Joplin, Missouri
Updated October 2026 · 8 places · Joplin
Quick answer
Our top picks are Cunningham Park, Mercy Park and Schifferdecker Park.
Joplin has a mix of neighborhood parks, larger recreation areas, and paved or gravel trails. The selections below are physically in Joplin; Parr Hill and Ewert are included with a note about Ewert’s ongoing redevelopment, and seasonal water features may not be operating year-round.
26th Street & Maiden Lane, Joplin, MO 64801
Cunningham Park has playgrounds, picnic areas, ponds, a walking path, and a pool. Local coverage recalls its shaded playground equipment, while the city describes the rebuilt park as a place to remember those lost in the 2011 tornado.
Best for: playgrounds and walking
28th Street & St. John’s Boulevard, Joplin, MO 64804
Mercy Park is a passive park with a mile-long walking trail, ponds, picnic shelters, and the Rotary Clubs of Joplin Sculpture Garden. Visit Joplin describes accessible trails around a pond and meadow, with views toward Mercy Chapel and Gardens.
Best for: walking and sculpture
7th Street & Schifferdecker Avenue, Joplin, MO 64801
Schifferdecker Park includes playgrounds, basketball and volleyball courts, a skate ramp, golf, and an aquatic center. Local coverage highlights its range of recreation facilities, including the skate park and pool.
Best for: sports and recreation
18th Street & Kansas Avenue, Joplin, MO 64804
Parr Hill Park has a splash pad, three playground areas, a dog park, and other recreation amenities. Visit Joplin’s coverage describes the splash pad and playgrounds as central features of the park.
Best for: splash pad and playgrounds
408 Turk Avenue, Joplin, MO 64801
Leonard Park is a shaded neighborhood park with a playground, picnic pavilion, and one-mile paved walking trail. Visit Joplin’s listing emphasizes its walking path and playground behind the Range Line Road commercial corridor.
Best for: playground and paved walk
1001 NW Murphy Boulevard, Joplin, MO 64801
Landreth Park has jogging trails, courts, a softball field, and a 1.8-mile paved out-and-back trail. Visit Joplin notes that the trail connects park trailheads with routes extending toward 4th Street and Main Street.
Best for: walking and jogging
932 E. North Street, Joplin, MO 64801
The Frisco Greenway is a packed-gravel rail-trail for walking, running, and biking, with its southern trailhead in Joplin. The route continues north toward Webb City, so this listing refers to the Joplin trailhead and in-city portion.
Best for: walking and biking
846 Murphy Boulevard, Joplin, MO 64801
Ewert Park is a longstanding city park undergoing redevelopment, with a new playground and splash park among the announced improvements. The city’s current update says the splash area is scheduled to open in summer 2027, so it should not be counted on as an available splash pad yet.
Best for: park visit; redevelopment underway
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