Looking for the best hike for photos, wildlife or a workout? Here are some of St. Louis' top trails
While the region has hundreds of miles of trails surrounded by scenic natural areas, we've selected a collection based on what trail is best for different interests and activities.
Don't see one you like below?ÌýCheck out our complete hiking list.
Original reporting by Harry Jackson Jr., Post-Dispatch. Additional reporting by Amy Bertrand, Post Dispatch.Ìý
Best view of the Mississippi • Cliff Cave Park
What •ÌýAfter completion of a $4.3 million project including a 2-mile trail extension, Cliff Cave Park reopened for hikers in 2018. The park, located in South County on the coast of the Mississippi is home to three trails: the 7.1 mile paved Mississippi Greenway Trail, the 1-mile River Bluff Trail, and the Spring Valley Trail with a 1.8 mile outer loop and a 1.2 mile inner loop. The area is prone to flooding, so check the website before making a trip.Ìý
Where •Ìý806 Cliff Cave Road, off Telegraph in south St. Louis County.
Difficulty •ÌýThe are a total of 11 miles of hiking along three trails, but the one-mile River Bluff Trail offers the best view of the Mississippi.
Best fitness workout trail • Lime Kiln Loop Trail
What • Walk theÌýLime Kiln Loop in Rockwoods Reservation for its up and downs and long straightaways. The footing is mostly runner-friendly, but there are some rocks and roots so beware. Reptiles abound until it gets cold. In autumn the naked trees open up panoramic views. As an added bonus, at the start of the trail, you can glimpse some alpaca and llama on a nearby farm.Ìý
Where • Rockwoods Reservation, 2751 Glencoe Road, Wildwood.
Difficulty • The 3.2-mile loop works on the endurance with a peak rise from 300 to 800 feet.
Best place to see wildlife • Powder Valley Nature Area
What • Deer are everywhere in , and the deeper you get on the trails the more you see other mammals and birds. The Visitor Center has a bird/animal feeder where you can watch birds and squirrels argue over the feed the staff plants there. The deeper you get into the forested area, the more the streams and clearings look like something from a postcard.ÌýThe Broken Ridge, Hickory Ridge and Tanglevine trails combine for 2.5 miles, with varying difficulty.
Where • 11715 Cragwold Road, Kirkwood.
Difficulty •ÌýThe area has three trails, one of which has interpretive signs and is wheelchair and stroller accessible.
Best place to see wildlife, honorable mention • Lone Elk Park, White Bison Trail
WhatÌý•ÌýÌýis the home of the four-mile White Bison Trail, moderately difficult by Plains State standards, but the attraction is the very visible elk, bison and other mammals.ÌýNote:ÌýLeave the animals alone! They're wild. Bull Elk in full antlers can be territorial, cow elk with calves can be protective, and bison can be cranky for no apparent reason.
Where •ÌýInterstate 44 to North Outer Road west of Highway 141 to 1 Lone Elk Park Road.ÌýÌý
DifficultyÌý• This trail is fairly difficult with several elevation changes and rocky terrain. There's also a trailhead to the 7-mile (one way) and difficult Chubb Trail that connects Lone Elk Park to West Tyson Park.Ìý
Best pure hiking • Rockwoods Reservation
What • It's a Ìýwith about 13 miles of trails ranging fromÌýa quarter-mile long to 3.2 miles, and with some creative bushwhacking, stretch one walk into 5.5 miles, hills or flat.Ìý Flash flooding last summer has caused some rerouting ofÌýTrail Among the Trees and Rock Quarry - Long Loop. The valleys look like postcards, and the peaks will open up your lungs without breaking your ankles on rocks. Pictured is the very easy Wildlife Habitat Trail, which is wheelchair accessible.
Where • 2751 Glencoe Road, Wildwood.
Difficulty • Depends on which trail you are on, but ranging from the very easy to more challenging with some elevation climbs.Ìý
Best pure hiking, honorable mention • Rockwoods Range
What •ÌýTrails are longer and tougher than the similarly named and nearby Rockwoods Reservation, but a lot less traffic and a lot of overgrowth. Military units use this area for orienteering training. The 13.2-mileÌý is for hiking only, but three other trails are for hiking, biking and horseback: Round House Loop Trail (3 miles), Fox Creek Spur Trail (0.6 miles), Fox Run Trail (3.5 miles).
Where •ÌýFox Creek Road near Allenton/Eureka.
Difficulty • Hilly and rocky, so fairly difficultÌý
Best trails for photography • Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge
What • This view is from an observation platform at the entrance to and looks at two tree lines separated by the Illinois River. The trails are unnamed service roads where walking is allowed. They’re alongside marshes, tree stands and lakes where a variety of migrating and native birds fill this place up all year round, especially if there has been adequate rain. From the Visitors Center, watch predator birds fly the tree lines. East of the big lake are sloughs and waterways where if you follow them back by bicycle or foot, you find spooky coves and mini-canals.
Where •ÌýNear Brussels. From St. Charles County, take the Golden Eagle Ferry across the Missouri River to Calhoun County. The entrance to the Two Rivers area is on Hagen Road.
