About the Area
Bennett Springs is a beautiful area with many activities and habitats to explore. The Nature Center offers a variety of nature programs and features exhibits exploring Missouri’s Springs and the surrounding habitats at Bennett. Bennett Spring feeds into the Niangua River, which flows through the northern part of the area. The best birding can be had from one of the many hiking trails winding through the area. The Bridge Trail leads through an oak-hickory forest, and is likely a very old trail used by Native Americans for hundreds of years. The Natural Tunnel Trail extends along Spring Hollow to the Bennett Spring Natural Tunnel, a segment of a collapsed cave. These and other trails wind through the park, providing scenic views of the spring, access to bluff tops, glades, oak-hickory forest, and savannah openings. While exploring the area in summer, look for wood warblers, flycatchers, vireos, and tanagers. Colorful Painted Buntings have been spotted on the area during summer. In winter, look for Ruby/Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-throated Sparrows, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. Throughout the year, you can see Black Vultures, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, and a variety of woodpecker species.
Driving direction: From Lebanon, take Mo-64 W into the area. Look for signs on your left.
Joplin and Springfield are the two largest cities in the southwest corner of the state, each with good options for food and lodging. Springfield has a great nature center along the Galloway Creek, with hiking trails in the woodlands behind the visitor center offering excellent birding opportunities. Catch a Springfield Cardinals game, or visit the Dickerson Park Zoo. Bring the kids to the Discovery Center of Springfield or the Fantastic Caverns. You might also try birding the Springfield Botanical Garden or the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden in Nathanael Greene Park.