Discover Bolivar

Bolivar brings together the Frisco Highline Trail and a varied cultural and recreational offering. A 1903 school building and the history of Polk County meet here with an art gallery, community sports and aquatic facilities, and a growers’ market for local vendors. You can plan your trip around hiking, history, art, or active pursuits. When choosing a vacation rental in Bolivar, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay.

The Frisco Highline Trail between Bolivar and Springfield

The Frisco Highline Trail connects Bolivar and Springfield along a 35-mile route. The Bolivar trailhead is located at 800 W. Jackson. This identifies both the connection between the two places and a specific trailhead in Bolivar. If the trail is part of your reason for visiting, you can make this route a focus of your plans.

School history, county history, and art

The Polk County “North Ward” Museum in Bolivar, Missouri, is housed in a school building constructed in 1903 as a combined high school and elementary school. On March 14, 2011, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This timeline brings two aspects of the site into focus: its original use as a school and its later addition to the register.

The documents and artifacts at the Polk County Museum offer insight into the history of Polk County. The focus is on the history of the entire county.

The Ella Carothers Dunnegan Gallery of Art offers a different cultural perspective. The 26,000-square-foot gallery displays more than 1,000 sculptures, paintings, and woodworks. It was founded in 1983 by brothers Thomas Hart Benton Dunnegan and John Dunnegan. The gallery is known for realistic art and depictions of actual landscapes and historical figures. Its collection, founding story, and artistic focus give art in Bolivar a distinct identity.

Sports, aquatic activities, and a growers’ market

The Bolivar Recreation & Aquatic Center offers fitness, sports, aquatic activities, and swimming. It also offers childcare and room rentals. The Bolivar Aquatics Center is an indoor pool that operates seasonally; seasonal operating hours may vary. Cribbs Family Youth Park has three pickleball courts.

The Greater Polk County Farmers Market in Bolivar is a producer-only market. Local farmers and producers are represented there; individual vendors may vary. The market format and community recreation options add more specific topics to consider when planning your trip, alongside the cultural attractions.

As a planning question, it is worth deciding first what your main reason for visiting is: the trail connection, Polk County history, the art gallery, or sports and aquatic activities. This can help you choose a vacation rental in Bolivar that suits what you want your trip to be about.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Humansville, Fair Play.

See the overview of the wider travel area: Polk County.