Broemmelsiek Park Hikes

Hiking alongside a brook and discovering frogs in a swamp made for a delightful day with my child at Broemmelsiek Park in Defiance, Missouri. This park has more than 9 miles of paved and unpaved multi-use trails to explore. It is a 494-acre park in west St. Charles County and only about four miles off of Interstate 64. We explored this park with my son and our dog. Information board by the…

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Dad points the way on a beautiful (green) day in sunny Sunol, CA. Another piece of #California'sGold discovered! #huellhowser #dadhikes #livefortheday (at Sunol Regional Wilderness)

Oak Knoll Park Stroll

Oak Knoll Park is a picturesque destination, featuring a serene pond surrounded by bald cypress trees and vibrant tulips that bloom in the spring. A .7 paved walkway can be found here along with a short trail done in wood chips on the east side of the park in the woods that includes sculptures. Oak Knoll Park entrance Paved Loop Walk I parked in the main lot of Big Bend Boulevard. I walked to…

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Fox Run Trail Hike at Rockwoods Range

A hike through wooded hills down to valleys with rocky brooks is part of the day at Rockwoods Range Conservation Area on the Fox Run Trail. The natural surface hike is 7.6 miles long with 1,247 feet of elevation gain so it crosses up and down quite a few hills. Map at the trailhead of the area and the hike Start of the Hike I parked in the gravel lot. The trail begins uphill to the right. A…

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Rock Springs Rotary Park Hike

Rock Springs Rotary Park in O’Fallon, Ill., has a paved trail through forest and prairie grass encircling the whole park. I walked the paved Outer Loop Trail and the paved trail that goes around the Dog Park for about a 1.2-mile walk through the woods. The paved Inner Loop Trail goes through tall grasses and by the playground for a .5-mile walk. Parking near the restrooms. Starting the Hike I…

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Rim Rock National Recreation Trail Hike

Rim Rock National Recreation Trail has cliffs, views, and canyons to explore. It is near the Garden of the Gods and is worth exploring. Map of Rim Rock National Recreation Trail. The section shown connecting the top trail to the bottom trail is currently closed. Overview Purchased for the Shawnee National Forest in 1936. Designated a national recreation trail in 1980 because of its exceptional…

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2023 Top Hiking Books

In 2023 I read not only books on hiking but also what you can forage in the woods along with hikes in the Midwest. Word of Warning: Be careful foraging since some edibles in the woods can be toxic. Foraging the Ozarks: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods in the Ozarks by Bo Brown Bo Brown is a wilderness expert and shares hundreds of commonly found edibles in the Ozarks. Some…

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Jeske Park Sculpture Walk

See a variety of sculptures as you walk on the paved trails throughout Jeske Park in Ferguson, Mo., in St. Louis County. This is a .8-mile walk on a paved trail with only 26 feet of elevation gain. Start of the Walk I parked along Gerald Place and headed towards the park. Metal sculpture creature Across the street in the neighbor’s yard is a metallic art piece with a white rock center…

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Fall Hikes: Don Robinson State Park

See a sandstone canyon with its cave-like rock shelter and cross-clear trickling streams at Don Robinson State Park. The park also has other trails and includes the former treetop residence of Don Robinson along with a cement lookout complete with rocking chairs. Trail map SANDSTONE CANYON HIKE I hiked the 4-mile Sandstone Canyon Trail blazed in Red. Since I explored the canyon I hiked more…

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Pere Marquette State Park: Goat Cliff and Ravine Hike

Pere Marquette State Park has Illinois River lookouts, rocky cliffs, and springs among technicolor trees in the fall. Along with trails, it has a lodge with an indoor pool, cabins, campgrounds, horse riding, a restaurant, rock climbing, a gift shop, a winery, a tennis court, volleyball courts, shuffleboard courts, and a marina. You could easily spend a long weekend here not only hiking but…

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Love Park Hike

The Chipmunk Trail passes by small streams as it goes up and down forested hills at Love Park in Manchester, Mo. It is a 1.3-mile out-and-back hike with 184 feet of elevation gain. Look for this sign to the right of the parking area that marks the start of the trail. The trail to the Ballfield The trail starts to the right of the parking area at the end of Love Park Road. You will see the…

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McCully Heritage Project Hike

Hike through forested hills, around numerous ponds, and to an overlook with Illinois River valley views at McCully Heritage Project. Located about an hour and a half north of St. Louis near Kampsville, Ill., in Hardin County, which is on a peninsula between the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Sign near the entrance to McCully Heritage Project At the Start We parked in the gravel lot near the…

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Teszars Woods Conservation Area Hike

Teszars Woods Conservation Area has 91 acres with two short natural surface hikes near Arnold, Mo., off of Telegraph Road. Map of the area showing the two different trails One trail is located along the Meramec River. The other is an out-and-back on a hill at a different location in the conservation area. Trail sign by parking HILL TRAIL I parked in the gravel lot off Rockwood Drive. Start…

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Buder Park Hike

Views of the Meramec River and watching small planes take off are part of the hike at Buder Park in St. Louis County. The park is near the busy intersection of Interstate 44 and Missouri Highway 141. Parked near the entrance of the park close to the model airplane field. Hiking Here I walked along a paved-paths, gravel paths, and roads to do a 2.7-mile hike with 95 feet of elevation gain. By…

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Vlasis Park Walk

Two ponds with a waterfall connecting them were part of a hike at Vlasis Park in Ballwin, Mo. just off Manchester Avenue. There is even a historic cabin to check out. This is a 1.4-mile walk winding through the 31-acre Vlasis Park in Ballwin, Mo. World Peace Memorial Beginning the Walk I parked near the World Peace Memorial a white brick structure with a small garden and an eagle sculpture…

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Bellevue Park Walk in Belleville

Take a walk to see sculptures and along lake waters at Bellevue Park in Belleville, Il. This one-mile paved trail wraps around the park and up and down hills and along the lake’s shoreline. Located at the 27-acre Bellevue Park in Belleville, Ill. Turtles sunning themselves on a fallen tree in the lake. Starting the Walk We parked in a small gravel lot at the back end of the park near a bike…

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