Bellemeade Trail winds through the woods and leads to a one-of-a-kind small-town playground at Brookmount Park in St. Peters. This 1 mile out and back walk on a paved trail connects Tot Lot Park to Brookmount Park. Tot Lot Park I parked in a small lot near Mexico Road. Most of the park is occupied by a playground enclosed by a fence. The playground has…
A botanical braille trail and a scenic stop along Cole Creek are part of a hike at McNair Park in St. Charles, Mo. I first walked a quarter mile along the Braille Trail, which had only seven feet of elevation gain. After that, I took a much longer 1.7-mile walk around the park, using paved paths and fields, with a total elevation gain of 148…
Awe-inspiring sandstone cliffs that form different shapes with views of the surrounding Shawnee Hills are what you will find at Garden of the Gods in southern Illinois. Driving In Heading into the Garden of the Gods Recreation Area you can see the high cliffs along the drive. After parking, we headed to the Observation Trail. Observation Trail This is a quarter-mile interpretive trail that leads…
Whitecliff Park in Crestwood, Mo., includes an abandoned rock quarry with a cliffside pond and 40 acres of woods to explore. Whitecliff Park Trail Whitecliff Park Trail is about a mile hike along a gravel surface through woods and along Gravois Creek. I parked to the right of the park entrance in a small lot near a picnic shelter. There is additional parking up the…
Take a stroll along the clear, rocky branch of Dardenne Creek on the Country Crossing Trail in St. Peters, MO. This is a paved 2.7-mile walk with a slight elevation gain. It includes a section of the Woodlands Trail from the Woodland Sports Park lot. Country Crossing Trail does not have its own trailhead parking, which is why I started the walk at Woodlands Sports…
Take a stroll along paved trails through the parkland, where the highways intersect at Schaefer Park and Centennial Greenway in St. Charles. Schaefer Park features a half-mile loop trail at the intersection of Missouri Highway 94 and Missouri Highway 364 in St. Charles, Missouri. I also took a separate walk that included a 1.3-mile out-and-back on a section of the Centennial Greenway from the Commuter…
Hike through deep ravines and along ridgetops to a Mississippi River bluff on the Sheppard Point Trail at Trail of Tears State Park. The park is situated just north of Cape Girardeau, MO, and is approximately one hour and fifty minutes south of St. Louis. Visitor’s Center Upon entering the park through the second entrance near the Sheppard Point Trailhead, the first location you encounter…
Hike beneath cliffs alongside the wide Meramec River on the Al Foster (Memorial) Trail to Sherman Beach in Wildwood, MO. This is a 4.7-mile out-and-back hike with 72 feet of elevation gain on a gravel surface. Along with this hike, I did an optional short 0.2-mile run up to a bluff on a natural surface side trail for a distant river view. This hike features…
Stroll through limestone glades, follow clear rocky creeks, and explore a small cave at Danville Conservation Area. This park is located just off Interstate 70 near the exit for Hermann, Mo. The hike is 3 miles with creek crossings and 256 feet of elevation gain. Heading to the Trailhead I drove down Missouri Highway RB until it turned to gravel. Before you reach the conservation…
Hike along the clifftops and through dark hollows and explore the mysterious Zombie Trail East in Wildwood, Missouri. This rocky hike spans 7.4 miles with a 381-foot elevation gain. The trail has various surfaces, including gravel, pavement, and natural terrain. The trail does not have on-site parking, and you enter it from the Al Foster Trailhead. Why Is It Called Zombie Trail? Stories of hauntings…
