Hiking in Rockwoods Reservation, you come across caves, old mines, and a spring. In this 1,880-acre conservation area just outside of St. Louis, you can hike several different trails through forest, grassland, and hills. TRAIL…
Browsing Category Dad Hikes
2025 Top Ten Hikes
The 2025 Top Ten Hikes includes Canyonland and Arches National Parks, along with rushing rivers in the Ozarks of Missouri. The list was compiled from summer travel, Midwest hikes, and outstanding natural beauty. (Rushing water…
Finding a Horse Jumping Course in Queeny Park
While exploring Queeny Park, I discovered horses jumping obstacles across hilly terrain, as well as shoreline walks near tranquil ponds. Up on the Hill I turned into the park off Weidman Road and then made…
Stroll Through the Victorian Village of Elsah
Take a walk through Elsah, a 19th-century village of Victorian cottages on the Great River Road, Illinois Highway 100, 40 minutes north of St. Louis. The village is in a narrow valley tucked between towering…
Tour of Bellefontaine Cemetery
Explore Bellefontaine Cemetery and find the limestone mausoleum built for beer baron Adolphus Busch and the grave of the famous explorer William Clark. The tour covered about 1.5 miles on paved roads, with a few…
Take a Walk Through the Trees at Bethalto Arboretum
Follow a paved path that winds through 150 different types of trees and plants at the Bethalto Arboretum in Illinois. The arboretum is next to Central Park, where parking is available and the path begins….
Larue-Pine Hills and Snake Road Hike
Larue-Pine Hills boasts stunning views and features Snake Road, a migratory route for snakes in spring and fall. This area is part of the Shawnee National Forest and has a diverse habitat to explore. SNAKE…
Playground Fun and Hike by a Rocky Stream at Crestwood Park
Take a hike crossing back and forth over a pebble-filled creek, and then let the kids play on a unique playground at Crestwood Park. This is a 0.8-mile walk in Crestwood, Mo., on a paved…
Broemmelsiek Park Offers Free Corn Maze
Find your way around a free corn maze and check out 19th-century farm equipment at the Agriculture Educational Garden at Broemmelsiek Park north of Defiance, Mo. Walking through the Corn Maze and exploring the garden…
Halloween Hikes: Abandoned Sanatorium at Welch Spring
The stone-cut walls of a barred and locked sanatorium next to Welch Spring is what I found on my journey to Ozark National Scenic Riverways. History of Welch Spring Sanatorium In 1913 an Illinois doctor…
