Hike along the highest bluff above the Meramec River on the Vilander Bluff Trail south of Bourbon, Mo. Overview I hiked about two miles with 354 feet of elevation gain, going farther than the main…
Browsing Category Dad Hikes
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…
Find Bluffs and Waterfalls at Glassberg Conservation Area
Wet weather waterfalls and bluff-top views above the Meramec River are found at Myron and Sonya Glassberg Family Conservation Area. Parking At Glassberg Conservation Area A small gravel lot for the conservation area is on…
Sylvan Springs Park Walk
Walk across stone bridges while a spring flows through rocks below is a unique jaunt in South County St. Louis at Sylvan Springs Park. This is a 1 a mile hike with paved and unpaved…
Fall Hikes: Don Robinson State Park
See a sandstone canyon with its cave-like rock shelter and cross-clear trickling streams at Don Robinson State Park.
You can hike the Hamilton-Carr Greenway to the Turkey Ridge Trail
Pass by natural springs and hike through forested hills on a hike combining the Hamilton-Carr Greenway and Turkey Ridge Trail in Rockwoods Reservation in Wildwood. This is about a five-mile hike, with three miles on…
Hike to a Cave at Rockwoods Reservation
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…
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…
