Elephant rocks
See Giant Boulders at Elephant Rocks State Park
Former Coal Mine Became St. Ellen Park
Take in the views of far-off hills and be near the shorelines of lakes and ponds in St. Ellen Park in O’Fallon, Illinois. The 85-acre park was originally part of a coal strip mining operation from 1854 until the mine closed in 1960. With the changeover to a park, the topography includes a hill, numerous ponds, and a lake. This hike is on a 2.4-mile…
Creve Coeur Park: Bootlegger’s Run Hike
Hiking along ravines, wooded river hills, and high above Creve Coeur Park is a walk on Bootlegger’s Run in Maryland Heights, Mo. Located on the upper level of Creve Coeur Park. I hiked 4.2 miles with 269 feet of elevation gain along the well-worn natural surface path. Parking for the Bootlegger’s Run Hike I hiked with a group and we all met at the parking…
Tiemeyer Park Walk
The 41-acre Tiemeyer Park in St. Ann, Missouri, features a lake with a boardwalk and a one-mile paved trail for exploration. This one-mile walk with 69 feet elevation gain includes two loops with an out and short out and back section between them. If you explore the lake area on side trails, the length is more than one mile. Before Starting the Walk I parked…
Hiking And Walking Tour of Faust Park
Faust Park includes numerous historic buildings, a former Governor’s Mansion, the Butterfly House, and a hike along Missouri River hills. I hiked a trail that goes along the Missouri River hills along with doing a walking tour of the historic village. FAUST HISTORIC VILLAGE Many St. Louis County 19th-century structures were lost to St. Louis County’s suburban development. The St. Louis County Parks Department rescued…
Finding Petroglyphs at Washington State Park
Ancient Native American petroglyphs, a cave, and historic stone overlooks along Big River can all be enjoyed at Washington State Park about an hour south of St. Louis. History of Washington State Park Native American The highlight of this park is the petroglyph area near the main entrance of the park. Thousands of years ago the Middle Mississippian culture found in Cahokia, Ill., built a…
Cliff Cave Park Hike
Near St. Louis is Cliff Cave Park with panoramic Mississippi River views and a cave to check out along its trails. CLIFF CAVE HISTORY The cave was first recorded in 1749 by John Baptiste D’Gamache, one of the French founders of St. Louis, who received the cave and land in the Spanish Land Grant. Later, during the 18th century, French fur trappers operated a tavern…
Go Up on the Grafton SkyTour at Aerie’s Resort
Soar 300 feet above the Mississippi River on the Grafton SkyTour and then feel the rush down an alpine coaster, all part of the day at Aerie’s Resort. We headed out on a warm fall day along the Great River Road north of Alton, Ill., to have some fun in Grafton, Ill. Along with the amusement park-like attractions, we also checked out a few other…
Sodalis Nature Preserve Hike
Follow a paved trail through the woods to a former mine at Sodalis Nature Preserve in Hannibal, Mo., known as the hometown of Mark Twain. This hike leads to a mine filled with bats that can be seen in the evening. Our Time Here A large parking lot for the 200-acre preserve is located off Ely Street on the south side of Hannibal. At the…
Fall Hikes: Taum Sauk Mountain To Devil’s Tollgate
Taum Sauk Mountain State Park is where you hike to the highest point in the state and highest wet weather waterfall and can continue down to the rock formation of Devil’s Tollgate. About Taum Sauk Mountain Taum Sauk Mountain is 1,772 feet above sea level and is the epicenter of the St. Francois Mountains in Missouri. Almost 1.5 billion years ago, volcanic eruptions of hot…
