Busy park and trails. Hiking for all levels. We make several trips a year from the Western burbs.read more

Nice views - would probably be prettier in the Spring or Fall when leaves are back! We hiked part…read moreof the Riverscene trail last weekend. Bits of the path were covered in debris from recent storms / walled off. Went on a Saturday afternoon. Lots of families hiking and also lots of bikers but not crowded.

Great Park! So many beautiful trees. It's a great workout with many wonderful trails. My…read moretwo-year-old daughter loved it and the little cute play area. Go to this park if you have not been there. It's so pretty and well kept.

So this place is literally hidden. Actually, that might be one of the best things about it! Plenty…read moreof parking and a perfect place to take your four legged friends. They've got the poop bags at the beginning of the trail (always a good sign). You can go either of two directions to start. It's not crazy big but it's a nice place go come back to once in a while. There's a bit of water, and a few benches around. You could even have lunch if you so desired. Enjoy your visit! I know your doggie will appreciate it!! :)

We decided to go to the lake. It was serene. It has a very peaceful vibe. People are kayaking,…read more walking and riding bikes. The lake is beautiful. Unfortunately I didn't feel like taking a stroll. Therefore I sat and watch people. There were some interesting people and families.

I come here often. Sometimes for solitude, sometimes to get active with friends. My only issue was…read morethat the restrooms were not available -- likely because it was out of season when I went. Love how BIG it is.. and I can get my steps in with one lap! If you go when it's cold, the portion of the trail not blocked by trees is very cold! Dress warm!

This place is big. Has several like that you could go fishing at. I would recommend catch and…read morerelease the fish since I don't know how safe it would be to consume those fish. For those that like nature, it is quite a nice place to go to in order to enjoy nature.

Beautiful nature area right in St. Charles County! Plenty of lakes in which to fish, and many…read moretrails on which to walk/hike! This is part of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Enjoy the beauty of our area on any day, in any season!

Bee Tree Park is beautiful and well maintained. I have been to events here. And, I have often…read morestopped by to eat my lunch at one of the many picnic table in the park. Very peaceful.

Nice county park. Much to see. Sadly no signs of if the trails are about and back. I got lost. Yuckread more

We enjoyed a moderately strenuous (to strenuous by Midwest standards) hike on the Green Rock Trail…read moreat Rockwoods. Note that the trail is listed as 8.4 miles out and back on AllTrails, and does not loop back to the office. Near the beginning of the trail, you will see a sign that says "short loop". If you stay on the regular Green Rock Trail (for about 2 miles or so) you will see the other end of the "short loop", which is also marked "to office". This will bring you back to the short loop marking near the entrance, and can make for a 3-4 miles total trip. We hiked beyond this point, then backtracked and returned via the short loop for a total trip distance of 4.38 miles and 807 ft of total ascent. This is some good elevation gain for Missouri. Early Spring was a nice time to hike as it was cool and dry. It was not as pretty, though, as it was still brown from Winter. We look forward to exploring more trails at this location, and seeing what the rest of the park has to offer.

Went here for a nice 3.2 mile loop hike here with the dogs. We passed maybe 4 people on the trail,…read moreit was pretty sparse which was great. It was also convenient because the trail was right inside the park entrance. The hills and valleys were cool to walk though, neat for Missouri lol. The trail was well maintained and easy to follow, not too muddy or buggy early spring. Wish this place was closer, we will be back!

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 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.

This is a great, relatively flat and open, trail. There is a lot of shade and the trail is well…read moremaintained. There were enough people out that you didn't feel completely isolated, but no so many that it felt swarmed like can happen at Castlewood. The length is ~5.5 miles with some spurs that would like up to Castlewood eventually. I've never done the link but know it exists. As an additional shoutout there is a little train in the park too for kids. It is a nice, unique experience for kids. So go for a family walk and let the kids go for a train ride.

This is a very flat trial. For most of the trail it is shaded…read more At the end of the trail there is Sherman beach. It is pretty shallow and muddy when we came here. There was also lots of mosquitoes so make sure to bring lots of big spray. I see a lot of people run on this trail. It is neat that there are rail tracks for small train.

For a raw nature experience Howell Island is one of the top spots in the St. Louis area. By "raw" I…read moremean undiluted by development. Except for a gravel parking lot and a few informational signs there's little human imprint to Howell. However, if you're a mall walker, bothered by insects, or fastidious this isn't the place for you. It is a natural area with little maintenance. And it is an island. A hundred yards or so from the parking lot a narrow causeway provides pedestrian access. When the causeway floods, which isn't unusual, Howell is inaccessible except by boat. Though technically in St. Charles County, access to Howell is from St. Louis County off Eatherton Road in west Chesterfield. At over 2,500 acres there's plenty of roaming room. Bicycle and walking paths are mapped. Other Howell activities include fishing, birding, trapping, and hunting. Because Howell accessibility can quickly change following upstream flooding or heavy rains, check the Missouri conservation website before visiting to ensure you can visit. No restrooms or other services here.