At Liberty Bend Conservation Area, it’s just you and the Missouri River. A two-mile loop leads through bottomland forest populated with giant Cottonwoods and Black Willow trees. Unusual for Missouri, the path beneath your feet is sand. The river is home to eagles and waterfowl and the 140-acres of forest host the usual Missouri critters. The shoreline is strewn with gravel bars, allowing you to walk a few hundred feet out in the river’s channel. You’ll be passed by an occasional barge and tugboat. Although the site isn’t far from industry and population, you wouldn’t know except for the sight of the highway bridge to the west and the sound of trains to the south. Liberty Bend is a special place. Learn more at Kansas City Hiker: www.kansascityhiker.com/jackson-county-trails/liberty-bend
