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Prairie State Park

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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 Regal Tallgrass Prairie Nature Center offers exhibits and interpretive programs designed to inform visitors about the special place.

Park Hours

Park Grounds

Sunrise to sunset, year-round.

Regal Tallgrass Prairie Nature 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
Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites
March 6, 2014
At 16, Olive Boone married Nathan Boone and left everything she knew to go with him to a wild and uncertain frontier. She survived earthquakes and Indian wars, lived in the crudest of cabins and gave birth to 14 children. Olive learned to rely on herself during Nathan’s frequent absences. In 1837, she was 54 years old and had earned a rest, but instead of taking it easy, she packed her bags and prepared to start all over again. This time it was to build a homestead preserved today at Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site. To learn more about Olive’s life and what happened next, go to http://www.mostateparks.com/park/nathan-boone-homestead-state-historic-site or visit Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site.