Runge Nature Center

I like this outdoor treasure that's nestled just a few minutes from our Missouri Capitol. Currently (Spring 2025) sees Runge under construction with improvements happening at the visitor center/indoor section as well as outdoor, but still very much functional and fun! About 2 miles of well maintained, clean, beautiful trails weave through quiet grassland, fields of seasonal wildflowers, and foresty areas with a variety of aged trees. On the visit where these pictures were taken, March 2025, the flowers were not yet in bloom, but the birds were already sweetly singing. Visit in Summer for gorgeous wildflowers beside the trails. A very nice outdoor escape inside of a bustling city, and it's a shame part of the trail borders a neighborhood, but those residents keep their homes looking very nice, it just reduces the 'out in nature' experience. A part I relish is the old fire tower lookout. Historical signs tell the story of the tower and the husband and wife who operated it many years. People can climb the steps for a bird's-eye-view of this area, but the tower building at the top is locked. Come enjoy a very nice getaway in Jeff City at Runge. Due to work hours, I have never been inside the building, but it looks like a fun, educational opportunity and I took a picture during renovation where I saw taxidermy animals and displays along with things to read. Thankfully, while the inside closes by 5pm, trails are accessible until 8pm. There's even a shorter wheelchair accessible trail right off the parking lot that offers nice features to read and view Missouri's natural gems.

Beautiful place to hike. Even in winter when nothing is blooming it was an enjoyable and peaceful nature stroll. Good elevation gain on the trail too to get a little exercise. Recommended.

The exhibit kept kids busy and entertained, lil tree house hiding in there, my son and I was hoping to climb the fire tower, but it was locked. We will return to explore more outdoors next time.

Lovely place to walk and listen to nature. Easy trails, great for strollers

There are good trails here, well-maintained, shady, and easy to walk, even for families. The scenery is nice, and it's just a good place to spend time outside. We like to stop along the way back and forth between St. Louis and Springfield, and occasionally we make the trip just for fun.

Being so accessible for everyone living in Jeff City makes this a must visit (multiple times) for any resident and great side stop for anyone passing through or living in the nearby area. The walking trails are well kept and a mix of single track, gravel, wood chip, and boardwalk. There's also a creek when the water is running, a diversity of fields and canopy, leading to an abundance of blooms, and a fire tower that you can go up for amazing panoramic views. I highly recommend it for trail running, but of course walking is fine too. There are ample public facilities and of course the highly educational nature center itself!

Such a great nature area. We saw lots of birds, and will definitely be back with our kids for both the indoor and outdoor activities. You can tell a lot of love and care is put into the areas upkeep

I always love to find an old fire tower to climb. That automatically puts this on top of a list for me. It was nice to see they kept it safe to climb. The compass that is set up next to the tower was a nice touch. The branches in the path of the view finder could use a trimming.