Outdoor Activities in Springfield

Explore a cave that once sheltered Civil War weaponry, or the battlefield that brought Missouri into the war. Float down a river fed by one of America's largest freshwater springs, or play tug-of-war with a Bengal tiger. In the Queen City of the Ozarks, outdoor fun is right outside your door, and nothing beats being there in person to experience all that Springfield has to offer.

Smallin's Civil War Cave—Wonders Underground

Travel back in time at Smallin Civil War Cave, nestled in unspoiled Ozark forest six miles south of Springfield. The one-hour guided tour—along stroller and wheelchair-safe walkways—passes crystal-clear pools where bristly crayfish and cave salamanders feed. Bats and fossils cling to the walls and ceilings, while limestone-rich water—which has hardened over millennia into fantastic formations—seeps in. For braver parents with kids 12 and older, the 2-hour, 1-mile Wild Tour includes off-trail adventure and knee-deep water. Even cave-leery little ones share in the fun with a slither through the Visitors Center's 55-foot Crawl Fort tunnel.

Bennett Spring State Park—Go with the Flow,

When thermometer-melting temperatures arrive, pack the swimsuits, sunscreen, bug repellent and a picnic and head 60 minutes north to Lebanon's Bennett Spring State Park. Rent canoes or a raft for a family paddle down nine miles of the cool, serene Niangua River. Pull up to a sandbar for lunch, or stop to swim and snap photos of frisky river otters and stately blue herons. For the younger ones, skip the river and cool off in the Olympic-sized swimming pool or explore the 100-yard-long Bennett Spring Natural Tunnel and marvel at the 100 million gallons of cool, clear water that gush from the spring every day.

Wild Animal Safari—Ride on the Wild Side

Go on safari for the day at Strafford's Wild Animal Safari, where a 70-species menagerie of creatures great and small share 250 acres of Missouri woods and prairies 14 miles east of Springfield. Hop aboard the complimentary tour bus, where the animals poke their heads through windows looking for food handouts. Or set your own pace on the 5-mile drive through attraction, taking pictures through your car's closed windows. For a grand finale, pit your family's strength against a Bengal tiger's mighty jaws in a (safe) game of tug-of-war.

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield—Where War Came to Missouri

See where the Civil War's destructiveness first reached west of the Mississippi at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield - one of the best-preserved battlefields in the nation. Stop at the Visitor's Center to pick up Junior Ranger activity booklets for the kids, and then take the eight-stop driving tour following the armies' movements during the 6 hours of this bloody Southern victory. Stand on John Ray's front porch and imagine him watching his corn crop trampled to the ground while his family took shelter in the cellar. Then hike the ¾-mile trail across Bloody Hill, where General Nathaniel Lyon became the first Union general killed in the war. Don't forget to return to the Visitor's Center before you leave, so your kids can present their completed booklets for Junior Ranger badges and certificates.

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