Nice park with great scenery. Been up here for Eagle Watching while a kid. They had a giant human…read moresized chess board in the lodge, not sure if it still exists.

Pere Marquette is the place to experience the beauty of fall foliage. The rich colors of; orange,…read moreyellow and red on all the trees makes it a sight to behold. Enjoy the colors by walking/hiking the many trails. You can get real adventurous and go horseback riding. Or be like me and sit on the deck at the lodge and enjoy a bottle of wine while enjoying the beauty of nature. No matter the season, you cannot go wrong exploring the 8000 acres of Pere Marquette State Park.

Mccully Heritage Project is one of our family's favorite weekend getaways. We live in Quincy- about…read morean hour away from here. But when we venture out to camp with our 3 kids and 2 dogs we are pretty picky about where we stay. We want somewhere secluded and private- where our family can run and explore without worrying about other campers. The "Watkins Place Cabin" is perfect for us. This cabin sits at the end of a long private gravel driveway and is entirely surrounded by beautiful midwestern forest. There are 2 bedrooms (3 beds), a small livingroom with a TV and DVD player, a bathroom, and a kitchen. The cabin has running water and electricity. Outside there is a fire pit and an acre+ open grassy yard; perfect for relaxing and letting the kids and dogs play. There is a hiking trail that takes you up the hill and into the woods. I believe it actually takes you all the way to the marsh at McCully if you keep trekking. McCully also has one of the most beautiful, scenic ponds I've ever been to. Our family loves taking an evening to go and fish there. We are often the only people at the pond- or are only sharing it with 2 or 3 other respectful and quiet campers. I love that the grass around the pond is well-maintained so we can set down a picnic blanket and make ourselves easily comfortable within just a foot or two from the water. The tent sites are also very well-maintained and surrounded by beautiful serene scenery. There is a very nice playground within walking distance for the littles. The bathroom/ shower area is clean and conveniently located. The hosts are absolutely lovely people and are always willing to answer any questions. We love this little getaway specifically for Watkin's Cabin and the gorgeous fishing pond. But even if you're looking for a peaceful place to park your tent for a night, Mccully's will not disappoint.

From the owner: The McCully Heritage Project is a 940 acre natural area located one mile south of Kampsville,…read moreIllinois. The Project offers 15 miles of trails, open to hiking and horseback riding. Scenic overlooks are located along the trails. A restored wetland area includes a boardwalk and interpretive signs. The site also has two fishing ponds, a nineteenth-century log cabin, and a pavilion, with parking and restrooms. The Project is perfect for picnicking, bird watching, nature photography and turtle watching. Visitors can expect to see abundant wildflowers and wildlife Primitive camping sites are available. The pavilion and grounds are open for events such as family reunions or outdoor weddings. Groups larger than family size should call in advance. Hunting or removal of any plant or other material is prohibited without express permission. The McCully Heritage Project is a non-profit facility with no funding from state or federal sources. Donations are requested.

Landmark in the middle of nowhere, that's pretty cool. There' s plenty of parking and a plaque…read morewith info that you can almost read, but may be better to bring a large piece of paper and pencil to transfer the message to easier readability. .|\---/| | o_o | .\_^_/..2021

Everywhere we go, people want to know, who we are...... We…read moreare the birds, the mighty, mighty birds....... That is part of an old high school cheer. I'm a graduate of Southwestern High School and the Piasa Bird was our mascot. So the Piasa Bird has a special place in my heart. Growing up in the area, I remember another location of the bird being painted on the bluffs. It was sit back further from the road, so this present day location is more tourist friendly. When visiting the Alton and Grafton area, it is worth a stop to view the painting and to read the legend of the mighty, mighty Piasa Bird.

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!

Be prepared for a 5+ mile drive off Highway 67 to find this state park literally at the end of the…read moreroad. Also, over 4 miles of the road is on gravel. Once at Jones Confluence Point SP you have a 10-minute walk on dirt and concrete paths to the point where the Mississippi and Missouri rivers meet. The feature here is the meeting of the waters: When the Mississippi is clear you can easily see the much muddier Missouri pushing its way far into the Mississippi's current. At the point three placards describe the rivers and the Native Americans who once lived nearby. Signs in the small pavilion (which lacks a table or seating) describe related area history. Outhouses are the only other amenities.

I visited here a couple of weeks ago and am still thinking about it. We stood on a point of land…read moreand watched the huge Missouri and Mississippi Rivers ripple together a few feet away. If you visit the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower on the Illinois side of the Mississippi do circle around and visit Jones Confluence Point State Park in St. Charles County, Missouri, too. One of the things I appreciated about the park was that it had been cared for but not overdeveloped. We drove a winding gravel road through flat bottomlands and fields, ending at a small parking area, interpretive kiosk and restrooms. Then we leashed up our dog and hiked about a third of a mile through the woods to the confluence point. The first bit of trail is paved; the rest is well-marked dirt/gravel. At the end of the path is a *very tall* pole marking the high point of the 1993 flood - we couldn't believe there could have been that much water. A low monument explains how the two rivers come together. It was all very low key, and *awesome*. We thought about the history of the area and how many travelers through the centuries had stood there. On the drive back to the highway we saw a bald eagle circling overhead.

Beautiful park with even better views great place to come walk some trails and relax. Secluded and…read moreoverlooks the Missouri River. There is a nature lodge nearby that you can rent out. Plenty of parking. My family rented out the nature lodge to host our family reunion. Plenty of space and has an upstairs and downstairs. Very clean and security/staff on sight to empty trash and make the check in/check out process easy.

Great park in north county. Accessible, clean trails and lots of opportunities for picnics. Hike…read moreto the river and admire the view.

Great hiking and bike riding location. Lots of trees and near Katy trail! Love this place!read more

(AUGUST 2025) I'd never seen the sunflower fields that my friends post about with their children…read moreand families until recently. It almost seemed unbelievable some of the imagery stemming from these 7,000 acres of natural beauty and outdoor recreation in the heart of scenic Missouri wine county. Once you are off highway 40, it's 50-55mph WINE-dy back roads to get there. Once you get into the turn in, it's a graveled road with a trailhead to the Katy Trail. Do not even think about having a clean car upon entering this place. It will get dirty and dusty. There are also (surprisingly) random humans running in the middle of the narrow driveway leading up to the sunflower field and ending at a boat ramp. I never understood why people never stick to one side of the road while on foot amongst VEHICLES. I find my friend and we exit our vehicles to begin our mini photoshoot in the sunflower fields. I felt like Candy(wo)man as the bees tended to the sunflowers while I freaked out thinking they'd sting me with my bright yellow shirt on and black skirt. It was so blissful to see sooo many beautiful BIG butterflies fly around us. The caterpillars were on like every leaf just hanging out like the Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. It was nature at its finest. Sunflowers for as far as the eye can see. The sounds of bees (and flies) buzzing about. I tried to relax, and we got a few non-frantic pictures of me. I will wear pants next time and try to relax more. I was invading THEIR space, not the opposite.

Located in Edwardsville Illinois,this is a nice 40 acre park with wetlands,woodlands and…read moregrasslands. Paved and gravel trails are well marked . Most trails circle the small lagoon. Pets are welcome. Plenty of parking.

The Watershed Nature Center is a hidden gem in Edwardsville! The folks who maintain the place do…read moresuch a good job making sure this area is preserved for nature and humans to enjoy together. You never know what kind of animals you may run into out here, and there is a beautiful view everywhere you turn! The actual nature center itself is excellent for learning about local wildlife, you might even get to meet one of the amazing folk who helps keep this place beautiful!