I love the Whispering Pines trail off of Pickle Springs - on a windy day you know exactly why its called that right when you enter into the pine forest.
Bumping this thread since fall is not far away. Great information, sounds like I need to get down to Pickle Springs!
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Does anybody have any suggestions for hilly hikes with views in the St. Louis area?
I recently went to Salt Lick Point around Valmeyer, Illinois for a hike, which was fantastic. I liked the inclines on that trail. The views weren't bad, either.
The Lone Wolf Trail at Castlewood Park is another great hike along these lines.
Taum Sauk provided awesome views of rolling hills - or, I guess, technically mountains - but I don't always want to go that far for that kind of experience.
Anybody have any favorites that are closer to the city? I'm also up for listening to suggestions for areas in the St. Francois Mountains region.
One thing to note: I typically have a dog with me on hikes.
I recently went to Salt Lick Point around Valmeyer, Illinois for a hike, which was fantastic. I liked the inclines on that trail. The views weren't bad, either.
The Lone Wolf Trail at Castlewood Park is another great hike along these lines.
Taum Sauk provided awesome views of rolling hills - or, I guess, technically mountains - but I don't always want to go that far for that kind of experience.
Anybody have any favorites that are closer to the city? I'm also up for listening to suggestions for areas in the St. Francois Mountains region.
One thing to note: I typically have a dog with me on hikes.
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I have really enjoyed the hikes at Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton, Illinois. Pretty close to the city. you can take a few ferry's over the rivers to get there or drive around. Always good to stop at a local Grafton bar afterwards to enjoy a beer or two as a reward.
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Pere Marquette is a great park, and it definitely does what I'm asking for. I went once, probably eighteen months ago. I need to go back there again.
The bluffs along the Mississippi River to the north of St. Louis are pretty great.
They're not bad to the south, either, with Cliff Cave County Park and places like that. But they just seem so much more majestic to the north.
The bluffs along the Mississippi River to the north of St. Louis are pretty great.
They're not bad to the south, either, with Cliff Cave County Park and places like that. But they just seem so much more majestic to the north.
I'm thinking of going to the Beulah Trailhead in Greensfelder County Park (Wildwood, MO) this weekend.
Based on pictures from Google, I think this trail would scratch my itch.
Based on pictures from Google, I think this trail would scratch my itch.
Another vote for all of this.mjbais1489 wrote: ↑Mar 03, 2022I have really enjoyed the hikes at Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton, Illinois. Pretty close to the city. you can take a few ferry's over the rivers to get there or drive around. Always good to stop at a local Grafton bar afterwards to enjoy a beer or two as a reward.
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I'm kind of surprised that Calhoun County, Illinois doesn't really have any trails, at least according to AllTrails.
When I drove through there in 2020, I thought the rolling hills (especially on the deep south side of the peninsula) would make for good hiking.
All of AllTrails suggestions for Brussels, Illinois are for Pere Marquette State Park across the river.
When I drove through there in 2020, I thought the rolling hills (especially on the deep south side of the peninsula) would make for good hiking.
All of AllTrails suggestions for Brussels, Illinois are for Pere Marquette State Park across the river.
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If you did Taum Sauk... just north of there is Pickle Creek, and Whispering Pines hikes which are a lot of fun.
Also near Garden of the Gods and Shawnee National Forest have some fun ones in between them as well.
Also near Garden of the Gods and Shawnee National Forest have some fun ones in between them as well.
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I've recently started following @StLouisHikes on Instagram. Lots of daily inspiration.
Also I'm not sure about specific trails but Forest 44 Conservation area has a good selection of trails. Another under the radar place to check out (not a super long hike but pretty cool) is Dee Koestering Park off of Big Bend in Kirkwood. Used to be a quarry so lots of huge rocks to scramble around on.
Also I'm not sure about specific trails but Forest 44 Conservation area has a good selection of trails. Another under the radar place to check out (not a super long hike but pretty cool) is Dee Koestering Park off of Big Bend in Kirkwood. Used to be a quarry so lots of huge rocks to scramble around on.
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Lewis and Clark Trail in Defiance off Highway 94. Total is an 8.3 mile loop which I think I've only done in it's entirety once. But you don't have to do the entire trail to find the awesome view of the Missouri River. It's maybe just a mile or mile and a half from the trailhead. One note though--very little parking at the trailhead and it fills up early on nice days.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/miss ... trail-loop
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/miss ... trail-loop
Did the Bluff View trail in Wildwood off of the Al Foster trail last Fall - Has a nice overlook of the Meramec - though it is not a loop and you have to share with mountain bikes
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/bluff-view/
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/bluff-view/
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If you don't mind traveling, Silver Mines is another nice one. But closer to home there's some nice views of the Meramec from Emmenegger. It's an easy enough walk my grandmother was making it into her early 90s, (with breaks at benches, mind) but when you go up the hill it's pretty. I'm trying to think what's specifically got good views. Perre Marquette has some. Columbia Bottoms has one great river view, but . . . you're nearly in the river by the time you get it. It's just that the river is kind of wide there, so it's impressive. I think Lone Elk had a few. There've about got to be some at all the parks down along 44 and the Meramec. I clearly spent too long in Columbia as I have better recommendations there. That or my aversion to going outside city limits is becoming a problem. Hike around Carondelet and make sure you include Bellerive Park on your journey? That's got a pretty good view.
