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 hills to walk up and down. I joined a Bellefontaine Cemetery Walking Tour led by Master Guide Cathleen. She showed us the graves of Civil War generals and members of…
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. This peaceful area was once a railroad route near downtown Bethalto, but now it’s a welcoming green space. The walk through Central Park and Bethalto Arboretum is 1.3 miles round-trip…
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 ROAD MIGRATION This area is perhaps most famous for the biannual “Snake Migration” across the Larue Road at the base of the bluffs, adjacent to LaRue Swamp. This road is…
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 surface with 56 feet of elevation gain. It is stroller and kid-friendly. Start of the Walk I parked in the lot off of Meadowfern Drive. Paved trails go throughout the…
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 was a 0.5-mile walk with 10 feet of elevation gain. This is a gravel and natural surface walk. Corn Maze Before exploring the education garden, I made my way to…
Walk the Centennial Greenway’s Ackert Walkway, starting from the Delmar Loop, where you’ll find the “Father of Rock and Roll” Chuck Berry statue, and then explore the Washington University campus. The walk covers 2.7 miles with a 141-foot elevation gain, all on a wide sidewalk. The walk involves stairs or ramps, depending on your preference for ease of access. I parked in the first third…
Hike along a former street in a ghost town near the skeletal remains of a Meramec River bridge at Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Mo. This area has a lot of history, from once being a resort town to becoming contaminated by the dangerous chemical dioxin. History How A Ghost Town Began Times Beach, Mo., where the park now exists, was born from promotion…
A paved hike leads to views of St. Charles across the wide Missouri River at Riverwoods Park in Bridgeton, Mo. The route is an out-and-back hike along the Missouri Greenway Earth City Levee Trail and Riverwoods Trail. It covers 3.9 miles and is mostly flat, with just 62 feet of elevation gain. This walk used to be a loop, but flooding on the Missouri River…
Hiking through rocky terrain and enjoying views from an overlook of forested hills is part of a day on the Beulah Trail in Greensfelder Park. The St. Louis County Park, spanning 1,734 acres, is situated on Allenton Road, north of Six Flags. Beulah Trail is a natural surface hike that I walked 4.6 miles with 407 feet of elevation gain. However, it is listed at…
Hamilton Hollow Trail is a short hike through the tallest trees in Cuivre River State Park, which is located north of Troy, Missouri. This is a 0.9-mile hike on a natural surface with an elevation gain of 92 feet. Start of the Hike I parked in the lot at the end of Big Sugar Creek Drive. The trail begins near a stone picnic shelter constructed…
