WALLACE STATE PARK
The feature attraction at Wallace State Park is peace and quiet! Located amid the rolling farmland of northwest Missouri, and less than an hour from Kansas City, this 501-acre, wooded park offers recreation and relaxation.
For recreation, visitors can fish or swim in the park's six-acre lake or exercise by hiking one of the park's four scenic trails. Benches along the trails allow visitors to sit and absorb the sights, sounds and slow pace of nature. Scattered picnic sites provide a peaceful place to enjoy lunch. For larger groups, an open picnic shelter that overlooks the lake and an enclosed shelter with a range, refrigerator and hot water are available for reservation.
For relaxation, visitors can sleep under the stars in one of the park's family-oriented campgrounds. Campground amenities include modern restrooms, hot showers, a trailer dump station and playground.
Trice-Dedman Memorial Woods, administered by the Department of Natural Resources and owned by The Nature Conservancy, is located 20 miles southwest of the park and features a prime example of northwest Missouri's hardwood forests.
For peace and quiet and a break from the fast pace of everyday life, escape to Wallace State Park.
Wallace State Park Campground Information : The park's peaceful, family-oriented campgrounds include both basic and electric campsites-a variety of which are reservable, modern restrooms, hot showers and a trailer dump station. Playground equipment located near Campground 2 and the travel camp. Walk-in campsites are available for those seeking more seclusion.
A travel campground provides 20 campsites that can be reserved by organized camping groups of five or more. To reserve in the travel campground, call the park office at (816) 632-3745.
Special-Use Camping Area : Organized youth groups can reserve the park's special-use area. It includes three areas for camping, all of which have a vault toilet, water spigot and fire ring. Each camping area can accommodate groups of 40 to 50. For more information or to reserve the special-use area, please call the park office at (816) 632-3745.
Park Gate Information : Park gates close at 10 p.m. daily year-round. Campers need to be sure to arrive prior to gate closure time.
Fishing
Fishing is generally done from the shore of six-acre Lake Allaman. Small boats and electric motors are permitted. The lake is not stocked.
Wallace State Park is located near Cameron
Picnic Area/Playground
Picnic sites are scattered throughout the wooded area of the park and near the lake, providing an excellent place to enjoy lunch.
For large family gatherings, the park has an open picnic shelter that overlooks the lake and an enclosed shelter with a range, refrigerator and hot water. The open shelter also has playground equipment and may be reserved for $30 a day, or if not reserved, the open shelter is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Use of the enclosed shelter is $35 per day and reservations are required.
To reserve a picnic shelter, please call the park office at (816) 632-3745.
Trails
Rocky Ford Trail : This .75-mile trail has a long, gentle downhill slope that takes you to Deer Creek. As you walk upstream, notice the limestone shelves, which were used as a ford by the farmer who once owned land on both sides of the creek. This probably was also a ford on a Mormon Trail possibly more than 160 years ago. The trail ends in the picnic area, where you can choose your own route back to the enclosed shelter and trail head.
Old Quarry Trail : Although the trail head lies in the special-use area, this trail is open to all that would like to use it. Please leave your vehicle outside the special-use area gate, and then on foot follow the special-use area road to the trail head. This is a 1.25-mile trail in its entirety with the option of a shortcut that reduces the trail by .5 mile. The old quarry is on the left side of the trail about 125 paces past the shortcut. Its history is unknown. Perhaps an early resident of this area found this natural outcropping of limestone to be a good source of large rocks, possibly to be used as a foundation for a house or barn. The trail returns through a small Scotch and short-leaf pine plantation planted in the mid-1950s.
Skunk Hollow Trail : If you are driving, park your vehicle at the entrance to the Travel Campground, then walk to the trail head near campsite 80. A gentle, downhill grade takes you to an intermittent stream that has a small waterfall. The trail is .75-mile in total length making a loop back to the campground.
Deer Run Trail : Variety best describes this trail. A lowland and upland forest, old fields, ponds and streams are all represented. By taking Old Field shortcut, the complete walk is only one mile. The deer footprint signs will guide you around the two-mile route. Deer Creek Loop leaves and rejoins Deer Run Trail near the farm ponds making the total hike about 3.5 miles. Some common trees have been identified on the one-mile route.
From Kansas City : Wallace State Park is approximately 50 miles from the Kansas/Missouri line. Travel north on I-35 to Exit 48. Make a right turn off the exit ramp onto Hwy. 69. Turn left at Hwy. 121 and continue into the state park. The park is about two miles from I-35.
From Des Moines, Iowa : Wallace State Park is approximately 68 miles from the Iowa/Missouri line. Travel south on I-35 to Exit 48. Make a left turn off the exit ramp onto Hwy. 69. Turn left at Hwy. 121 and continue into the state park. The park is about two miles from I-35.
From St. Joseph : Wallace State Park is approximately 36 miles from St. Joseph. Travel east on Hwy. 36 to I-35. Proceed south on I-35 to Exit 48. Make a left turn off the exit ramp onto Hwy. 69. Turn left at Hwy. 121 and continue into the state park. The park is about two miles from I-35.