While exploring Giant City State Park, I marveled at the massive boulders, cascading waterfalls, and the majestic Devil’s Standtable. The park is a little over two hours south of St. Louis near Carbondale, Ill. Our…
Posts tagged #hikingtrails
Touring the Columbia River Gorge
Find mountain-high waterfalls and a deep river canyon in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. Our family did a trip to the Pacific Northwest seeing Seattle, Portland, North Cascades National Park, the Columbia Gorge, and…
Bremer Wildlife Sanctuary Hike
Hike nature trails through woods, along a small creek, and through prairie grass at H & B Bremer Wildlife Sanctuary. The 203-acre wildlife sanctuary is a mile north of Hillsboro, Ill. It includes a wide…
Valley View Glades Natural Area Hike
Waterfalls and wildflowers fill the hills found at Valley View Glades Natural Area near Hillsboro, Mo.
Katy Trail: Rocheport Tunnel Hike
You can walk through a 240-foot former train tunnel on the Katy Trail in Rocheport, Mo., which is about 20 miles west of Columbia, Mo. Rocheport is located about 12 miles west of Columbia, Mo.,…
Cottleville Dardenne Greenway Loop Hike
Hike along Dardenne Creek, around two lakes, and through woods on the Dardenne Greenway and other trails in Cottleville, Mo. I hiked 2.8 miles on the Dardenne Greenway and used other side trails to form…
Mount Vernon: Devil’s Prop and Sculpture
Hike to rock shelters and small waterfalls at Devil’s Prop Nature Preserve north of Mount Vernon, Il., east of St. Louis on Interstate 64. Located nearby is Cedarhurst Center For The Arts with a large…
Greenspace East from Heritage Trail Hike
Trailhead information sign
2022 Top Five Hiking Books
These are the top five hiking books that helped me find the best trails in exploring the terrain of the Midwest in 2022. I return to them for details on finding waterfalls, canyons, mountaintops, springs,…
Belleville: Bicentennial Park Walk
Take a walk around ponds in the woods and let your kids explore nature-themed playgrounds at Bicentennial Park in Belleville, Ill. This hike is .8 miles long with 56 feet of elevation gain. The 43-acre…