This hike is a long time favorite. I remember coming here as a kid having so much fun climbing on…read morethe rocks, it used to take us all day. Now we still go; but just on the full hike so it takes much less time Good for a beginner not too steep or challenging, a modest hike I'd say. You can do this in tennis shoes. It's also a loop, so hard to get lost which is also a plus!

One of my favorite hikes in the area. A little over 2 miles long loop. There are no bathrooms on…read moresite so be sure to use before. The landscape and rock features make it feel like you're a long way from Missouri. Not too crowded and far enough away from the highway to where you can be immersed in the woods. Pets on a leash are welcomed. Leisurely hike with some beautiful scenery.

I've lived in this area all my life and this is definitely my favorite hiking spot, it has great…read moreviews. And for me, great memories. It doesn't have anything too monumental or special about it, but it doesn't have too to be a great spot! once you get to the end of the trail there's a stream/waterfall that's a great place to sit and enjoy the nature. And climb around on some cliffs as you can see in the pictures. Once you're to this spot you can walk to Johnston shut-inns from there, (11 miles) if you're looking for an all day hike that ends with swimming. Maybe have someone bring a car there first so you don't have to walk all the way back Directions to Taum Sauk can be confusing for someone who has never been, assuming you'll be heading south through Arcadia/ironton, you'll keep going south after those towns for a few miles. Then make a right on CC hwy, it's on a turn and a hill so don't be afraid to pass it up and turn around somewhere, rather than lock em up and cause a scene. After you're on CC hwy eventually there will be a Y in the road, to the left is a tower you can climb. To the right is a gravel road, follow that and it leads to the trail. There's a nice lookout on that road on the way to the trail as well. I hope this review helped, and don't forget to respect the land. Happy trails

Great place to hike with amazing views. The waterfall will only be flowing if you come during or…read moreafter heavy rain, though.

Nice folks, beautiful setting, and an interesting and unique fishery. What's not to love!read more

Our favorite place to stay when visiting family near Steeleville! Friendly owners, clean and comfy…read more(we usually grab a room in the small Inn but the guest houses look awesome)! I saw they have a conference center I bet this would be the perfect place for company gatherings as well as families!

Great trails and the views are totally worth the trip! Water way for you to relax and camp!read more

One of my favorite spots on Earth is the Current River, which is a part of the National Ozark…read moreScenic Riverway. If you enjoy nature, water, and outdoor fun then this is a must visit spot! There are several great places to visit as a part of this area, but my favorites by far are the Current River and Big Spring on the Current River, and the campground of the same name. I have a wonderful group of friends that introduced me to floating on the Current when I was in college, and ever since this river has held a special place in my heart. We usually camp at Big Spring Campground. There are both electric, non-electric, and RV hookup's. There are real bathrooms, as well as hot showers within walking distance of camp (not porta potties, but it is a campground - so say hello to your local, resident spiders and their webs). We like this camp, because it's right on the river, family friendly, and close to town but far enough out to enjoy nature. While camping a must do experience for all is a walk to Big Spring. It's a natural cold spring, whose source pumps out enough fresh water to fill Busch Stadium in 33 hours! I like to walk there in the early morning or twilight to see the mist roll in. http://www.nps.gov/ozar/planyourvisit/big-spring.htm The nearby town of Van Buren offers: - a nice Lodge for those who want a nice dinner and/or whose idea of camping is air conditioning, nice beds, and tv - the local ice cream spot called The Jolly Cone - the local cafe, The Floatstream Restaurant, for your typical small diner food and a pretty okay breakfast - various small shops to stock up on essentials: beer, sunblock, souvenir tshirts, snacks, replaceable float shoes and swimsuits, intertubes, gas, fishing bait, etc. - and a whole lot of other small town amenities The water is spring fed. So it's super cold and clear - perfect for a hot summer's day! The Current has a pretty decent current, with nice deep water and wading shallows dotted with periodic gravel bars. It's great for intertubing and canoe trips. Various campgrounds and businesses offer rentals and trips with pick up and drop off options (2, 4, 6 hour floats, or even multiple day trips). Check out the area and find YOUR favorite spots and recommendations. It will probably become one of your favorite places on Earth too!

