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Jerry Smith Park - Trail Head
4.6 ★★★★★ 111 Google reviews · Running trail in Kansas City, Missouri · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Jerry Smith Park - Trail Head's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Nature preserve known for its tallgrass prairie, hiking, and birdwatching.
What runners say about Jerry Smith Park - Trail Head
“Not the most scenic or expansive trail, but it gets the job done for offering a quiet place to wander through woods and prairie fields.”
“Not alot of shade but it’s really pretty lots of flowers and butterflies in the spring and sitting area that overlooks the city and a pond!”
“Not the most scenic or expansive trail, but it gets the job done for offering a quiet place to wander through woods and prairie fields.”
Easily the best Prarie area I have visited in the entirety of KC/LS. This state park easily lives up to it's title with it's sheer size alone, not to mention all of the other great things about it. For a state park, it's surprisingly quiet and slow, even on the weekend I went.
I've walked the trail often but hadn't been out there for a few months. While the temperature was 98 it was still active among the critter community. (Bugs and Butterflys) There's plenty of color around the trail and plenty of sun is that's your preference. There are shaded areas of the trail as well.
So much fun! Beautiful trail with so much to explore. Highly recommend a trip. You could spend anywhere from 2-4 hours hiking and exploring. Once your done hiking they have a nice little pond you can catfish in.
Beautiful park and nature trail! Great views. It was perfect for my little kids.
Trail conditions & character
“Not alot of shade but it’s really pretty lots of flowers and butterflies in the spring and sitting area that overlooks the city and a pond!”
“Not the most scenic or expansive trail, but it gets the job done for offering a quiet place to wander through woods and prairie fields.”
“Not alot of shade but it’s really pretty lots of flowers and butterflies in the spring and sitting area that overlooks the city and a pond!”
“The trail was a vehicle path, mostly covered in low grass, but with a few bare patches that would be a little muddy in wet weather.”
“I was trying to get to the lake but instead I found myself in a loop going back to the car, but I found the lake by following Prospect up.”
Plan your run at Jerry Smith Park - Trail Head
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitekcparks.org
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–8:45 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–8:45 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–8:45 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–8:45 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–8:45 PM |
| Saturday | 8 AM–8:45 PM |
| Sunday | 8 AM–8:45 PM |
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