Joplin boasts an active lifestyle community in the beautiful Ozarks.

The grass is greener.
With 18.1 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, Joplin has almost double the industry standard of acreage spread over 22 parks and greenways.
Practice makes perfect.
With golf courses; softball and baseball fields; and tennis, sand volleyball; and basketball courts, we're game for any and all athletics.
Trail on and on.
Our growing trail system provides opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors in a variety of ways and is accessible for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds.  
Continually growing Parks & Trails.
Cunningham Park
Parks & Trails

Need some fresh air?

We've got you covered.

Our area is home to two multi-use trails, perfect for walking, jogging, biking, or just enjoying the natural beauty of our community.
 
The Ruby Jack Trail was converted from a railroad line to a 16-mile trail that stretches between nearby Carthage, Missouri and the Kansas state line. Open year-round, it features a bright array of wildflowers in the summer and is open to your favorite, four-legged friends, as long as they are on a leash. 

Four miles of packed gravel make the Frisco Greenway Trail ideal for running, walking, biking, or rolling. It runs from North Street to Highway 171 in neighboring Webb City, following another former railroad line from the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway.
 
A wonderful collection of parks is also located in Joplin, featuring a variety of amenities and activity spaces. Each park has its own public parking lot and restrooms.
 
Campbell Parkway includes a 1.8-mile-long pedestrian trail that crosses the Joplin Creek, perfect for jogging or dog-walking. There are benches alongside the path as well as beautiful greenways and landscaped plots.
 
With its multi-use basketball and soccer courts, playgrounds, a swimming pool, and a butterfly garden, Cunningham Park is an excellent destination for families. There are also picnic areas, a walking trail, and a memorial to those lost in the 2011 tornado.
 
Ewert Park offers a picnic shelter, outdoor amphitheater, tennis courts, a family aquatic center, a playground, basketball courts, and a four-zone, 10,000-square-foot outdoor skate park perfect for skateboarding, rollerblading, and BMX biking. 

If you’re looking for an excellent picnic spot, Humphrey Park has a covered picnic pavilion and gazebo as well as an open greenspace. Paved paths, a basketball court, and a playground are also available.

Athletes will enjoy the jogging trails, softball field, pickleball courts, sand volleyball courts, and softball field located at Landreth Park. Other amenities include two picnic pavilions, an amphitheater, and a playground.
 
Leonard Park offers residents a peaceful recreation area. This park features a picnic shelter, a tennis/pickleball court, playground, a paved path, and a large, open play area.
 
Located on a high, scenic bluff which overlooks Shoal Creek Valley, McClelland Park has two picnic pavilions, horseshoe pits, playgrounds, and a disc golf course.
 
Built on the former location of Mercy Hospital, which was destroyed in the 2011 tornado, Mercy Park stands as a tribute to the lives tragically lost in the storm. The facility offers three concrete paths, two shelters, and a reflecting pond. 

Parr Hill Park is the perfect destination for dog owners with its dog park and trails. Families can enjoy its other amenities, including a picnic pavilion, playground, splash pad, outdoor fitness equipment, and basketball courts.
 
With three basketball courts, a skatepark ramp, an inline hockey court, two sand volleyball courts, an 18-hole golf course, and a 6-hole disc golf course, Shifferdecker Park is an excellent destination for athletes. The park also has playground equipment, an aquatic center, and is home to the Joplin History and Mineral Museum.
 
Wildcat Park is home to a three-and-a-half mile walking trail which winds through the scenic, wooded bluffs that overlook Shoal Creek. There are picnic facilities and fishing, swimming, and boating are permitted. The park also contains the Shoal Creek Conservation and Education Center, which hosts educational programming for all ages. 
Running & Cycling

Explore. Ride. Run. Repeat.

Area runners have plenty of trails to choose from and Joplin hosts several annual runs and races throughout the year.
 
The Freeman Joplin Memorial Run takes place each May in honor of the 161 lives lost when an EF-5 tornado tore through Joplin in 2011. The event includes fun for the whole family with a Kids’ Run, 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and relay.
  
