Pack a Picnic and Grab the Camera
It’s is a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors. As long as it isn’t raining, the weather couldn’t be better. Enjoy a view of some of the more elusive forest denizens, such as neotropcial bird immigrants, and ephemeral woodland flowers and waterways that are often clear of algae. What better time to take a picnic or do a little photography? Nature changes quickly in the spring, and each week will offer something different to enjoy. Please remember to follow good outdoor etiquette: leave only footprints and take only pictures. This way the area will be just as lovely the next time you visit.
Loose Park in Kansas City, MO, is great for a picnic and family time. In addition to picnic shelters, the gently rolling hills and shade trees offer excellent blanket picnicking. Other features include Loose Lake, gardens and a tea room. Recreational areas such as tennis courts, playground and walking trails are available. There is plenty of room to throw a Frisbee or baseball. See the KC Parks and Recreation website for details (www.KCMO.org/CKCMO/Depts/ParksandRecreation/LoosePark/index.htm).
Lakeside Nature Center in Swope Park has a small picnic area and trails wandering through a variety of habitats, including prairie, savannah, upland forests, a glade, limestone bluffs and a hollow. Larger picnic areas can be found nearby in Swope Park. The nature center is a must-visit as it contains many birds of prey, reptiles, fish and other animals. Lakeside is one of the few wildlife rehabilitation organizations in the city. Visit their website (www.LakesideNatureCenter.org) to get a trail map and information about their facility.
Wyandotte County Lake Park in Kansas City, KS, has 16 shelters and a beach shelter for picnicking. The 400-acre scenic lake sports waterfowl and other birds, particularly during migration times. There are boating and fishing opportunities; be sure to check for the area regulations. The park has hiking and horse riding trails. Simply driving around the lake offers spectacular water views. Visit the F. L. Schlagle Library in the park for a trail map and information. The Wyandotte County website (www.WyCoKCK.org) can help plan your outing. For folks in the northland, a visit to Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary in Liberty, MO, is well worth the time. The area has a picnic shelter, a clear, stone-bottom creek, and many trails to enjoy. I recommend hiking the interconnected Pond, Pawpaw, and Columbine trails, as they host a great variety of woodland flowers and migratory songbirds in early spring. A handicapped accessible trail winds throughout a variety of habitats and ends at the Rush Creek overlook. Check in at the nature center or visit the website (http://NatureSanctuary.com/) for a map.
A smaller northland natural area that is worth a visit is the Maple Woods Natural Area on 76th Street in Gladstone, MO. What it lacks in amenities it makes up for in spring flowers that grow thickly along the hilly trail. See the Missouri Department of Conservation website for this area (http://MDC.mo.gov/Discover-Nature/Places-Go/Natural-Areas/Maple-Woods).
Heather Shields grew up in Kansas City with a love for nature and conservation. She now teaches science at Ruskin High, where she shares her passion with students.