Platte: River Landscapes, Nature and History

In Platte, river landscapes, natural areas and historical insights come together. The Missouri River shapes experiences in parks and on trails, while museums and historic sites offer other highlights. If you’re planning a hotel stay, you can first consider whether nature and activities by the water or culture and local history should be the main focus of your visit.

Trails and Views along the Missouri River

At Weston Bend State Park, trails and a viewpoint accessible to people with disabilities open up sweeping views of the Missouri River. In Parkville, the walking trails in English Landing Park closely follow the winding river along its banks for three miles. The park also has a large playground area and a disc golf course. This park offers both waterside trails and other outdoor recreational opportunities.

The Weston Bluffs Trail also follows the Missouri River, running from Weston City Hall to its southern trailhead near Beverly. The routes differ in length and layout: the trails in English Landing Park are described as three-mile walking routes, while the Weston Bluffs Trail’s two endpoints provide a reference for a longer route. When planning, the route itself is therefore a useful point of distinction, in addition to the river landscape.

River Activities and Natural Areas

Platte Falls Conservation Area encompasses a variety of landscapes: bottomland and upland forests, agricultural land, grassland, former fields and wetlands. A 9.1-mile unchannelized stretch of the Platte River flows through the area, where visitors can enjoy recreational activities on the river. Two boat ramps provide launch points for canoeists and kayakers, who can float for more than 2.5 miles without having to shuttle a vehicle. The river stretch and landscape give this area a different character from the parks with walking trails along the Missouri River.

Platte Landing Park also combines river access with nature: a boat ramp leads to the main channel of the Missouri River, and restored wetlands support wildlife habitats. They also allow visitors to experience a natural area within the park. Those interested in wildlife and trails can visit another destination, Parkville Nature Sanctuary: this 115-acre wildlife refuge has nearly three miles of hiking trails. Animals found there include songbirds, deer, small mammals, frogs, turtles, snakes, colorful insects and many species of butterflies.

A special condition applies to night fishing on the Missouri River in Parkville: visitors may fish from English Landing Park and Platte Landing Park if they have both a state fishing permit and a city permit. If you’re planning this activity, be sure to account for both permits.

Museums, Local History and Local Experiences

The National Silk Art Museum presents rotating exhibitions of more than 500 French and English silk tapestries. They are based on works by notable artists from the 15th through the 20th centuries. The Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum offers a different glimpse of local history: it is housed in a Victorian brick home built in 1882 in the Federal Empire style. A library with resources on local history and family genealogy adds topics to explore further to the museum visit.

At Weston City Hall, the Lewis and Clark Exhibit covers the expedition’s stop on the Missouri River in the summer of 1804. It also shows the flora, fauna and topography observed by the expedition. If you’d rather explore history on a guided walk, consider a historic walking tour of Weston: it lasts one hour and 30 minutes and includes a brief stop at the Weston Historical Museum. Weston’s historic main street also offers specialty shops and restaurants. Downtown Parkville combines its historic character and location on the Missouri River with local restaurants and specialty shops.

These destinations offer different ways to shape your stay: trails and river views, activities on the water, wildlife and plant life, or exhibitions and local history.

Discover more destinations: Riverside, Platte City, Ferrelview, Ozark County, Clay, Pettis County, Johnson County, Benton County.

Go to the main travel overview: Missouri.