And yes, Pickle Springs is fantastic.
And yes, Pickle Springs is fantastic.
Both Cliff Cave and Bee Tree parks in South County are hilly with nice views of the Mississippi River. I especially enjoy Cliff Cave, the ride from the top of the hill down to the river offers several vantage points.
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^Oh yeah, completely forgot about those. Good recommendations.
^ Sorry about that, I responded on my phone and didn't see RockChalk's similar post. The screen dances around when loading ads.
We are going to hit St. Francois today. I've driven past it a bunch of times on the way down to Council Bluff lake, which also has a decent trail I might add.
We are going to hit St. Francois today. I've driven past it a bunch of times on the way down to Council Bluff lake, which also has a decent trail I might add.
Made the trip to St. Francois yesterday and we walked the Mooner's Hollow trail, very enjoyable! The trail parallels Coonville Creek for much of the walk and there are some elevated overlooks with nice views of the river valley and rolling hills. The trail was a bit crowded but we were expecting that with the nice weather.
Drove around the entire park but we didn't explore much else other than some of the gravel bars on the Big River. Overall, this is a nice park that is only 45 minutes from I-270/I-55 interchange.
Drove around the entire park but we didn't explore much else other than some of the gravel bars on the Big River. Overall, this is a nice park that is only 45 minutes from I-270/I-55 interchange.
St. Francois is one of my favorite hikes in the region. So much diversity, variety. Accessible with just enough challenge to make you feel like you’ve experienced nature, went ‘rugged’ and takes long enough that it ‘is your day’ and then it’s dinner and a beer at Bandanas to cap off the day.
Okay, may have projected in that last bit…you know what I mean.
Okay, may have projected in that last bit…you know what I mean.
I took a walk on the Salt Lick Point trail yesterday and I have to say, what an impressive trail!RockChalkSTL wrote: ↑Mar 03, 2022Does anybody have any suggestions for hilly hikes with views in the St. Louis area?
I recently went to Salt Lick Point around Valmeyer, Illinois for a hike, which was fantastic. I liked the inclines on that trail. The views weren't bad, either.
We arrived around 6:30p and there was one other car in the parking lot but they were on the Johnson trail which runs along the base of the river bluffs and we didn't see a single other person while there. The Salt Lick Point trail, as you mention, has quite an incline, you go from 450FT to over 700FT in a very short span and you will be huffing and puffing when you reach the top of the bluff but it's worth it, what a view! There is a section of the trail, called the overlook, where the ground drops off precipitously on either side and I found that my palms were sweating the entire time I was up there. I didn't realize how steep the bluff was in this area but it's located in an interesting formation just south of where the river bluff juts outs to the West at Valmeyer. With a wide open western view, it's a great spot to watch the sunset or storms roll in and it's only 30 minutes from I-55/I-255, close to STL and not crowded.
After reading all these reviews, I really want to hit Pickle Springs next!
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St. Louisans Need to Fight for Hawn State Park's Future
The park is threatened by a proposed silica mine
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/st ... linkin.bio
Petition: https://www.change.org/p/protect-ste-ge ... 1149-en-US
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The park is threatened by a proposed silica mine
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/st ... linkin.bio
Petition: https://www.change.org/p/protect-ste-ge ... 1149-en-US
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I admittedly know little about Silica mines but they have to be built somewhere and if everywhere says no, then I worry that they’re more likely build it them in communities who already suffer the most from environmental racism.pattimagee wrote:St. Louisans Need to Fight for Hawn State Park's Future
The park is threatened by a proposed silica mine
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/st ... linkin.bio
Petition: https://www.change.org/p/protect-ste-ge ... 1149-en-US
Moreover, if our economy needs these materials, then we need these somewhere. I get that this is a nice state park, maybe even a quote nice state park, but I think the narrative of the story suggests that St. Louisans will bear a critical loss, perhaps ah unreplaceable loss. That’s not really true, with a real wealth of local and state parks - heck, even a national one.
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I'll have to study the details, but Hawn is a gem that definitely deserves protection.
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It’s not a nice state park in my humble opinion it’s the best state park in Missouri & this needs not to happen. It’s definitely worth fighting for & saving
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Hawn isn't really under threat. Just the scenery along the drive too Hawn. The mine itself is proposed on private land. Based on the article the threat to the local aquifer is something that is concerning.
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@brianadler6545 since you know a bit about silica mines... can you add some context on how that mining process is conducted? are there typically environmental issues with silica mining? etc? (sincerely/honestly asking, just in case that came across weird, hah)