Let's hit the trail
Take a hike
Joplin is home to a growing trail system that includes The Frisco Greenway Trail and Ruby Jack Trail as well as the Tin Cup Trail, which will be completed in 2024. Alongside our parks and greenspaces, we have plenty of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.
The Grass is Greener
With 18.1 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, we have almost double the industry standard of acreage spread over 23 parks and greenways.
Practice Makes perfect
Joplin has amenities ranging from pickleball and basketball courts to aquatic centers and baseball fields, so we’re game for any and all sports.
Trail On and On
Our trail system is growing and offers several ways to enjoy the great outdoors, whether it’s biking, hiking, running, or walking.
Need some fresh air?
We’ve got you covered. Try walking, jogging, or biking on two of our multi-use trails or visit one of our 23 parks, all of which have a variety of amenities and activity spaces.
Our first feature, Wildcat Park, has a three-and-a-half-mile walking trail that winds through the wooded bluffs that overlook Shoal Creek. There are scenic picnic spots, and fishing, swimming, and boating are all permitted. Wildcat is also home to Shoal Creek Conservation and Education Center, which hosts nature-based educational programming for all ages.
Ruby Jack Trail
The Ruby Jack is a converted railroad line that stretches over 16 miles between Carthage, Missouri and the Kansas state line. Open year-round, it features a bright mix of Ozark wildflowers each summer and is open to your favorite four-legged friends as long as they stay on a leash.
Frisco Greenway Trail
Four miles of packed gravel makes the Frisco Trail perfect for running, walking, or biking. It runs from North Street to Highway 171 in neighboring Webb City, following another of our former railroad lines.
Campbell Parkway
Campbell Parkway has a 1.8-mile-long pedestrian trail that crosses Joplin Creek and is popular with joggers and dog walkers.
Cunningham Park
Cunningham is one of our largest parks. With basketball and soccer courts, playgrounds, and a swimming pool, it’s a great destination for families. There are also picnic areas, a butterfly garden, and walking path.
Ewert Park
Home to picnic shelters, an outdoor amphitheater, tennis courts, and basketball courts, Ewert Park is expanding with a new four-zone, 10,000-square-foot outdoor skate park and a splash pad that is projected to be finished in [year.]
Humphrey Park
If you’re looking for an excellent picnic spot, Humphrey Park has a covered picnic pavilion and gazebo as well as an open greenspace. Paved walking paths, a basketball court, and a playground are also available.
Landreth Park
Get outside and get moving on one of Landreth Parks’ jogging trails, pickleball or sand volleyball courts, or the softball field. There are also two picnic pavilions, an amphitheater, and a playground for the littles.
Leonard Park
Hidden behind Joplin’s commercial district, Leonard Park is a shaded neighborhood park with a picnic shelter, a tennis/pickleball court, a playground, a paved path, a softball backstop, and a large, open play area.
McClelland Park
Located on the wooded bluff that overlooks Shoal Creek Valley, McClelland Park has two picnic pavilions, horseshoe pits, and two playgrounds. Joplin’s 27-hole disc golf course is located in McClelland, where annual disc golf tournaments and competitions take place.
McIndoe Park
McIndoe Park sprawls over roughly 24 acres and has got it all: a boat ramp for your aquatic adventures, grills to fire up some delicious BBQ, picnic tables for a perfect outdoor feast, public fishing, and a scenic walking trail along Shoal Creek.
Mercy Park
Covering seven acres, Mercy Park is a “passive park,” with no sports fields or playground equipment. Instead, it has a mile-long walking trail alongside a large reflecting pond, two picnic shelters, and our local Rotary Sculpture Garden that features 23 bronze statues and two murals.
Parr Hill Park
Parr Hill is a great place to bring every member of your family, even the furry ones! It features a dog park, a walking trail, a picnic area, three playgrounds, a splash pad, an outdoor gym, and basketball courts.
Shifferdecker Park
With three basketball courts, a skate ramp, sand volleyball courts, an 18-hole golf course, and a 6-hole disc golf course, Schifferdecker has something for everyone, including playgrounds, an aquatic center, and the Joplin History and Mineral Museum.
Wildcat Park
Wildcat Park is a nature lover's paradise! With over four miles of diverse trails, you'll journey through fascinating chert glades, and even discover hidden caves, all while enjoying stunning limestone bluff vistas overlooking Shoal Creek. Plus, there's a boat ramp, fishing opportunities, Shoal Creek Nature Center, picnic pavilion, and plenty of picnic tables for a fantastic outdoor adventure!
Running & Cycling
Area runners have plenty of trails to choose from and Joplin hosts several annual runs and races throughout the year, including the Joplin Memorial Run each May and The Chilly 5K every winter.
If you’re looking for friends and fitness, we also have multiple running groups in town, like the Common Grounds Club and the Joplin Area Roadrunners.
Local cyclists who want to get plugged into the community can join Joplin Cycling, which regularly coordinates intense group rides on Sundays and Thursdays. You can also join us for annual biking events like the Route 66 Mother Road Bicycle Tour, the Maple Leaf Bicycle Tour, and the Svitak Freedom Bike Ride. Or you can go for a solo ride on the Frisco or Ruby Jack Trails.
Boating & Hunting
Tucked against Shoal Creek, Joplin is a fantastic place for fishing with a diverse underwater habitat. Boating is also popular, and the public boat ramp in Wildcat Park is the best place for kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, and canoers to start their day out on the water.
Our diverse wildlife also makes Joplin a popular hunting spot as well. In a fifty-mile radius of our town, there are over 30 public conservation areas that permit in-season hunting.