Activities

  • hiking

    Hike amid the colorful prairie wildflowers and unique prairie animals on one of five trails. Click here for more information.

  • backpacking

    Sleep under the vast prairie sky at the backpack camp along Coyote Trail. Click here for more information.

  • Interpretive Programs

    Attend one of the regularly scheduled programs held throughout the year. Click here for more information.

  • picnicking

    Enjoy a picnic lunch in a shady spot by a stream. Click here for more information.

  • camping

    A small number of basic campsites are available. Click here for more information.

Park information

Tallgrass prairies once covered more than a third of Missouri; today, less than one percent remains, much of it preserved at Prairie State Park. Visitors to the park see panoramic vistas of swaying grass and ever-changing wildflowers. They also may spot an elk or the park’s resident bison herd. The park’s visitor center offers exhibits and interpretive programs designed to inform visitors about the special place.

See video

Park Hours

Park Grounds

Sunrise to sunset, year-round.

Visitor Center hours

  • Summer Hours (On-Season)
    April through October
    10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday
    Closed Sunday through Tuesday and holidays
  • Winter Hours (Off-Season)
    November through March
    10 a. m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Saturday
    Closed Sunday through Wednesday