Prairie State Park

Prairie State Park
Prairie
Visitor center viewed from the prairie
Location within Missouri
Location within the United States
LocationBarton County, Missouri, United States
Coordinates37°30′44″N 94°34′18″W / 37.51222°N 94.57167°W / 37.51222; -94.57167
Area3,955.26 acres (1,600.64 ha)
Established1980
AdministratorMissouri Department of Natural Resources
Visitors38,681 (in 2023)
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Prairie State Park is a public recreation area encompassing nearly 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of grasslands and woodlands in Barton County, Missouri. The state park preserves much of the few remaining acres of tallgrass prairie in the state. The park features hiking trails, camping for backpackers, and a nature center. Captive wild bison and elk roam the park. The bison herd contains about 100 individuals as of spring 2021.

Ecology

Prairie State Park is in the central forest-grasslands transition ecoregion of the temperate grasslands, savannas and shrublands biome.