Last weekend, it was such a sunny and warm-ish day for January, so we decided to take a little trip…read moreto Cliff Cave County Park with the pup. This was our first visit and so we parked in the lot that gps took us to and then followed the signs for the hiking trail. We were impressed with the number of hikers and mountain bikers out and about. What I really enjoyed about this park is that the trails are all easy to follow and loop around so that you can choose any direction to walk. We started with the shorter hike and walked to the overlook which was so pretty! We spent some time just watching the river and then decided to try another trail for a bit. Honestly, it was really nice to be outside. Baxter was so happy to be able to play in the leaves and we all got really excited because we saw a bunch of deer while we were out walking! Of course, when we saw them, we all stopped and just let the deer have their space to get where they were going. The loop that we completed was about 3 miles and I really appreciated how easy it was to navigate the park. We did not get over to the cave during this visit, but will plan to visit again on another warm-ish day so that we can explore the other trails.

I've been to this park before and like that it offers walking trails not far from the city. The…read morewalking trails offer out and back trails, so I definitely got a couple miles of walking in. Fir those who want more of a "nature" feel there are some hiking and biking trails tucked away near the walking trails, which in my opinion, could use better trail markers. The hiking trails are still close to the border if the walking trails, so you don't go far into the wooded areas. My favorite part of the park were the caves, as soon as you enter the bottom of the trail where the caves are you can feel the cool air from the caves. It was great to check out and I wish the trails offered more scenic views in addition to this.

Out of the way and doesn't really get super busy. Nicely shaded and people here are usually niceread more

Low key but fun nature hikes through some hilly prairie areas. Good place to burn an hour or a few…read moreif you want to hike the length of the park down to Telegraph

What an awesome play space. Relax, picnic, walk, play on the playground equipment, enjoy a ball…read moregame on the field, or soak up some sunshine. This well maintained park offers wide open spaces for everyone in the family.

Love this park with its marked 1 mile trail. Parking not a problem. Nice place to relax at a…read moreshelter or picnic table.

This park's big name fits it: It's the largest of the city's several parks and is centrally located…read morein Columbia. Bolm-Schuhkraft sprawls over 40 hilly acres. A 1-mile paved walking path takes you around the parks's many features. Those include four picnic pavilions with BBQ grills, football and baseball fields, a fenced roller hockey rink, basketball court, batting cage, four horseshoe pits, four tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, and multiple playgrounds. There are also two military memorials.

One of the coolest nature experiences in the St. Louis area (Metro/Illinois side) lies in Valmeyer…read more The trail is about a mile long but plan to walk at least two miles. Starting at the parking lot, I highly recommend the Salt Lick Trail, which ascends to a hill (lots of steepness!). As you walk further on the trail, you get rewarding views. Near the end of it, you'll get a great view in which, on a clear day, you can see the St. Louis skyline. There are two other trails that link to the Salt Lick Trail. One of them starts at some church in Valmeyer.

This is a moderately challenging trail with lookout points and views in otherwise relatively flat…read morefarming country. The trail is well-marked once you get on the trail. The most challenging and interesting route is to hike up Salt Lick Trail, take a brief left on Newman Trail, and return to your car via the Johnson Trail. The loop is a lot simpler than it sounds (see my Garmin map pic). This resulted in a 3-mile loop with 551 feet of elevation gain, up to a max elevation of 858 ft near the outlook. There are occasional viewpoints with benches all of the way up, with a flat limestone outlook at the point. There are steep areas (and steps with a cable). I would argue that the woods and limestone bluff are more interesting than the surrounding farmland. On your return via the Johnson trail, look up and left at the bluffs to see caves emerging from the historic salt mine. If you take this route, the abandoned salt mine building will be at the end of the Johnson trail, near the parking lot return. It was moderately advanced, and I recommend good hiking boots. Enjoy!

This is a great and convenient trail for all ages! Our group ranged from young children to…read moreretirees. The parking is limited, but we were easily able to park on the side of the road. Overall, it took our group about an hour, but we stopped to talk and take in the scenery. We saw a family using a jogging stroller. However, if you're debating using a stroller vs pack, it would probably be easier to wear younger children in a hiking pack.

It wasn't until about a month ago, I first heard about this place. I've developed a new interest in…read morehiking and this seemed to be the perfect place. It is somewhat a "hidden gem" and it's not marked on the roads so you gotta use your GPS to get you there. There is a small parking lot (for about 3-4 cars) where the trail starts. From the lot you will be greeted with plenty of signage, including the warnings and history of Homer Stemler. Be sure to take a picture of the map, which is near the trailhead. Pros: the trail, for the most part was moderately flat, with a few hills here and there. Very peaceful, and not many people were on the trails. Not really muddy, except near the start. Some signage throughout the trail. There are three (with different lengths) to choose from. Cons: Trails are poorly marked, as one could easily get lost. (Then again, getting lost is fun, right? lol) Scenery gets old, as you're basically in the woods. Don't expect anything fancy, like an overlook. But you'll find a pond! Also, Internet was sketchy on my phone so if you use Alltrails, you're gonna need it. Be sure to bring bug spray, hat, and try to wear pants instead of shorts no matter how hot it is.

Metter is located near Columbia's downtown district and is right next to the public library…read more It's a small park--under three acres--but has three picnic pavilions, several tennis courts, a basketball court, and a playground. Metter also hosts summer concerts.