Runners willing to brave the cold can run in The Chilly 5K, an annual race produced by Rufus Racing and the Joplin Family Y.
 
If you're looking for friends and fitness, the area has multiple running groups, including the Common Grounds Club and the Joplin Area Roadrunners, which offer fun ways for you to get involved in Joplin's running community.

Local cyclists also have a variety of opportunities in Joplin. Ride the Frisco Trail or the Ruby Jack Trail for miles of picturesque biking paths. Meet other cyclists at Bike Joplin's Slow Rolls for fun, laid-back pop-up rides that end with a visit to a local venue, like the Empire Market and Joplin Avenue Coffee Shop. Looking to cover more distance? Joplin Cycling regularly coordinates more intense, public group rides on Sundays and Thursdays.
 
Joplin’s annual biking events include the Route 66 Mother Road Bicycle Tour, the Maple Leaf Bicycle Tour, and the Svitak Freedom Bike Ride, which raises funds to buy bikes for military families at Christmas. 
Stay fit and active with Gyms & CrossFit.
Millennium Family Fitness
Gyms & Crossfit

For the healthiest you.

Hoping to stay in shape? Joplin is home to several locally owned CrossFit gyms and fitness centers. The area also offers a traditional YMCA and several national or regional gym franchises like Colaw Fitness, Millennium Family Fitness Center, and Planet Fitness.

Midwestern Built is an all-purpose gym located in the downtown, renovated Greyhound Bus Station. They offer intense, class-based workouts and CrossFit training. Their membership runs on a monthly basis with special discounts for students, teachers, veterans, law enforcement, and first responders.

Dedicated to helping you find the best version of yourself, Honey Badger Gym is a fitness facility focused on self-improvement and self-confidence. With CrossFit, powerlifting, and daily recommended workouts, they have something for everyone, from the local fitness nut to those who are just starting a regular workout routine.

As one of the first CrossFit affiliates in the Joplin area, JOMO CrossFit specializes in helping others build a healthier life while maintaining an encouraging atmosphere. Their classes cover a variety of targeted workouts, including weight management, nutrition, and CrossFit.
Your next adventure starts with Boating & Hunting.
Shoal Creek in Joplin
Storm Marketing
Boating & Hunting

Take a walk on the wild side.

Tucked against the shores of Shoal Creek, Joplin is a fantastic destination for those who love to fish. A diverse underwater community calls Shoal Creek home, including five species of bass, two types of catfish, black-and-white crappie, and sunfish, making Joplin an excellent stop for avid anglers.
 
Joplin also offers plenty of opportunities for boating. A public boat ramp is located at Wildcat Park and is the best place for kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, and canoers to start a day out on the water. 
 
Abundant and diverse wildlife makes Joplin a premiere hunting spot as well. In a fifty-mile radius, there are over 30 public conservation areas that permit in-season hunting.
Discover your new Sports
fan base.
Sports

Never a dull sporting moment.

Join the crowds and cheer on a number of local sports teams, including the Joplin High School athletic teams. The Joplin Eagles’ football team plays at Junge Stadium and the Eagles’ basketball team at Kaminsky Gymnasium. 
 
Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) also offers a variety of fun, electric home games. The MSSU Lions’ football team takes the field at Fred G. Hughes Stadium each fall while their basketball teams compete at Leggett and Platt Athletic Center during the spring. 

The Joplin Outlaws are a collegiate baseball team affiliated with the M.I.N.K. Collegiate Baseball League. You can catch their home games at Joe Becker Stadium during the summer, where they host fun themed nights for families.
 
Local athletes can check out the Joplin Athletic Complex, which offers lighted outdoor softball, baseball, and soccer fields as well as tennis courts. Each area has public restrooms and access to a central playground for kids. Join a youth or adult league through the Joplin Parks and Recreation Department and find your new team. 

Shifferdecker Golf Course is a full, public, 18-hole course that offers amenities like a clubhouse and indoor golf simulator. Compete in annual tournaments and perfect your swing with instructional classes. Meet your fellow golfers and join local or regional associations, including the Joplin Golf Club and PGA Junior League.