called the Cave State. And end the day at a bed-and-breakfast or a hotel to rest up for the ride home.

Find great adventure on a driving tour that takes you to lakes and rivers, and down scenic fun to drive roads. Jump in the pool, grab a slice of pie, then at the end of the trip, sip a brew and listen to live music.