I am not quite sure how I made it alive walking 15 miles and climbing an equivalent of 200 flights…read moreof stairs in a span of 7 hours (according to my Fitbit), but I'm so glad I did it! The Mina Sauk Falls Trail leading up to the waterfall was absolutely amazing and was worth it. The Mina Sauk Falls Trail is a loop and intersects with the Ozark Trail. The waterfall was not hard to get to, but definitely was a rocky path. If you want to get to the bottom of the waterfall, you'd need to do some minor rock climbing. The Ozark Trail was another beast on its own. The path is very rocky and elevation varied a lot (depending on which end of the loop you came from). People had a lot of walking sticks, which was a smart move! I didn't have one of my own, but would have been nice on some parts!

Taum Sauk Mountain State Park is located in the St. Francis Mountains and is the highest point in…read moreMissouri~ 1,772 ft which is well worth visiting as the views are wonderful! Take a picnic, camp, hike the rustic trails or enjoy a bottle of wine at sunset while over looking the views! The tower also is fun to climb and look out! Beautiful part of Missouri and worth your time for relaxation!

This was the last of three trails that we hiked today. Parking spots were so limited but we were…read moreglad that we went around 2pm and were able to find a parking spots for our group. We hiked the western loop today. This trail was only 1 mile total. It has quite some interesting rock formations. There were more falling leaves on this trail than the other two trails we hiked today. The sleep downwardness of this trail was of a great challenge.

This is a great little hike if you want something not too large. It's great as they have two…read moredifferent entrances from either side of the road. The one we chose the waterfall has two different trails. I would say we spent about an hour exploring, but it was also very wet so we took our time. We had children with us and they very much enjoyed it and thought it was a lot of fun exploring There's a lot of beauty and the waterfalls are great, but only Really have the waterfalls when there has been a lot of rain Highly recommend checking it out. It's only about an hour from the St. Louis area.

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 was one of three trails our group hiked today. This place is such a good place to see all the…read morerock formations. The hiking trail here was about two miles that we hiked. The view of the leaves changing colors was so pretty and the phone camera does not capture the natural beauty of this place as it should. Seeing this place at this time is quite awesome. The double arch rock formations was a must to see for us today.

Great place for First Day Hike. Two mile loop. Great beginner family friendly trail. Breathtaking…read moreviews. Serene waterfall. Close to St Louis.

My kids and I loved the hike! My husband alMost had a heart attack ;) it is pretty wicked going up,…read moreneed hiking boots, some water and a few snacks. The view was breath taking! So worth it. Just know the beginning going up is more like an uphill dry creek bed with 4-8" rocks that your climbing. It was definitely doable but it was a workout.

Easily one the best hikes in Missouri. Hughes Mountain is one of the highest points in Missouri…read more Unlike Taum Sauk, the top of this mountain is not covered with trees. Instead, it's covered with some of the oldest exposed rock in the U.S. It's a rhyolite formation, which kind of looks like a bunch of bricks or pavers were dumped onto the top of the mountain. It's often referred to as the "Devils Honeycomb." This type of rock formation only appears in a couple of places in the United States. Because it's one of the highest points and there aren't trees on top, this is probably the best view in the state. Between the rocks and the view, It's just an amazing place and a must see for hikers. The only facility at Hughes Mountain is a parking lot, no picnic areas or bathrooms. I've been twice, both times on beautiful days. Also both times I (we) climbed to the top and back with no one else ever showing up. It's an easy hike for kids and they'll love limbing on the rocks, but it's kind of a long hike if they're under 5 or so. The parking lot is off Hwy M, which hits Hwy 21 south of Potosi and north of Caledonia.