Monkey Mountain, Missouri facts for kids
Monkey Mountain is a special place in Jackson County, Missouri. It's both a hill and a beautiful nature preserve around it. The top of the mountain is about 948 feet (or 289 meters) high. You can find it in the United States, in the state of Missouri.
Exploring Monkey Mountain Preserve
Monkey Mountain is a great spot for people who love the outdoors, especially hikers and horse riders. The preserve has many different kinds of land to explore.
What You'll See
- Wetlands: In the northwest part, you'll find marshy areas. These are wet lands where special plants and animals live.
- Forests: The east and south sides have steep hills covered with thick woods. It's a fun challenge to climb them!
- Rocky Areas: On the southern side, there are cool rocky spots where you can see interesting rock formations.
- Open Fields: In the middle of the park, there's a big, rolling meadow. It's a wide-open space perfect for enjoying nature.
- Water Features: The preserve also has several ponds, small streams, and even a pretty waterfall.
Trails and Access
The park has a main trail that goes in a big circle, about 3.5 miles long. There are also many smaller trails that branch off from the main one. You can get into the park from two places: a small gravel parking lot on the south side, or a parking lot near a softball field on the north side.
A Bit of History
Long ago, the land that is now Monkey Mountain Preserve was part of a large farm called Sni-A-Bar Farm. This farm was owned by a man named William Rockhill Nelson. He was a well-known person in Kansas City who owned a newspaper. He also gave a lot of money to help good causes, which is called being a philanthropist.
