• Day Trip,  Hikes,  Hiking,  Missouri,  St. Louis

    View a Rock Bridge at Missouri’s Clifty Creek Natural Area

    Clifty Creek Natural Area is combined with Clifty Creek Conservation Area to preserve 486 acres of woods, creeks, bluffs, and glades. Located about 2 hours from St. Louis in Dixon, Missouri, this spot of nature is worth the drive to view the 40′ long natural rock bridge. Clifty Creek Natural Area Trail Reaching the Trailhead The parking lot for the trail is located at 31825 Maries Rd 511, Dixon, MO 65459. The parking area is gravel and there are no…

  • Hiking,  Kid Activities,  Missouri,  National Parks

    Exploring George Washington Carver National Monument

    Tucked away in the farm fields of southwest Missouri is the nation’s first National Monument dedicated to an African American. This national park site preserves the birthplace and childhood home of George Washington Carver. Best known for his work with peanut crops, George was an avid inventor, teacher, scientist, and artist. The site features a wonderful museum, Visitor Center, and an interpretive nature trail. History of George Washington Carver George Washington Carver was born into slavery to a woman named…

  • Hiking,  History,  Missouri

    Discover Lakes, Trails, and Bunkers at Busch Memorial Conservation Area

    August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles County, Missouri has an interesting past. Tucked among the dozens of lakes and miles of hiking trails at can be found concrete bunkers once used to store TNT. What once was used as a munitions plant to support World War II, is now a great place for recreation. August A. Busch Conservation Area History The Conservation Area land was used by the Department of Army as a TNT munitions plant to…

  • Hiking,  History,  Kids,  Missouri,  St. Louis

    Explore the Times Beach Ghost Town at Route 66 State Park

    Missouri’s Route 66 State Park has a complicated and unique history. The area that is now a state park was once the home of the community of Times Beach. In the early 1980s it was discovered that the oil used to control the dusty streets of the town was contaminated with the toxic chemical dioxin. The entire town was condemmed and the residents forced to evacuate. After an extensive environmental cleanup, the area opened as a state park to celebrate…

  • Hiking,  Kids,  Missouri,  St. Louis

    Plan a Nature Escape to Missouri’s Babler State Park

    Dr. Edmund Babler State Park, or just Babler as it’s known locally, is a wonderful oasis in a the busy St. Louis suburbs. Over 2,400 acres offer hikes, scenic drives, bike trails, camping, and more. Babler State Park History In 1934, Jacob and Henry Babler presented the state with 88 acres in memory of their brother, Edmund Babler, a prominent St. Louis surgeon who was dedicated to helping the less fortunate. An additional 800 acres of land was quickly added…