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Best Easy Day Hikes Series

Best Easy Day Hikes St. Louis

JD Tanner and Emily Ressler

Help Us Keep This Guide Up to Date

Every effort has been made by the author and editors to make this guide as accurate and useful as possible. However, many things can change after a guide is publishedtrails are rerouted, regulations change, facilities come under new management, etc.

We would appreciate hearing from you concerning your experiences with this guide and how you feel it could be improved and kept up to date. While we may not be able to respond to all comments and suggestions, well take them to heart and well also make certain to share them with the author. Please send your comments and suggestions to the following address:

GPP

Reader Response/Editorial Department

P.O. Box 480

Guilford, CT 06437

Or you may e-mail us at:

editorial@GlobePequot.com

Thanks for your input, and happy trails!

Copyright 2011 by Morris Book Publishing, LLC

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to Globe Pequot Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford CT 06437.

FalconGuides is an imprint of Morris Book Publishing, LLC.

Falcon, FalconGuides, and Outfit Your Mind are registered trademarks of Morris Book Publishing, LLC.

Maps by Mapping Specialists Morris Book Publishing LLC

TOPO! Explorer software and SuperQuad source maps courtesy of National Geographic Maps. For information about TOPO! Explorer, TOPO!, and Nat Geo Maps products, go to www.topo.com or www.natgeomaps.com.

Project editor: Julie Marsh

Layout artist: Kevin Mak

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Tanner, J. D.

Best easy day hikes, St. Louis / J. D. Tanner and Emily Ressler.

p. cm. (FalconGuides)

ISBN 978-1-4930-0565-9 (alk. paper)

1. HikingMissouriSaint LouisGuidebooks. 2. HikingMissouriSaint Louis RegionGuidebooks. 3. Saint Louis (Mo.)Guidebooks. 4. Saint Louis Region (Mo.)Guidebooks. I. Ressler, Emily. II. Title.

GV199.42.M82S756 2011

917.786604dc22

2010042882

The authors and Globe Pequot Press assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

Contents

The Hikes

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to all the land managers who patiently answered our questions, pointed us toward the very best trails, and carefully reviewed the trail descriptions for this guide. We would also like to thank Ashley, Arnie, and Aspen for accompanying us on many of the trails in and around St. Louis; your company, humor, and enthusiasm were very much appreciated. Finally, we would like to thank all our friends at FalconGuides, particularly Max Phelps, Scott Adams, Jessica Haberman, and Julie Marsh, for their support and encouragement and for making a book out of our rough manuscript.

Introduction

When one thinks of the best hiking destinations in the United States, St. Louis, Missouri, may not be at the top of too many lists. Luckily, St. Louisarea residents, and now you, know better. The rolling hills of the Ozarks, the towering bluffs along the many rivers, the woodland bottoms and floodplains, and glacier-carved southern Illinois create a diverse backdrop for the hikes presented in this book.

This guide lists easy, moderate, and more challenging hikes within 100 miles of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Some of the hikes can be found within the city of St. Louis; others are located just south of the city in the northern Ozarks. A few more can be found just across the Mississippi River in southern Illinois.

The city of St. Louis was founded in 1764 by French traders, and at one time it was the fourth-largest city in the United States. Today the greater St. Louis area population is pushing almost three million people. The city boasts attractions like the Gateway Arch; the confluence of the Missouri, Illinois, and Mississippi Rivers; and of course the renowned Cardinals baseball team.

The Ozarks extend south and west from St. Louis throughout southern Missouri into northern Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, and southeastern Kansas. Ecologically diverse, hilly, and sometimes rugged, southern Illinois not only offers great hiking but also provides many opportunities for canoeing, rock climbing, horseback riding, and much, much more.

Featured in the pages of this book are twenty of the best easy day hikes in and around the St. Louis area. We have done our best to include a little something for everyone. Hikes for families, for bird watching, for scenic views, and for pets have all been included and should be considered an introduction to the area and a starting point to continue your explorations.

The Nature of St. Louis

St. Louisarea trails range from rugged and hilly to flat and paved. Hikes in this guide cover a little bit of everything. While by definition a best easy day hike is not strenuous and poses little danger to the traveler, knowing a few details about the nature of the St. Louis area will only enhance your explorations.

Weather

Have you ever heard the expression If you dont like the weather, just wait five minutes? Well, people in St. Louis say it too.

The weather in the St. Louis area consists of a mild spring, ranging from cool to warm and muggy and typically wet. Trail conditions can be quite muddy during spring, especially for hikes that are in or near floodplains. The biggest concern for spring weather in St. Louis is the chance of thunderstorms, hail, or tornadoes.

Storms still pose a threat in early summer, but as summer progresses the weather tends to be less wet and sometimes very hot and almost always humid. Hikers who choose to get out in mid- to late summer might consider early-morning hikes, as high temperatures and humidity usually set in by midmorning.

Fall can be downright gorgeous in St. Louis. Daytime temperatures in the low to mid 70s along with the fall foliage can equal some amazingly scenic hikes. Fall hiking cannot be encouraged enough.

St. Louis has its fair share of cold and snowy days in winter, but if you dont mind having no leaves on the trees, winter can be a very enjoyable time to hike here. Winter hikers will get more views of the rolling Ozarks and will typically enjoy the trails almost all to themselves.

Ideal times for hiking in St. Louis are early to late spring and mid to late fall. Mix in the handful of cool days in summer and warm winter days, and you can expect to enjoy many ideal hiking days per year in St. Louis.

Hazards

There are few hazards to be aware of and prepare for when hiking in the St. Louis area.

Poison ivy might be the most common and most annoying issue hikers will come across while hiking in and around St. Louis. Poison ivy has been found in every county in Missouri. It can grow as a woody shrub, up to 6 feet high, or as a vine that clings to other trees and shrubs.