War of 1812 History along Fort Zumwalt Park Hike

Hike by a rebuilt fort from the War of 1812, the 1884 Heald Home, and along the spring-fed Lake Whetsel at Fort Zumwalt Park in O’Fallon, Mo.

Parking Here

I parked along Jessup Drive West near the restrooms and took a connector trail to the paved Lake Path, which is one-third of a mile long. I combined this hike with the mile-long paved Walking Trail, resulting in a total hike of 1.5 miles with an elevation gain of 102 feet.

*The trail follows along Jessup Drive to the right of the yellow line and along the side of the road.*

Walking to Historic Sites

I began my hike, heading south along the Walking Trail that runs alongside Jessup Drive West, the one-way road in the park. Be cautious of traffic as you walk.

The road curves northward, with the historic Heald Home and Zumwalt’s Fort on the left side; a short walk off the road leads to both sites.

Heald Home

Darius Heald was born in Jacob Zumwalt’s homestead fort on January 27, 1822. The family initially lived in a cabin, and Darius built the current red brick house.

In 1915, the upper story was destroyed by a tornado, but it was rebuilt using bricks blown into the yard. The house fell into disrepair until the City of O’Fallon and O’Fallon Community Foundation restored it in 2001.

View from closer to the Walking Trail. A close-up view of the fort is the Main Blog Photo

Zumwalt’s Fort

Jacob Zumwalt and his extended family settled in the O’Fallon area in 1798, building a large log home. A few years later, when the War of 1812 set off deadly guerilla raids with Native Americans ambushing and killing American settlers, local families fled to the shelter provided by the Zumwalt’s home, which is said to have been fortified with a stockade fence.

The reconstructed Zumwalt’s Fort opened in 2015 and is the only settler fort from the War of 1812 located in a public park. At one time, there were over 35 such forts in Missouri.

To the Playground

After exploring the grounds around the historic sites, I continued down the road.

On the right side, in the middle of the lane leading to the Maintenance Building, stands the metallic sculpture “Pangolin Curl” by Nick Hurst.

Then, I passed a playground with climbing structures, walkways, and swings.

Back to the Start

Looking out into the woods, I spotted a disc golf goal; a course wraps around the park.

*Follow the markings to stay on the trail.*

A pedestrian sign stands in front of the crosswalk near the park entrance to direct me as I complete the loop.

Next, I crossed a bridge over a small creek and continued uphill to the connector trail leading to the Lake Path.

Lake Path

I took the connector trail down to the lake and went left.

Next, I crossed some bridges over a section of the lake.

The second bridge goes over a back bay.

*Information on the creation of a forebay*

A sign explains that a sediment forebay pool was created to retain a portion of the stormwater runoff and allow sediment to settle before it reaches the larger lake.

I continued walking past a small group of ducks seeking shade from the sun.

*Stopping to take in the view of the lake.*

The walk features several promontories that serve as stopping points for enjoying lake views.

Then, I rounded the bend for a distant view before returning to the connector trail.

Final Thoughts

Combining the lake trail and the walking trail created a complete hike, passing by historic sites, near the woods, and along the lake on a paved path.

Wooded Walking Trail

I also hiked the natural surface of the Wooded Walking Trail, including a section of the Walking Trail that formed a 0.7-mile loop.

This trail begins north of the restrooms near the Walking Trail road bridge and an informational sign.

You go into the woods following the creek.

One area has a fallen tree. This trail is more natural than the other two.

I crossed a small brook by using stepping stones.

Then, I reached a point where I could leave the woods but chose to continue.

White rocks covered a low area where water flows during rain showers.

Then, I came to the front of the park near another informational sign.

Before heading back down the Walking Trail, I photographed the granite monument commemorating the historic sites.

I saw a box turtle crossing the road. Since the walkway is shared with traffic, I followed it and stopped a car from hitting it. I saved a turtle today.

Final Thoughts

The Wooded Walking Trail and Lake Path were my favorite walks here. If I return, I will definitely do these two again.

DETAILS

Heald Home and Fort Tours: Home is open for tours on May 1, May 23, and the 2nd and 4th Sundays — June through September.

Hours: Noon – 3 p.m.

Admission is $5 per person, and children 10 and under are free. The fee includes access to Zumwalt’s Fort attraction.

For more information, please call 636-379-5502 or email [email protected].

St. Charles Model Railroad Club is across the road from the Heald Home and is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In the winter, the park is famous for its Celebration of Lights Christmas light display.

Drive: Take Interstate 70 to exit 218 for Highway K, then go south. Make a right onto Veterans Memorial Parkway and then a left onto Jessup Drive West, which leads into the park.

Hours: 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily

Address: 1000 Jessup Dr W, O’Fallon, MO 6336