Greenway, park improvements well worth visit

Recent experiences have reminded me just how good we have it here in Springfield.

During the last two weeks, I have become more intimately acquainted with two of the more charming aspects of our city: the Ozark Greenways trails and the Dickerson Park Zoo.

Ozark Greenways

The latest addition to Ozark Greenways' system of trails is located just south of Horton Smith Golf Course and just west of Close Park and Drummond Lake on Scenic Avenue (new developments that are treasures in themselves).

You park at Nathanael Greene Park and follow the pathway south of the parking lot. As Drummond lake comes into view, veer to the right, past the lake's footbridge and spillway, and through the tunnel under Scenic Avenue. A small, steep hill on the other side of the tunnel is the toughest part of the trail, which runs in front of the Forest Institute and into the woods.

The trail winds through the woods, past ponds and over streams. Walkers and riders can enjoy stands of native flora, as well as colorful native birds and butterflies all the way to Battlefield Road. Recently paved, the path provides a comfortable walking surface and an excellent medium for bicyclists and skaters.

There are a couple of low areas where water and/or mud come into play, particularly when there's been a recent rain, so watch your step. And while there are several shady areas along the path, I recommend taking a jaunt early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat of the day, especially in the low areas where water courses add to the humidity.

An amusing aspect of the trail was the presence of golf balls from nearby Horton Smith Golf Course. Plentiful at the start of the trail adjacent to the course, I even saw one more than a mile in, washed down by a recent rain. "Spot the golf ball" could be an added bit of fun for families with little ones.

If you haven't been to the new Greenways trail, and the adjacent Close Park, I highly recommend it.

Dickerson Park Zoo

Another excellent walking experience may be had at the Dickerson Park Zoo. A new entryway gives the zoo a fresh and welcoming appearance. Lush plantings and improved natural habitats are a far cry from the concrete and iron bars I remember from the zoo of my childhood.

The Hearld and Marge Ambler Diversity of Life Building, which replaced the decrepit reptile house, has returned the zoo's scaly, creepy and crawly denizens to public view. In addition to various poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes, reptiles and amphibians, visitors can shudder at the sight of the hairy tarantula and, most of all, the huge Madagascar hissing cockroach. Believe me, you do not want to find one of these in your kitchen sink!

The only disappointment for me, and it was a small one, was the apparent absence of the glass snake. A weird little critter native to Missouri, the glass snake has long been one of my favorite zoo residents, primarily because it is so weird. The glass "snake" is actually a legless lizard that looks like it has a clear coating of glass over its entire body.

Among my favorite displays is the river otter tank, where you can see the otters swimming and playing underwater. My impression is that these slick little creatures are huge hams, as they seemed to delight in cruising by the observation windows as soon as we arrived.

The Missouri black bears are impressive, and we were treated to a delightful romp by what I think were young impalas, chasing one another all over their habitat and narrowly missing some of the habitat's more staid residents.

If you haven't been to the zoo lately, you're missing out. Go and see what the hotel/motel tax is doing for you.