Conservation Commission Headquarters
Nature preserve
44 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: RebelAt of English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0BOutdoors
Outdoors in Jefferson City
Jefferson City has 28 miles of mapped trails, 0.8 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Conservation Commission Headquarters (1.6 mi), Runge Conservation Nature Center (1.5 mi), North Jefferson City Recreation Area (1.3 mi). 741 acres are parks and preserves, 17 per 1,000 residents. 3% of Jefferson City’s land is conserved, about 605 acres.
Ahead of 62% of U.S. towns · #71 of 247 in Missouri. What drives it
Conserved land
3%
605 acres · of 36.1 sq mi of land
Trails
28 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
741 ac
17 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
62%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
44 mi
2.2 mi lanes · 24 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
9
3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Jefferson City?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Jefferson City have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Jefferson City is ahead of 62% of U.S. towns, #71 of 247 in Missouri. Trail miles hold the grade up; conserved land pulls it down.
B
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Jefferson City’s overall grade.
Conserved land3% of the land · typical MO town 2% · U.S. 4%B−Trails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (28 mi) · MO 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land17 acres of park per 1,000 residents (741 acres) · MO 11 · U.S. 13BParks close to home62% of residents within a half mile of a park · MO 74% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 62%
LessMore
Missouri towns of 2,500+ (247)Ahead of 72%
Few Missouri towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Jefferson City’s 3% is ahead of 63% of Missouri towns, while its trails per square mile lead 85% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to B+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Conservation Commission Headquarters, with 1.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Runge Conservation Nature Center
Managed by Missouri Department of Conservation
83 acres1.5 mi of trail
Towering OakBluestem RidgeMoss Rock TraceRaccoon Run Spur
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
North Jefferson City Recreation Area
Park
187 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 25 parks & preserves
Conservation Commission Headquarters44 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsRunge Conservation Nature Center83 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Missouri Department of Conservation
DirectionsNorth Jefferson City Recreation Area187 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsEllis Porter Park47 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsQuigg Commons8 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsEast Miller Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWashington Park57 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsYvonne Walker Hoard Tennis Court2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCommunity Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCarnahan Memorial Garden1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDeborah Cooper Park on Adrian's Island32 acres · JC Parks
DirectionsMemorial Park27 acres
DirectionsMcKay Park21 acres
DirectionsMcClung Park20 acres
DirectionsMoreau 50 Access8 acres · MIssouri Department of Conservation
DirectionsWilson's Serenity Point at Noren Access5 acres · Missouri Department of Conservation
DirectionsGreen Berry Acres5 acres
Lavinia Park2 acres
DirectionsWest Edgewood Park2 acres
DirectionsJefferson Landing State Historic Site2 acres · Missouri State Parks
DirectionsMissouri State Capitol Fountains1 acres
DirectionsLewis and Clark Trailhead Plaza1 acres · JC Parks
DirectionsRolling Hills Neighborhood Park1 acres
Hickory Adams Park1 acres
Park Place Neighborhood Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
605 conserved acres
3% of Jefferson City’s land. Who manages Jefferson City’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city265 ac
State conservation124 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits83 ac
Other state land48 ac
County3 ac
State parks1 ac
Not recorded172 ac
State Conservation Area · 281 acLocal Park · 220 acLocal Recreation Area · 174 acState Recreation Area · 10 acState Historic or Cultural Area · 7 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation Commission Hq State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 156 | Restricted |
| Runge Nature Center Park State Conservation Area | State conservation | 124 | Open |
| Art Firley Soccer Park Local Recreation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 83 | Open |
| Ellis Porter Park Local Park | Town or city | 62 | Open |
| Washington Park Local Park | Town or city | 48 | Open |
| Lincoln University Open Space Local Recreation Area | Other state land | 41 | Open |
| Memorial Park Local Park | Town or city | 28 | Open |
| Deborah Cooper Park Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
| Mcclung Park Local Park | Town or city | 22 | Open |
| North Jefferson City Recreation Area Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 21 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
28 places to go in Jefferson City
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Jefferson City
Ellis-Porter/Riverside PoolIn Ellis Porter Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Jefferson City
Ellis Porter/Riverside PlaygroundIn Ellis Porter Park
DirectionsPlus 19 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Jefferson City
North Jefferson Dog ParkIn North Jefferson City Recreation Area
DirectionsBoat launches in Jefferson City
Carl R. Noren Boat Ramp
DirectionsMoreau 50 AccessIn Moreau 50 Access
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Jefferson City
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Jefferson City
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
8 named trails and 9 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.7 miUnpaved · 6.2 mi
Boardwalk0.7 mi
Tick Tok0.7 mi
Less Traveled0.5 mi
Towering Oak0.5 mi
Bluestem Ridge0.4 mi
Diamond In The Rough0.4 mi
Moss Rock Trace0.3 mi
Rock Candy0.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
44 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
24 mi
off-road bike paths
18 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Frog Hollow Nature TrailBike route
3.3 miCourts & fields
32Tennis
24Golf
9Baseball
7Basketball
6Soccer
3Football
3Tracks
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →47 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 12 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Lohman's Landing BuildingBuilding · listed 1969
About itCole County Historical Society BuildingBuilding · listed 1969
About itMissouri Governor's MansionBuilding · listed 1969
About itMissouri State Capitol Building and GroundsBuilding · listed 1969
About itCole County Courthouse and Jail-Sheriff's HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itMissouri State Capitol Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1976
About itLincoln Univ. Hilltop Campus Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983
About itVilla PanoramaBuilding · listed 1985
About itIvy TerraceBuilding · listed 1990
About itMissouri State Penitentiary Warden's HouseBuilding · listed 1991
About itJefferson City Community CenterBuilding · listed 1992
About itDulle Farmstead Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1993
About it35 more on the History page.
When to get out
June is the best month for walking in Jefferson City
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.8 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 40 | 46 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 84 | 89 | 88 | 80 | 69 | 55 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (2.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 5.1 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Jefferson City →
Questions about parks and trails in Jefferson City
Where can I hike in Jefferson City?
The longest trail networks: Conservation Commission Headquarters, 1.6 miles; Runge Conservation Nature Center, 1.5 miles; North Jefferson City Recreation Area, 1.3 miles; Ellis Porter Park, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Jefferson City is conserved land?
3% of its land, against a typical 2% for a Missouri town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Jefferson City’s trails?
Conservation Commission Headquarters and Runge Conservation Nature Center don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Jefferson City?
44 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.2 of painted or protected lanes, 24 of off-road paths and 18 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Frog Hollow Nature Trail.
Is there public land near Jefferson City?
5,612 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Jefferson City or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 741 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Jefferson City have?
Ahead of 62% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #71 of 247 in Missouri. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Jefferson City neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →