Three Creeks MissouriATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Three Creeks, Missouri.
1. Three Creeks Conservation Area
PRISTINE NATURAL WILDERNESS
Three Creeks Conservation Area is a 1,500-acre area located halfway between Columbia and Ashland in Boone County. The area takes its name from the three creeks that run through it: Turkey Creek, Bass Creek, and Bonne Femme Creek. The rugged forest features scenic bluffs, intermittent streams, geologic formations, and old eastern red cedar trees.
2. Three Creeks Trail
MULTI-USE OUTDOOR PATH
Three Creeks Trail is an eight-mile multi-use trail that runs through the conservation area south of Columbia. The trail is open for hiking, biking, and horseback riding throughout the year. Its varied terrain provides users with diverse views of the area's natural features and forest types.
3. Turkey Creek Trail
DEDICATED HIKING PATH
Turkey Creek Trail is a three-mile interpretive hiking trail exclusively for foot traffic in Three Creeks Conservation Area. The trail winds through varied topography showcasing the area's natural communities. Hikers can enjoy views of bluffs, streams, and diverse forest ecosystems along this dedicated path.
4. Hunters Cave
NATURAL UNDERGROUND WONDER
Hunters Cave is a geological feature located within Three Creeks Conservation Area. The cave offers visitors a glimpse into the karst topography that characterizes parts of central Missouri. Nature enthusiasts can explore this natural formation while enjoying the surrounding conservation area.
5. Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
ICONIC NATURAL LANDMARK
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park features a natural rock bridge formation that gives the park its name. The park offers hiking trails, caves, sinkholes, and a stream that showcases Missouri's karst landscape. Visitors can explore Devil's Icebox Cave and enjoy the diverse plant and animal life throughout the park.
6. Stephens Lake Park
URBAN RECREATIONAL OASIS
Stephens Lake Park is a popular urban park in Columbia featuring a 11-acre lake for fishing, swimming, and non-motorized boating. The park includes walking trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, and an amphitheater for community events. During winter, visitors can enjoy sledding hills and ice skating on the lake when conditions permit.
7. Shelter Gardens
BOTANICAL DISPLAY GARDEN
Shelter Gardens is a five-acre botanical garden on the Shelter Insurance campus in Columbia. The gardens feature more than 300 varieties of trees and shrubs, a waterfall, reflecting pool, and a replica one-room schoolhouse. Visitors can enjoy the sensory garden, stream garden, and rock garden while strolling along winding paths.
8. Finger Lakes State Park
RECLAIMED MINING LAND
Finger Lakes State Park is a unique recreation area created from a former coal mining site north of Columbia. The park features a series of narrow lakes that resemble fingers, offering opportunities for swimming, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Off-road vehicle enthusiasts can enjoy more than 70 miles of trails on the park's rugged terrain.
9. Bonne Femme Creek
SCENIC WATERWAY TRAIL
Bonne Femme Creek is one of the three creeks that flow through Three Creeks Conservation Area. The creek carves through limestone bluffs and creates picturesque scenes throughout its course. Visitors can hike alongside portions of the creek to enjoy its clear waters and observe local wildlife.
10. University of Missouri Campus
HISTORIC EDUCATIONAL GROUNDS
The University of Missouri campus in Columbia features historic red brick buildings, impressive columns, and beautiful green spaces. Founded in 1839, it was the first public university west of the Mississippi River and includes landmarks like Jesse Hall and the Columns. Visitors can tour the campus, visit museums, and enjoy botanical gardens on the grounds.
11. Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area
DIVERSE SPORTS COMPLEX
Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area is a large sports and recreation complex offering facilities for baseball, softball, soccer, and tennis. The park includes walking trails, picnic areas, and Rainbow Field, a specialized baseball field for players with disabilities. Visitors can enjoy both organized sports events and casual outdoor recreation at this versatile community space.
12. Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area
PREMIER BIRDWATCHING DESTINATION
Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area is a 4,400-acre wetland complex located along the Missouri River southwest of Columbia. The area provides critical habitat for migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife in the Missouri River floodplain. Birdwatchers and wildlife photographers can observe a wide variety of species throughout the year from designated viewing areas.
13. Columbia Historic District
DOWNTOWN CULTURAL HUB
Columbia Historic District encompasses the downtown area with its well-preserved 19th and early 20th century architecture. The district features a vibrant mix of shops, restaurants, galleries, and entertainment venues along brick streets. Visitors can explore historic buildings while enjoying the cultural offerings of this college town.
14. Capen Park
URBAN ROCK CLIMBING
Capen Park offers natural limestone bluffs that have become a popular destination for rock climbing enthusiasts in central Missouri. The park provides multiple climbing routes of varying difficulty levels set against a backdrop of wooded terrain. Visitors can also enjoy hiking trails, overlooks of Hinkson Creek, and picnic areas within this urban natural space.
15. Katy Trail State Park
HISTORIC RAIL TRAIL
Katy Trail State Park is a 240-mile rail-trail that passes through Boone County and near Columbia, following the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The trail is the longest developed rail-trail in the United States, offering hiking and biking through scenic rural landscapes, farmland, and small towns. Visitors can access the trail at multiple points to enjoy its natural beauty, historic sites, and connections to Missouri's transportation history.