Take a leisurely stroll along a paved path next to a rocky stream and see a historic cabin at Civic Park, O’Fallon, Mo. I walked .6 miles around the park, aquatic center, and by a historic cabin with 46 feet of elevation gain. Starting the Walk I parked in the lot to the west of the aquatic center. The walking trail begins on the southwest…
Walking around a 40-acre lake and checking out the fast-moving Missouri River was my hike at River’s Edge Park in Chesterfield, Mo. At the Start of the Hike Parking for River’s Edge Park is on the far west corner of what was known as Chesterfield Outlets and now is The District at Chesterfield. The trailhead for the 1.9-mile gravel trail is directly in front of…
Hike by a destination playground and along rock-filled Deer Creek on paved trails at Brentwood Park. This 2-mile walk has 52 feet of elevation gain on a paved trail using Brentwood Park trails, Sycamore Trail along Deer Creek, and the Dee Creek Greenway Connector along Manchester in Brentwood, Mo. The playground includes a zip line, splash pad, net climber, slides, climbing wall, and swings. At…
You can take a one-mile trail through the woods and along a creek at Webster Park, near the Family Arena in St. Charles, MO. This loop hike is mostly along gravel with a short section of pavement from the front of the lot where I parked. It has 108 feet of elevation gain and crosses a few small hills. The walk also goes into Heatherbrook…
A walk that leads to a natural spring and through woods is part of a day at Blackburn Park in Webster Groves, Mo. I walked 1.3 miles through the outer area of the park, which combines paved, wood chip, and natural surface trails. The elevation gain was 98 feet. At the Trailhead I pulled into the parking lot in the middle of the park, off…
Take in the harbor views from the tallest bridge observatory in the world and see one of the best-preserved forts on the East Coast in Bucksport, Maine. If you are planning a trip to Canada by car you can visit Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia all in drive and stop in Maine on the way home. This is what we…
Hiking into Ottawa and Kaskaskia Canyons at Starved Rock State Park we found two waterfalls and Council Overhang cave. This area was easier than many of the hikes at Starved Rock State Park since the terrain is more level and there are fewer stairs. At the Trailhead We parked at the lot for Ottawa/Kaskaskia Canyons along Illinois Highway 71. The parking area is on the…
French Canyon has walls that are 45 feet tall and is the first canyon you come to from the Visitor’s Center parking lot. It was named after the French explorers who first visited this area in the 1600s. Hiking to the Canyon You can either hike from the Visitor’s Center or descend 150 stairs from Starved Rock Lodge parking. We opted to start the hike…
Walk on the sea floor at low tide among rock formations at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park and explore the forested coast at Fundy National Park in New Brunswick. After staying the night in Halifax we headed to Hopewell Rocks. We only stopped for lunch and had to manage our time for the drive based on the tides, which is important if you want to walk…
Our family spent a night at Starved Rock Lodge and then took a walk to see bright orange sundown over the Illinois River bluffs. Staying the night at the lodge at Starved Rock State Park means being close to the trails, taking a dip in the large pool, eating at the restaurants, and having a place to relax after hiking. Starved Rock Hike After checking…
