Pettis County: Prairie, Trails and Culture

Pettis County offers a range of ways to combine an interest in nature and culture on one trip: Katy Trail State Park, prairie areas, fishing lakes and museums with historical themes. The experiences offer different highlights—from challenging hiking or mountain biking opportunities to exhibits and memorabilia. When planning, it is therefore worth considering which of these aspects of the county interest you most.

Trails and Railroad History

At Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site, the Radiant Trail offers challenging hiking or mountain biking opportunities. This makes the trail suited to travelers who want to focus on outdoor activity. The two activities mentioned give you a specific guide when choosing the type of outing that suits your interests.

Another aspect of trail history can be found at Katy Trail State Park: it reaches Sedalia in Pettis County along the corridor of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, also known as the Katy. Railroad operations on this Missouri route ended in 1986. The railroad line’s history is therefore also part of what you can discover along the trail, and its name lives on in the name Katy.

Prairie, Habitats and Fishing Lakes

Paint Brush Prairie is home to distinctive botanical and wildlife features. Two additional plant species of conservation concern and the rare Northern Crawfish Frog are found there. Prairie wildflowers, including pale purple and yellow coneflowers, also bloom here from spring through fall. These colors are unusual for a prairie and give the natural area a distinct seasonal character.

Friendly Prairie Conservation Area is a 40-acre remnant of original prairie. It is owned by the Missouri Prairie Foundation and managed jointly with the Conservation Department. Both features will appeal to travelers interested not only in the landscape but also in its natural value.

Several habitats meet at J. N. Turkey Kearn Memorial Wildlife Area: wooded hills, floodplains, cultivated fields and areas of native grasses. There are also two fishing lakes, created in 2000, covering nine and 25 acres, respectively. The two bodies of water differ considerably in size, though both are described as fishing lakes. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider landscape diversity and fishing as different nature-focused activities.

Sedalia’s park system also offers plenty of space for spending time outdoors: it includes more than 300 acres of parkland and seven parks. The Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, Pettis County, cover 396 acres.

Museums, Depot and Missouri State Fair

Daum Museum of Contemporary Art combines an extensive collection with regularly changing exhibition cycles. Each year, the museum presents three cycles featuring up to 15 exhibitions in nine galleries across three levels. The permanent exhibition comprises more than 1,500 artworks by notable artists from the past 50 years.

Sedalia Katy Depot tells the story of the railroad through its construction and restoration history as well: it was built in 1896 on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad line and fully restored in 2001. Today, the depot houses a museum and gift shop. Together with the Sedalia Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, it serves as an Affiliate Missouri Welcome Center. Visitors can get maps, brochures and directions there—a practical place to get oriented locally.

At Pettis County Historical Society & Museum in Sedalia, visitors use census data to learn more about the history of their families and the community. The Missouri State Fair Museum features exhibits and memorabilia about the Missouri State Fair, including an exhibit about the Missouri State Fair Queen. Held annually in August, the Missouri State Fair offers educational and recreational activities, a midway and musical entertainment. For choosing between museum visits and the event program, both family and community history and the Fair’s traditions are represented.

Discover more destinations: Sedalia, Callaway, Howell County, Texas County, Pulaski, Ray, Cass County, Barton County

For the main travel overview: Missouri.