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…
Walking down frozen cascades leading to a frozen pond was part of my winter adventure at Shaw Park near downtown Clayton. The park is just west of the St. Louis County Courthouse and is adjacent to the Clayton High School. Here I took a 1.7 walk on the paved trails through the 47-acre park. My Walk at Shaw Park I parked near the intersection of…
This is the tale of two Tilles Parks, one located in Ladue, Mo., and one in St. Louis city, and their shared origin. History of the Two Tilles Parks The story goes that Andrew “Cap” Tilles, a businessman who once owned Churchill Downs and the Fairgrounds Race Track in St. Louis set up a foundation. Tilles donated land in St Louis County to the City…
Tall brick breweries surround Benton Park and caves go underground in the neighborhood and are all a part of its mystique.
Victorian and Arts and Crafts homes overlook Clifton Heights Park with its fountain and boathouse. Overview This park was originally a private park for residents of the Clifton Heights neighborhood. The tract was conveyed to the city of St. Louis in 1921 which enlarged the park to its current size of 4.4 acres. The park has the most unique topography in the city with a…
Victorian era Tower Grove Park has one-of-a-kind picnic pavilions, one with a circus tent-like roof or another with Chinese dragons. It is my favorite park in St. Louis. Hiking in Tower Grove Park I’ve spent lots of time with David and my son Andrew over the years playing in the park or walking some of its many trails. On a snowy day, I decided to…
Compton Hill Water Tower stands 179 feet high along Grand Boulevard near Interstate 44 in St. Louis, an attraction in itself. Yet, it also paired with a controversial statue in Compton Hill Reservoir Park.
At New Salem, you can walk in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln in a reconstructed pioneer village where Lincoln lived and worked as a young man.
An aqua blue spring with crystal clear water flows into the nearby Current River. Round Spring was my destination in Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
The largest area of Native American Rock art in Illinois is found at Piney Creek Ravine Nature Preserve. This 198-acre nature preserve also has cascading waterfalls and colorful limestone cliffs. Our Hike Starting the Hike It was a whole family trip including the dog. The two-mile loop trail begins between two farm fields from the gravel parking lot. Next, we came to a second sign…
