A beautiful little prairie of a state park. If you're looking to complete the whole set, add this park to your "prairie park" list.

It may not be the largest state park or have miles and miles of trails, but the quality far exceeds the quantity. This is a wonderful oasis of protected prairie lands and it pays dividends in the plethora of trees, grasses, plants, wildflowers, insects, and birds that thrive here.

Chuck in the Buffalo River that meanders thru the park as a bonus for all you river aficionados out there and it's hard to beat or pass by without stopping.

This is a baby state park with exactly two things to do: 1- have a picnic in the very shaded picnic area; 2- ascend 450 vertical feet via an aging wood staircase of many, many stairs.

This hike is strenuous and should not be attempted by those with mobility challenges or balance issues - the stairs are steep going both up and down and they are situated close to a steep side of Mount Charity and there is only railing at certain sections.

That said, the views are amazing and worth the effort of the hike. Seeing the Mississippi River valley from this vantage point is impressive. There are two separate look out points to view the valley - neither have any guard rails at the edge to help prevent falling over the edge.

This is an “add-on stop” state park to visit in conjunction with other state parks in the area (Whitewater, Frontenac) and not a destination on its own.