Forget Yellowstone, Visit This Underrated State Park Beauty With Roaming Bison, Camping, And Scenic Trails

Yellowstone is on many bucket lists, but the national park's fame also makes it one of the most visited in the world. Over 570,000 people visited Yellowstone in May 2026, according to the National Park Service. Yellowstone regulars on Facebook have also started blaming overcrowding for causing disappointing summer experiences. With all this in mind, it might be time to consider less-crowded alternatives for bison sightings and enthralling hiking and camping, like Missouri's Prairie State Park.

Although it's over 1,150 miles southeast of Yellowstone, Prairie State Park offers many of the same beloved elements. More importantly, you won't share this nature with hundreds of thousands of other people. Only In Your State recently named Prairie the most under-appreciated state park in Missouri, stating that "With wild elk and bison roaming about, it's quite surprising that this tallgrass prairie isn't more well-known to others." This is a truly underrated beauty, with only 28,954 visitors in 2025 according to Missouri State Parks. That's over 540,000 fewer people in 12 months than Yellowstone saw in May 2026 alone.

Prairie State Park's beauty and allure center around its preservation of much of the remaining 1% of tallgrass prairie that remains in Missouri after centuries of this precious ecosystem being lost. The tall swaying grass and vibrant wildflowers create a peaceful environment for the park's herd of bison to roam. It's one of the few places where Missouri's storied landscape still feels present year-round. Bison calves play amongst knee-high wildflowers during spring, herds migrate across the prairies beneath summer thunderstorms, and bulls fight over potential mates during fall. Come winter, they hunker down among the tall grass. It's a sensory feast of Missouri wildlife, including deer, coyotes, owls, pelicans, elk, and hawks.

Camping at Prairie State Park costs $15 during peak season, and the demand is so low you can only book your site once you arrive. This is a much more relaxed and affordable way to spend a few days amongst pristine nature. The much smaller campground doesn't have many amenities, however, just potable water and a vault toilet. There's also a backpack camping area for those who want to really rough it, but you can't have a campfire there. While there are fewer bears here, unlike Yellowstone, which has notorious "bear jams," it's still good to be on alert when in the state park.

You can hike around Prairie State Park following seven different trails that capture the park's beautiful and diverse ecosystems. The Coyote Trail is the top-ranked route on AllTrails. It's a relatively easy 3.3-mile loop with picturesque water crossings and regular sightings of coyotes, elk, and quail. Hikers enjoy the vibrant wildflowers and views of bison but also complain about the lack of shade. The 4.4-mile Sandstone Trail is another scenic loop past a prairie headwater stream, deep sandstone pools, bison, and white-tailed deer. You can combine it with the 1.7-mile Path of the Sky People Trail. This takes you through hardpan prairie with sparrows, sandpipers, and badgers.

Prairie State Park is less than two hours from Springfield, Missouri's "Queen City of the Ozarks." You can also drive there in two hours from Kansas City. Time your visit for one of the park's special programs, such as summer wildflower hikes, monthly bison treks, and interactive day camps. If you don't want to camp, book a hotel 50 minutes away in Joplin, Southern Missouri's sparkling city and outdoor paradise.