This 4,790-acre owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation provides opportunities for a variety of outdoor pursuits and is one of the few public areas in Missouri where prairie chickens can still be seen. The mix of prairie, overgrown farm fields and forest habitats provides viewing opportunities for a number of songbird and wildlife species. Hikers will find a network of trails which criss-cross the entire area. There is also a 6.6-mile horse trail. Bicycling is allowed on service roads, roads open to vehicles and horse trails. Primitive camping (no amenities provided) is allowed at one designated site. Hunting for all major game species is permitted in season. Fishing opportunities exist on the area at 157-acre Bushwhacker Lake, 29-acre Willow Lake and three smaller ponds managed for fishing. Check with the Missouri Department of Conservation office in Joplin (417-629-3423) for boating and fishing regulations specific to the Bushwhacker Area.

Located off I-44 at Exit 8B.

Once an important trail link in the pre-Civil War cattle trade that flowed between Texas and the western Missouri towns of Kansas City and Westport, this 3,635-acre area offers a number of outdoor recreational activities. Owned and managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation, Shawnee Trail primarily consists of grassland habitat. This mix of open grasslands and overgrown fields provides good habitat for a number of songbirds and grassland wildlife species, which makes Shawnee Trail a potential destination for hikers and nature photographers. Hunting for all major game species is permitted in season. Fishing opportunities exist on a 68-acre lake and a 14-acre lake, both of which have good populations of catfish, bass and sunfish. Call the Missouri Department of Conservation's Joplin office (417-629-3423) for specific information about regulations pertaining to fishing and hunting at Shawnee Trail. The area has one site designated for primitive camping. Bicycling is allowed on service roads. Horseback riding is permitted only on roads open to vehicles. Pets must be leashed or confined, except when being used for hunting.