This Little Known Trail is 1 of Missouri’s Most Underrated Places

Let's face it. When you want to get away from it all, sometimes it's hard to really get away from anything. The most popular Missouri attractions and destinations are crowded because...well, they're so popular. There is one little known trail where you really can escape civilization and I'd argue it's one of Missouri's more underrated places.

I'm almost afraid to bring too much attention to a spot my family adventured on this weekend as I'd hate to suddenly have it swarming with people. However, I think it's overlooked and it's not often that I'm considered a trendsetter. (Editor's note: understatement of the year)

If you asked anyone for the best family-friendly hikes in Missouri, I can almost guarantee this one would never get a mention. With views like this, you'd think it would.

This is Jasper Lake Trail, the shortest trail inside of Wakonda State Park near LaGrange, Missouri. It's a rather humble 1.9 mile jaunt around the lake area inside of the park and is rated easy for a reason. My wife and kids were able to do the loop in about an hour.

I'm not alone in thinking this is a great place to escape the crowds as All Trails users rate it a near-perfect 4.6 out of 5. One woman named Amy said "Easy, flat, Pretty lake views. Great running trail." Abby rated it 5 stars and said "Well-maintained, recently-mowed, wide trails. Follows along the lake. It is a mixture of shaded sections and longer sections with no shade. Constant breeze throughout most of it."

Does this rival the more famous southern Missouri destinations for views and adventure? Of course not. However, if you'd like to escape the crowds and go for a peaceful walk through the trees and around the lake, you can find some peace of mind in this northeast Missouri place. Underrated? Absolutely.