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Hike to Scenic Jackson Falls in Southern Illinois
Shawnee National Forest, Illinois We’ve done a lot of hiking and exploring over the years and one of our favorite spots to spend a day is in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. While we have visited many scenic spots including Bell Smith Springs, Garden of the Gods, and Ferne Clyffe, we somehow had never made it over to Jackson Falls. I can’t believe we had missed this awesome trail for so long! The trail starts at a parking…
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Cliff Cave County Park Trail in St. Louis County
Cliff Cave Park is a St. Louis County Park. The cave has a long and varied history of being used as a tavern in the 1700s, then part of the Cliff Cave Wine Company in the mid 1800s and finally used by Jefferson Barracks soldiers for recreation. In 1969 Cliff Cave was purchased by the county and opened as a park in 1977. Last year the park received upgraded trails and facilities. Two miles of trail extensions were added to…
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View Missouri’s Tallest Waterfall on the Mina Sauk Falls Trail
By exploring Taum Sauk Mountain State Park you can find both Missouri’s highest point as well as the state’s tallest waterfall. Springtime or during wet weather is the best time to visit this beautiful hike in southeastern Missouri in order to see the falls running. The rugged 3 mile Mina Sauk Falls Trail is one of our favorite hikes that shows off the beauty of the Arcadia Valley region of the state. Mina Sauk Falls Trail Distance: 3 mile loop…
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Explore the Devil’s Honeycomb at Missouri’s Hughes Mountain Natural Area
This Devil’s Honeycomb hike at Hughes Mountain is one of Missouri’s most unique trails. When I post photos from this spot online, people are often surprised to learn that such a place exists in Missouri! Now you can know about the unusual landscape and beautiful views from this easy and kid friendly hike. The Hughes Mountain trail’s main feature is the rock formation at the top known as Devil’s Honeycomb. The landscape was created as molten rock cracked and cooled.…
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Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, Missouri
One of our favorite places to hike near St. Louis is the Shaw Nature Reserve. Only about 30 min from the city, it feels a world away. The Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis purchased the reserve land as a safe refuge for the plant collection from the smoke pollution of the 1920s. It has developed into a wonderful site to explore and view wildlife as well as view plants and habitat native to the Missouri region. The trails range…
