A new trail is in the works – but it’s not for use by humans. It’s for butterflies.
The idea for the Highway 13 Butterfly Trail was first proposed by the Hamilton Community Alliance in the small northern Missouri city that was once home to businessman, James Cash Penney, founder of the J.C. Penney department store.
“They were inspired by a butterfly park up in Bellevue, Iowa and wanted to do something similar in Missouri that could help both pollinators and support rural communities,” said Kyla Pehr, the volunteer communicator for the trail project.
The effort stalled during the pandemic, she said, but the idea was revived in 2023 during planning for the Little Otter Creek Reservoir Project, just east of Hamilton. According to Pehr, they saw a chance to combine interests and create a pollinator haven.
The Highway 13 Butterfly Trail is a 292-mile corridor about 26 miles wide – 13 miles on either side of the roadway. It runs through 12 counties in western Missouri, including Greene.
“Along the way there will be pollinator gardens, murals, art installations, interpretive signage and even research and education centers," said Pehr. Our hope is that communities and schools will also be a part of it.”
She said the trail matches up with the natural migration paths of butterflies. But it won’t just help butterflies – it will also provide nectar for things like bees, wasps and hummingbirds. And it’s expected to benefit nearby communities.
"At the end of the day, the Highway 13 Butterfly Trail is about more than just butterflies," Pehr said, "it's about communities coming together to restore habitat to boost local economies and create something tangible that future generations can enjoy."
According to the Highway 13 Butterfly Trail website, the trail is more than a project — it's a movement.
Project organizers said on the website they're "expanding planting plots, engaging more communities and building out Trail infrastructure like interpretive signs, visitor guides, and seasonal programming."
The Missouri Department of Transportation is a key partner in the project, according to Pehr. They're creating signage and exploring pollinator-friendly landscaping, using native plants, along highways. Community organizations like the Springfield Botanical Gardens are also important partners. And project organizers encourage anyone in the area covered by the trail to plant pollinator gardens.
Pehr said the Highway 13 Butterfly Trail "creates an opportunity where saving pollinators also supports rural towns with new tourism, new ecotourism, business involvement and community pride."
