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Rugged Adventure Awaits at Pinnacles Youth Park
Pinnacles Youth Park is a special place just north of Columbia, Missouri. The features of this park give you a taste of the more rugged terrain in states further west. You can admire the towering rock pillars from below or be more daring and explore them from above. No matter which way you explore this park, the scenery is outstanding. The park is privately owned, but open to the public. There are no trail maps or well marked paths here,…
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Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is a beautiful spot located near Columbia, Missouri. This park features a variety of unique terrain including caves, sinkholes, and a natural rock bridge. Clear spring fed streams run through the park and wildflowers are abundant. The park offers eight different trails to explore with the Devil’s Icebox Trail being the most popular. We hiked both the Icebox Trail and the Sinkhole Trail on our first visit. Devil’s Icebox Trail Distance: .50 mile trail Difficulty: 2/5.…
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Find Caves and Waterfalls at Kress Farm Garden Preserve
Kress Farm Garden Preserve is a hidden gem in Hillsboro, Missouri. The 142 acres preserve is dedicated to maintaining native plants and wildlife habitat under a conservation easement through Ozark Land Trust. The preserve features gardens, fields, forests, wildlife habitats, streams, and scenic bluffs. Volunteers work daily to maintain this scenic place for all to enjoy. The preserve features four different hiking trails plus a trail that combines several of the trails together. All are of easy to moderate difficulty.…
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Find Mountain Views and Civil War History at Shepherd Mountain
We always enjoy hiking around the Arcadia Valley area of Missouri. One lesser known hiking trail we checked out last fall is the Shepherd Mountain trail in the town of Ironton. While the trail was very quiet the day we hiked, this area has recently opened as a bustling mountain bike park. Weekends now mean bikes speeding up and down the steep hills of Shepherd Mountain. There are several mountain bike trails but the hiking trail is available for those…
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Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
Back in Civil War times, the area near Powder Valley was full of caves. Federal forces stockpiled gunpowder in these caves to blow up bridges if the Confederate army attempted to invade St. Louis by way of the Meramec River. Now interstate 270 covers where the caves were and peaceful Powder Valley Conservation Area is full of nature instead of gunpowder. Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center covers 112 acres of oak hickory forest tucked away near the hustle of the…
