Parks and Playgrounds in Cape Girardeau
Updated October 2026 · 8 places · Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau’s city parks include playgrounds, sports facilities, water features and paved routes for walking and biking. The selections below are physically within Cape Girardeau; park and trail access is distinct from seasonal attractions such as splash pads, which may not be operating in October.
Map coming soon
Our Picks
Capaha Park
1400 Broadway St, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Capaha Park is a 39-acre city park near Southeast Missouri State University with play structures, a fishing pond, gardens, a disc golf course and a baseball field. The city identifies it as the oldest park in its system, and its free splash pad is a seasonal feature.
Arena Park
410 Kiwanis Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Arena Park is a 90-acre community park with ballfields, tennis and volleyball courts, shelters and an outdoor fitness area. It hosts the SEMO District Fair and youth baseball and softball leagues, and the Cape LaCroix trail system passes through the park.
Kiwanis Park
2100 Rotary Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Kiwanis Park covers 55.8 acres and has shelters, a pond, two play structures and a restroom. It is also home to Dogtown, the city’s dog park, with separate areas for small and large dogs.
Shawnee Park
Highway 74 and West End Boulevard, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Shawnee Park is a 131-acre park that includes the Shawnee Park Sports Complex and Shawnee Park Center. Its complex has softball and soccer fields, and the park is a southern connection point for the Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail.
Missouri Park
400 N Fountain St, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Missouri Park is a 6.3-acre city park adjoining Historic Old Lorimier Cemetery. It has green space, a half basketball court and the city’s only skatepark.
Osage Park / Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center
1625 N Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Osage Park is a 52-acre city park that contains the Osage Centre and Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center. Cape Splash has a splash pad, zero-depth-entry pool, lazy river and water slides; it operates seasonally, rather than year-round.
Riverfront Park
121 N Water St, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Riverfront Park is a 1.5-acre riverside park with terraced seating and a walkway and bike trail. Visitors use the terraces to watch river traffic, and the park also serves as a docking site for Mississippi River paddle boats; high water can make it inaccessible.
Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail
Multiple access points; parking at Shawnee Park, Arena Park (410 Kiwanis Dr) and Osage Park (1625 N Kingshighway), Cape Girardeau, MO
The Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail is a paved route through Cape Girardeau that connects Shawnee Park, Arena Park, Cape Woods Conservation Area and Osage Park. Trail users describe it as relatively flat, with wooded sections and changing scenery, though reports also note uneven or deteriorating sections in places.