While some may think of St. Louis as a metropolitan area congested with city streets and sidewalks, it actually contains some beautiful hiking trails that are only a short drive away.

 

Trail #1: Riverscene trail in Castlewood Park

Castlewood park is a popular park among STL area hikers because it provides multiple beautiful trails in a relatively close proximity to everyone. If you are there, try out Riverscene trail. This trail runs 3.1 miles along the Meramec river providing many scenic views of the river along the way. It takes approximately two hours with some elevation gain, so make sure to bring some good tennis shoes or boots. This trail has a 4.6/5 rating on Alltrails, and is rated as moderate diffuculty. Find out more about about this trail and Castlewood at mostateparks.com.

Personal Rating

Hike Difficulty: 3/5 (5 being hardest)

Hike Scenery: 4/5 (5 being prettiest)

Crowds on Hike: 4/5 (5 being busiest)

Trail #2:  Dogwood trail in Greensfelder Park

Only a short drive down I-44, Greensfelder Park is a huge, often overlooked county park. The 1,700 acre park contains many hiking trails and picnic shelters, allowing for pretty hikes or family lunches in a shelter. If you go there, try out Dogwood trail. This 2.6 mile loop winds through dense hardwoods that are especially beautiful during fall. All of the leaves turn bronze, which also makes a good photo-op. This dirt path is a great afternoon hike that also contains a fair amount of elevation gain, so make sure you have good hiking boots on. This trail received a 4.2/5 rating on Alltrails, and received a moderate difficulty rating. Find more information on Dogwood and Greensfleder on stlouiscountymo.gov.

Personal Rating

Hike Difficulty: 3/5 

Hike Scenery: 3/5 

Crowds on Hike: 1/5

 

Trail #3

Tucked away on Missouri’s highway 109, Rockwoods Reservation is a gem as far as public hiking trails go. The rolling hardwood hills make for a breathtaking fall view. If you are there, make sure to check out Turkey Ridge trail. Staying true to it’s name, Turkey Ridge is a loop that has a large ridge in the middle. While there is a steep hike up, once you are on top of the ridge you can see the hardwood hills that you have ascended. Also, staying true to it’s name, watch out for deer and turkeys on your hike. Turkey ridge received a 4.2/5 on Alltrails, and a moderate difficulty rating. To find more information about Turkey Ridge, go to thehikingproject.com. 

Personal Rating

Hike Difficulty: 2/5

Hike Scenery: 3/5

Crowds on Hike: 2/5

Trail #4

Just West of our neighboring state, Illinois, Bee Tree county park borders the Mississippi River. While it is a smaller county park, it still holds some nice trails. One to check out is The Bee Tree Lake loop.  Since the trail is just under ½ of a mile, it makes a great after-school hike or evening adventure. The loop takes you to a beautiful vista of the mighty Mississippi, then around Bee Tree Lake. It’s a great family hike to get some exercise and see the river. This loop has a 4.3/5  rating on Alltrails, and has an easy difficulty rating. To get more information about Bee Tree, go to stlouiscountymo.gov

Personal Rating

Hike Difficulty: 1/5

Hike Scenery: 3/5

Crowds on Hike: 4/5

Trail #5

Just across the Missouri River lies one of the biggest tracts of public land in Missouri, Busch Wildlife. While there are many trails there, you should check out Busch Greenway if you get a chance. It is very popular among hikers and bikers, but that doesn’t mean that it’s bad. The trail winds through Missouri prairie fields and hardwoods as well. It connects the infamous Katy Trail and Busch Wildlife. While there is no difficulty rating on Alltrails, it is 4.8 miles of asphalt, so be prepared for a longer, but smooth hike. To learn more about this trail, go to traillink.com. 

Personal Rating

Hike Difficulty: 2/5

Hike Scenery: 2/5

Crowds on Hike: 4/5

 

Next time you are driving down one of the major highways in STL, stop and think about where you haven’t been and where you could explore. You may just find one of nature’s hidden gem in a metropolis.