Visit the Springfield Conservation Nature Center

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Always New

Something exciting is always happening at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center. Indoors you'll find new programs, activities and displays each month. Outdoors, seasonal changes and unpredictable wildlife make each visit an adventure. So come visit the nature center often!

Natural

Surprise a white-tailed deer bedded in a cedar thicket. Smell the fresh scent of the Ozark woods after a rain. Watch an eagle snag a fish from an icy lake. At the Springfield Conservation Nature Center there are trails to walk, exhibits to explore, and videos and programs to enjoy. All year-round, it's the place to experience and learn about the Missouri outdoors.

Nearby

Within the city limits of Springfield, a half-mile from the intersection of US-65 and US-60, the Springfield Conservation Nature Center is easy to find and easy to get to. It is no more than a 25-minute drive from anyplace in town!

The Springfield Conservation Nature Center is a little piece of the Ozarks within the city limits of Springfield. It's a place to enjoy nature's gifts, and to learn about the importance of taking care of them.

Bring a group...

Call or write in advance to schedule a naturalist-conducted program or hike for your school class, scout organization, tour or other group. Missouri teachers can arrange field trips which help fulfill for students the state's "Core Competencies and Key Skills." Take advantage of the center's pull-through bus parking area and large restroom.

Come on your own...

Hike a trail--we have six of them, short and long. Experience the sounds of the nighttime forest and discover how rainwater becomes spring water, all in the center's multi-sensory exhibit room. Watch birds and other animals visit our pond and feeders from the comfort of our indoor wildlife viewing area. Attend a special program, guided nature walk or video. Call ahead for a schedule or ask at the information desk when you arrive.

Nature Center Features

• Eighty acres of forests, fields and creeks, along with frontage on Lake Springfield.
• Wildlife, including deer, foxes, mink, muskrat, raccoons, squirrels, birds, turtles, frogs, bugs and just about everything else that lives in the Ozarks.
• Nearly three miles of trails, as short as a fifth of a mile, as long as two miles.
• A boardwalk over the marshy shallows of the lake.
• A building containing:
  • 150-seat auditorium
  • classrooms
  • restrooms
  • exhibits
  • information desk
  • sales of books, calendars, and fishing and hunting permits
• Regularly scheduled public programs, guided walks and nature films.
• Covered sack lunch area.
• Pull-through bus and RV parking
• Facilities are accessible to persons with disabilities.

What Does It Cost?

The Springfield Conservation Nature Center is operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation, a state agency supported by fishing and hunting license revenues and a statewide 1/8-of-one-percent sales tax. No fees are charged at the center.

SPRINGFIELD CONSERVATION NATURE CENTER Building Open year-round, seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Area Hours Open daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. from March 1 through October 31, and daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. the rest of the year. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Regulations

Pets, horses, hunting, fishing, collecting, littering, fires and alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the area. Bicycles, skating, skateboards, rollerblades, scooters, and motorized vehicles are not permitted on trails.

Address
Springfield Conservation Nature Center
Missouri Department of Conservation
4600 S. Chrisman
Springfield, MO 65804
Telephone--(417) 888-4237
Call for more information!