Plenty of Parks

As the temperature changes and Kirksville, Mo. finally thaws out after the rough winter, all I have on my mind is getting out. I want to hop in the car, roll the windows down, crank up the radio and just go. It doesn’t matter where, I just want to feel the fresh air and see the trees blossom.

Photo from:http://cewalter.tripod.com/id89.htm

What better place to feel the warm spring air than a park? The Midwest is home to some beautiful state parks that provide the perfect afternoon getaway.

In Kirksville we have Thousand Hills State Park. It is home to the 573-acre Forest Lake, bike trails, campsites and a restaurant. Whether to relax and have a picnic or take a hike through the woods, Thousand Hills is the perfect place to spend a spring day.

Another great state park to check out is Giant City State Park in Makanda, Il. Giant City offers a lot of recreational activities. You can go horseback riding, camping and fishing. It is also home to hundreds of wildflower species and more than 75 kinds of trees.

And for you folks from Kansas, check out the Kanopolis State Park. It is Kansas’s first state park and is situated in the Smoky Hill River Valley. Kanopolis offers sandy beaches and extensive trails that run through sandstone canyons.

These are just a few of the beautiful state parks located in the Midwest. So grab your sunglasses and a good book and hit the road to the perfect spring getaway that is entirely free.