See the 1855 Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing on the Riverfront Trail along the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Mo. I also went across the historic 1910 McKinley Bridge into Illinois with views of the St. Louis skyline. Normally I do walks, but this is more in an urban area, and would recommend doing the Riverfront Trail from downtown to Mary Meachum Crossing and McKinley Bridge…
Veterans Tribute Park: A Place to Walk and Play
Kids enjoy a destination playground and families can take to trails that wrap around lakes at Veterans Tribute Park in Weldon Spring, Mo. I walked 1.7 miles of the paved trails with 105 feet of elevation checking out the main sites in the park including a Veteran’s Memorial. Start of the Walk at Veterans Tribute Park I parked in the first lot on the left…
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 a loop. In addition, I did a .8-mile out-and-back hike on a natural surface trail through the woods on Kountz Fort Trail. This walk totaled 3.6 miles with 102 feet…
Sports Park O’Fallon Walk
Do an easy walk around soccer fields and fun time with my son at a large playground at Sports Park in O’Fallon, Mo.
Benld to Gillespie Bike Trail Walk
See a Russian Orthodox Church and downtown murals on the walk from Benld to Gillespie north of Edwardsville, Ill. This easy hike uses a paved trail on a former trolley line between Benld and Gillespie in Illinois. I also walked along streets and sidewalks to explore each of their downtowns. Interurban Line History This bike trail is 1.4 miles or 2.8 out and back between…
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 sculpture garden. Going to both these attractions allows for a fun-filled day trip for my family from the St. Louis area. DEVIL’S PROP OVERVIEW This nature preserve is located about…
Greenspace East from Heritage Trail Hike
Trailhead information sign
Watson Trail Park Walk
Watson Trail Park in Sunset Hills is a favorite stop for my son if we are in South County for the zip line and trails that go throughout the park. OUR TIME HERE We stopped at Watson Trail Park in Sunset Hills, Mo., for lunch, a short hike, and playground time. We parked in a lot near the aquatic center and headed down to a…
2022 Top Ten Hikes
Here are the top ten hikes I liked the most in 2022. I chose them based on length, how much I enjoyed them, and what natural beauty I saw. Rock Bridge Memorial State Park Hike Rock Bridge Memorial State Park gives hikers a chance to scramble through caves and see a rock bridge and sinkholes. I went with David and my son. We only had…
Top 5 Summer Travel Guides For Travel Out West
Here are my 2022 Top 5 Summer Travel Guides that I turned to for summer travels in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Southern California. I will share our adventures on my blog at the start of the Summer 2023 Travel Season! Moon Nevada by Scott Smith This book provides an overall resource on traveling throughout the state of Nevada. Here you can figure out itineraries from…