A hike around Shaw Nature Preserve led to snakes, green and red trees, and an abundance of different terrain.

Wildflower Trail

We first took a small walk around the Whitmore Wildflower Garden checking out some of the flowers in bloom next to the Bascom House. This garden displays five plant community areas (woodland, wetland, glade, savanna, and prairie. I took a long walk to check out the nearby Pinetum Lake to check out the evergreens.

Bluff Overlook Trail

Next, we headed for the Maritz Trail House. The place was filled with school children this day. They were mostly gathered in the trail house and down by the Sod House and Teepee, which will leave next time to explore.

We headed to the Bluff Overlook Trail. The woods were thick with tall trees. One clung to life after being hit hard by lightning, its trunk split open and coal black. The overlook had been taken over by a canopy of trees. You couldn’t see the Meramec below and had to look hard to see the hills in the distance. I darted below the cliff face to scurry through the rocks and came across a salamander looking up at me before it wandered back into the woods. We didn’t have the time to check out the gravel bar and will leave it for a future trip.

Wetland Trail

Tall prairie grass greeted us as we walked towards the wetland area. This is where we came across a lime-colored smooth green snake. His head stood up and he stared toward the high grass as we walked past him. This trail includes an elevated observation blind, viewing scope, and 300-foot boardwalk.