Places To Go

White Alloe Creek CA

Enjoy a day of history and nature at this area northwest of Kansas City

MAKE UP A picnic basket and grab your camera for a day at White Alloe Creek Conservation Area. Indistinguishable from the Parkville Nature Sanctuary, to which it is leased, the 66-acre White Alloe Creek CA offers hiking, nature viewing, Saturday morning interpretive programs and a glimpse of local cultural and natural history. White Alloe Creek CA and Parkville Nature Sanctuary lie southwest of Riss Lake and occupy land that once served as a working farm for students of Park College. The farm’s root cellar still stands.

The Girl Scouts also made their mark on this land. They built a cabin with funds raised from scrap iron sales during World War II. After the original building fell into disuse, sanctuary volunteers renovated it, turning it into a rustic pavilion for gatherings and picnics.

One of the area’s many trails passes by the pavilion and turns into a boardwalk to convey hikers safely through wetland habitat. Further on, the trail crosses White Alloe Creek and cuts between two scenic waterfalls cascading down from Riss Lake. The sanctuary’s extensive trail system leads visitors through several different kinds of habitats including forests and wetlands. Some of the trails are quite challenging, others are more moderate, and one is designed to accommodate visitors with disabilities.

The area is great for birding, and you can find an extensive record of resident forest birds and spring migrant songbirds at the website listed below.

Butterflies, however, are the main winged attraction in August. Expect to see regal fritillary, monarch, swallowtail, red admiral, mourning cloak, sulphurs and blues. The area is rich in all kinds of wildlife, and you may encounter deer and turkey almost any time of the year.

Volunteers with the Parkville Nature Sanctuary offer an interpretive program for families between 10 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturdays. You can also call the volunteer office to schedule youth group programs at other times. In fact, the sanctuary depends on volunteers and invites you to call if you’re interested in helping with programs or trail work. Find White Alloe Creek CA and Parkville Nature Sanctuary alongside Highway 9 in Parkville. The website listed below includes an area map and brochure.

—Bonnie Chasteen, photo by David Stonner

Recreation Opportunities: Bird watching, hiking, picnicking, nature viewing and interpretive programs offered by Parkville Nature Sanctuary volunteers

Unique Features: This mostly forested area adjoins the Parkville Nature Sanctuary, which includes a picnic area, pavilion, viewing deck and White Alloe Creek.

For More Information

call 816-655-6250 or visit missouriconservation.org/a9730