Lea Mckeigan Park
Rate this placeNearby: Banner Park Pleasant Lea Park
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Lea McKeighan Park is a popular recreational area located in Springfield, Missouri.
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Summary
The park offers numerous activities, including playgrounds, hiking trails, and picnic areas, making it a great destination for families and outdoor enthusiasts.
One of the main attractions of the park is the Lake Drummond, a beautiful 14-acre lake that is perfect for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Visitors can also enjoy a scenic walk around the lake or take a stroll through the park's lush greenery.
Another point of interest in the park is the Springfield Botanical Gardens, which features a wide range of exotic plants and flowers. The gardens are particularly stunning in the spring and summer months when the flowers are in bloom.
Visitors can also explore the historic Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, which showcases traditional Japanese landscaping and architecture. The garden is said to be one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America.
Interesting facts about the park include its history as a former landfill before being transformed into a beautiful green space. Additionally, the park is named after Lea McKeighan, a local activist who fought for environmental causes and helped establish the city's recycling program.
The best time of year to visit Lea McKeighan Park is during the spring and summer months when the weather is warm, and the gardens and lake are in full bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers seasonal activities such as ice skating in the winter.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
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.
Related References
Area Campgrounds
| Location | Reservations | Toilets |
|---|---|---|
Lake Jacomo - Fleming Park
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Rotary Club Camp
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Longview Lake County Campground
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Blue Springs County Campground
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Banner Park
Pleasant Lea Park
Miller J Fields Park
Lowenstein Park
Hartman Memorial Park