Ellis-Porter Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Ellis-Porter Park is a popular outdoor destination located in the city of Jefferson, Missouri.


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Summary

The park is an excellent spot for picnics, hiking, and sightseeing. Visitors to the park can enjoy a range of activities and attractions throughout the year.

Some of the main reasons to visit Ellis-Porter Park include its natural beauty, wildlife, and recreational opportunities. The park is home to several walking trails, playgrounds, and picnic areas, as well as a fishing pond and baseball fields.

One of the most popular attractions within the park is the Ellis Porter Butterfly Garden, which features a variety of native plants and attracts a wide range of butterfly species. There is also a large playground area for children, as well as several pavilions that can be reserved for group events.

Interesting facts about the area include its history as a former quarry site and its role as a popular site for Civil War era encampments. The park is also home to several rare plant and animal species, including the endangered Indiana bat.

The best time of year to visit Ellis-Porter Park is during the spring and summer months, when the weather is mild and the park is in full bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers a range of activities and attractions throughout the year.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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