George Owens Nature Park

This is the nicest park I have been to in the area. Park worker, Marjorie, was so friendly and a huge help in showing us everything available to do. In her words, "this park is the jewel in the crown of Independence parks."Pros:- new reservation building with fossils; taxidermy; live snakes, turtles and fish; and several kid-friendly activities- information desk with maps of the park, hiking maps of the whole town, info on local events and more- plenty of picnic tables and available trash cans- outdoor restroom- paved trail for seeing butterflies in the summer - several unpaved trails- fishing lakes- wooded, so plenty of wildlife to see- well-kept, easy to get around- seasonal events, like the Halloween pumpkin walkCons:Not really any to speak of. Lots of geese means lots of poop, so wear shoes you don't mind getting dirty. :P could probably use another restroom or two, for the amount of ground you could cover while walking here.This is a beautiful park! Do yourself a favor and visit!