George Owens Nature Park

After spending our morning at the Harry S Truman National Historic Site, Noelle, Sierra and I opted to spend our afternoon in more natural surroundings. I did a little bit of research and found that there is a natural area in Independence called the George Owens Nature Park and so that's where we headed. We stopped at a grocery store on the way to buy the fixings for a picnic lunch in the shelter. Nearby the picnic shelter was this stone marker with the park's namesake's name carved into it. Is this George Owens' grave?

We ate our lunch and then hit the trails.

The park reminded me of McConnell Springs, where Noelle and I had worked in Lexington, Kentucky. The two parks are similar in that they are both in urban areas, and both are infested with invasive bush honeysuckle. Along our walk through the honeysuckle we did manage to see some wildlife: a few skinks,

and a frog

in wetland.

There were also a few wildflowers

poking through the thick mats of invasive vegetation, including some phlox

and violets.

The turnaround point for our hike was a spur trail that led to an overlook of a reservoir. There was evidence of beaver activity along the trail there.

We headed back to the parking lot and then went back to our hotel where we went for a swim in the indoor pool.