Difficulty • All of the walking routes are flat, from a quarter-mile to several miles.Ìý
Best view from a trail • Don Robinson State Park
What •ÌýThis state park, which opened in 2017, features cliffs, glades, forests and an overlook with rocking chairs. One parks resource steward says he can’t think of another overlook in Jefferson County where you can look in all directions and not see another house.
Where •Ìý9275 Byrnesville Road, Cedar Hill.Ìý
Difficulty •ÌýModerate. The four-mileÌýSandstone Canyon Trail offers the best views. A connector path halfway through cuts the hike in half.
Best trail for casual bicyclists • Rock Hollow Trail
What • An asphalt-surface trail that is 10 feet wide is perfect for cyclists starting their journey onto other trails because there's plenty of trail to share with the runners and walkers there. The first quarter-mile is steep, but after that it's fairly flat with plenty of benches along the way.ÌýNo night visits allowed. It ends at the 5-mile Al Foster Trail, with ways to connect to the Bluff View trail (11 miles) and the Hamilton Carr Trail (1.7 miles).Ìý
Where • Wildwood. Manchester Road to Old State Road, south to Ridge Road, east a quarter-mile to the entrance.
Difficulty • Easy, 4.6 miles round-trip, out and backÌý
Best trail if you don't mind a drive • Interpretive Loop Trail, Grand Gulf State Park
What • Known as Missouri's "Little Grand Canyon," Grand Gulf State Park is a three- to four-hour drive situated near the Arkansas border, northwest of Thayer, Mo., in south-central Missouri. It's a true canyon with high walls and a river at the bottom. The 1.3 mile Interpretive Loop Trail features waterfalls and four overlooks that show the Grand Gulf sink hole and cave system.Ìý
Where • Highway W, Thayer, Mo.
Difficulty • Moderate
Best trail if you don't mind a drive, honorable mention • Trail Through Time, Pickle Springs Nature Area
WhatÌý•Ìý offers two miles of fascinating landscapes, box canyons and a waterfall. (Pictured is the Double Arch formation, whichÌýholds up a shelf of sandstone.) It's a little hard to find on some winding backroads near Farmington, but people have certainly found it, as it's become a bit crowded in recent years. Still, it's quite gorgeous, even in winter when the water freezes. The rose azalea in the spring is also worth seeing.Ìý
Where •ÌýInterstate 55 to Farmington, Highway 32 to Highway AA to Dorlac Road north.
Difficulty • Moderate
Best trail to prepare for a long, rugged hike • Buford Mountain Conservation Area Loop
What •ÌýTheÌýÌýtrail is for those in good physical condition. It's a 700-foot, rocky climb to the 1,720-foot peak. Many hikers turn back at that point. In all, it's 9.1 miles, around Buford Mountain's five peaks. The view from Bald Knob is worth it. Carry water, maybe a water purifier, a fully charged cellphone, a compass or GPS, hiking shoes and an extra pair of socks. A hiking stick helps, too. Make sure someone knows where you are and when to expect your return.
Where • Eight miles north of Ironton, Mo., on Highway 21, then two miles north on Highway U.
Difficulty • Very difficultÌý
Best vista/most scenic (tie) • Mina Sauk Falls Trail
What • The trail starts atop , the highest point in Missouri at 1,772 feet elevation. What's great is you start at the top. There's parking and even a wheelchair-friendly walk to the trailhead panorama. From there it's downhill next to the state's tallest waterfall and to the beginning of the Ozark Trail. While the trail is formally 3 miles, you can turn around at any time, or walk 35 miles through the , or several hundred miles along the ÌýThe Mina Sauk Trail path is rocky and crosses some creeks — as well as the Mina Sauk Falls — so be sure to wear supportive shoes.
WhereÌýTaum Sauk Mountain State Park, Highway CC, Ironton, Mo.
Difficulty • To the trailhead, very easy. After that, it gets difficult.Ìý
Best vista/most scenic (tie) • Garden of the Gods Observation Trail, southern Illinois
What • This summit from theÌýl is a 1/4-mile loop that has the highest vantage of the area. Though it's beautiful any time of year, it's especially breathtaking in the fall. It's a difficult trail that takes about 45 minutes to an hour to walk because of all the steep grades and steps. There are benches, though. Be warned, though, there are dangerous dropoffs and people have fallen to their death there. The Garden of the Gods recreation area has lots of other trials, too, if you are looking for something a little tamer.Ìý
Where • Shawnee National Forest. Headquarters: 50 Highway 145 South, Harrisburg, Illinois.
Difficulty • It's uphill. Be careful.
Best vista/most scenic, honorable mention • Lewis and Clark Trails
What • About two miles from the s trailhead is an excellent view from 110 feet above of the Missouri River, Katy Trail and Chesterfield Valley. Bicyclists like this trail, too, but avoid it after a rain; it can get extremely muddy. The trail is about 8 miles, but you can take a route through the middle and just hike the Clark portion of the trail at about 5 miles. Or if you are just into it for the view, hike out two miles and back. Another warning: The parking lot gets full fast on the weekends, but there is another lot just a little ways down on Highway 94.Ìý
Where •ÌýWeldon Spring Conservation Area, Highway 94 west of Highway 40 (Interstate 64).
Difficulty • Somewhat strenuous
Getting there: Mapping the trails
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