Maple Woods Natural Area
The Maple Woods, purchased by the state of Missouri in 1978, was designated as a natural area in 1980. Owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDOC), the small forest is in the suburban municipality of Gladstone, Missouri and is maintained by the Gladstone park staff by agreement with MDOC. The Maple Woods also contains a significant subpopulation of bitternut hickory as a reminder of its former standing as an oak-hickory forest. In the absence of wildfire, the oak trees of this small forest are thinning out due to mesic succession.
The Maple Woods Natural Area is on NE 76th Street adjacent to Shoal Creek. With the bright colors displayed by the sugar maple, Kansas City media recommends the Maple Woods as a place to enjoy local, accessible fall foliage colors.