Kress Farm Garden Preserve - Hillsboro, MO
Kress Farm Garden Preserve: A Beautiful, Dog-Friendly Park in Hillsboro, Missouri
If you are looking for scenic, pet-friendly trails in the Hillsboro area, Kress Farm Garden Preserve offers a unique blend of nature, gardens, and carefully maintained hiking routes. This volunteer-run park features accessible, well-marked hiking trails with stunning views, beautiful wildflowers, native plants, and even caves and cliff overhangs to explore. Dog owners will appreciate the lush, natural landscape and the opportunity for leashed, dog-friendly hiking throughout the park.
Amenities at Kress Farm Garden Preserve include accessible restrooms, picnic tables, free walking sticks, and friendly volunteers on hand to assist visitors. Shaded areas and a pavilion provide relief from the sun, while gardens, local honey, jams, and a small museum add to the local charm. With its focus on casual hikes, natural beauty, and family-friendly environment, it’s an ideal spot for exploring the outdoors with your dog on-leash in Jefferson County.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are there restrooms available for owners? Yes, there are public restrooms on site.
- Is the park wheelchair accessible? Yes, there is a wheelchair accessible entrance and parking lot.
- Are there benches or seating areas for owners? Yes, picnic tables and seating are available, particularly near the pavilion.
- Is there shade or shelter available? Yes, there are shaded trails and a covered pavilion for shelter.
- Are picnics allowed? Yes, there are picnic tables available for guests.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, the preserve features well-maintained hiking trails suitable for dogs and their owners.
- Is the park regularly cleaned and maintained? Yes, the park is maintained by a dedicated team of volunteers.
- Is the park muddy after it rains? Some areas may be muddy after rainfall, especially near the caves or on certain trails; walking sticks are provided to help navigate these places.
- Are children welcome at the park? Yes, it is family and kid-friendly, with kid-friendly hikes available.
Reviews
My husband and I absolutely loved going today! What a beautiful arrangement they have. The trails are gorgeous! We saw a deer, turtle, frog, and tons of beautiful flowers and trees! They also have caves! A must see! Please donate for the beautiful farm if you can!
Fairly easy hike, with a couple moderate hills coming back up from the caves. Beautiful scenery, and well maintained trails. The volunteers I came in contact with, were very friendly and helpful. They close at 3 pm daily … that being said, it is managed solely by volunteers, so it is recommended to call to make sure they are open, before marking the trip out. The mosquitoes can be a bit bothersome, so insect repellent is a good idea. They offer walking sticks at no charge, right by the sign in sheet under the pavilion. Mine came in handy, coming back up from the caves, as it had rained the day before and was a little muddy in some areas … but it was also helpful for clearing spider webs across the path 🙂
What a wonderful place to explore there are multiple trails and an awesome cliff/cave overhang that you can hike to and explore. The farm is manned by an army of volunteers that tend the gardens and ready plants for purchase. There is local honey and jams for sale and a museum that has artifacts that were found in and around the caves.
If your looking for great plants (cheap also) and wonderful customer service look no further. I was so happy someone told me to check this place out. It did not disappoint. I will definitely be going back soon for more plants and a few trees. They also have walking trails I haven’t been on yet but am looking forward to those as well.
Great place, wish we would have checked it out years ago. Nice casual hikes, lots of beautiful gardens and friendly volunteer staff