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It was 17 degrees when we headed out hiking this m It was 17 degrees when we headed out hiking this morning. โ„๏ธThe frigid weather made it a little rough at first but the beautiful views and endless frost flowers made it all worth it. 

What are your best tips for staying warm outdoors? Do you have a cut off temperature for outdoor activities? ๐Ÿฅถ
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#mostateparks #donrobinson #donrobinsonstatepark #missouri #visitmo #midwestmoment #winterhiking #midwestnomadfamily #midwesthiking #stlouishiking #hikesnearstlouis #hikemissouri #missourioutdoors #missourilife #familyhike
๐ŸŒฟ๐—๐˜‚๐—น๐—ถ๐˜‚๐˜€ ๐— ๐—ž๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฏ ๐ŸŒฟ๐—๐˜‚๐—น๐—ถ๐˜‚๐˜€ ๐— ๐—ž๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ต ๐—ช๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐˜€ ๐—ก๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐ŸŒฟ
๐Ÿ“ Belleville, Illinois
โ €
๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ: 0.75 loop
๐——๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐˜†: โท/โบ Minor hills, small creek crossing, can be muddy
๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—ฉ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜‚๐—ฒ: โธ/โบ Nothing outstanding but a pleasant walk in the woods. Can sometimes see houses through trees.
๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—บ๐˜€: None ๐Ÿšป
โ €
๐ŸŒฟKnobeloch Woods is a small spot of nature located between Belleville and Mascoutah. If you aren't looking close you may miss it, as the only parking is a small pull off on the side of the road. A sign marks the trail entrance.
โ €
๐ŸŒฟThe trail makes a short loop up and down small hills and a across a pretty log bridge. A gentle creek passes through the area. Kids will have fun hopping along the tree stump stepping blocks to cross the water. This is a great family hike or for anyone looking for a trail that's short and sweet. 
โ €
๐ŸŒฟSpring and summer bring wildflowers but also poison ivy so hike with caution. Obey private property signs and make sure not to block any mailboxes when parking.

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#knobelochwoodsnaturalarea #illinoisouth #heartlandsconservancy
#hikeillinois #illinois #enjoyillinois #illinoisoutdoors #southernillinois #midwestmoment #midwestliving #midwestnomadfamily #familyhike #hikingwithkids #hikesnearstlouis #stlhiking #hikestlouis #illinoishikes #familytravel #familytravelblog #bellevilleil #bellevilleillinois #nature #indr #ilnaturalarea #ilconservation
โ €
๐ŸŒฟ๐—›๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ธ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜†๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ ๐—ก๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—”๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐ŸŒฟ
๐Ÿ“Ste. Genevieve, MO
โ €
๐ŸŒฟ๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ: 0.25 mile out and back on east side. โถ mile loop on west side.
๐Ÿฅพ๐——๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐˜†: โธ/โบ Moderate hills, rocky path in some areas, creek crossings
๐ŸŒฟ๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—ฉ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜‚๐—ฒ: โน/โบ Great year round
๐Ÿšป๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—บ๐˜€: None 
โ €
Hickory Canyons is a hidden gem near the more popular hiking at Pickle Springs and Hawn State Park.
โ €
Two trails are located on each side of the road. The shorter path leads to a box canyon and a tall seasonal waterfall. The longer loop drops in and out of a canyon and along a scenic creek.
โ €
Kids will enjoy the shallow creeks for splashing while adults admire the rugged beauty along the trail. Winter can bring dramatic ice formations when the temperature drops.
โ €
๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฃ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜จ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ต. โ†–๏ธ๐™‡๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™  ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ค๐™›๐™ž๐™ก๐™š ๐™ค๐™ง ๐™œ๐™ค ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ข๐™ž๐™™๐™ฌ๐™š๐™จ๐™ฉ๐™ฃ๐™ค๐™ข๐™–๐™™๐™จ.๐™˜๐™ค๐™ข.โ €
____________________________________
#visitmo #hickorycanyons #moconservation #missouri #missourilife #naturalmissouri #missourioutdoors #midwestmoment #winterhike #midwesthiking #midwestnomadfamily #hikesnearstlouis #farmingtonmo #stegenevievemo #hikemissouri #missourilife #mooutdoors #hikemo #hikingwithkids #kidstoparks #1000hoursoutside #waterfall #familyhike #familytravel #familytravelblog #havekidswillhike #midwestliving #midwest.
๐ŸŒ‰ ๐—˜๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐˜€ ๐—•๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ด๐—ฒ ๐ŸŒ‰
โ €
The need for a bridge to cross the Mississippi River at St. Louis was a major roadblock to westward expansion in the 1800s. Many professionals said a bridge that size to carry the railroad could not be built. It would take James Buchanan Eads, a self taught engineer to do the job.
โ €
Eads had gained fame after building several iron-clad boats for the government in record time. However, he had never before built a bridge! He was set on using steel alloy for the bridge, which was a new material at the time. Critics scoffed and said his design would never work. Eads responded by asking, "๐˜”๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต, ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ, ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ?"
โ €
The bridge opened with much fanfare on July 4, 1874. To prove that the first ever steel bridge was sound, an elephant was walked across the bridge first. It was thought at the time that elephants would not cross a bridge that was unsafe. ๐Ÿ˜
โ €
Today the bridge carries vehicular traffic on the upper deck and light-rail trains on the lower deck. The pedestrian walkway on the upper deck provides a great view of the Arch. Named a National Historic Landmark, the bridge continues to stand elegant and strong almost 147 years later. As an engineer myself, I always admire the view of this beautiful structure. 
โ €
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 #missouri #eadsbridge #bridge #bridgesofinstagram #visitmo #missourilife #explorestlouis #stl #downtownstl #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwestmoment  #midwestnomadfamily #stlmag #stlouis #mississippiriver #onlyinmissouri #familytravelblog
๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ง๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ... โ € I' ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ง๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ...
โ €
I'm not a fan of most winter outdoor activities. I don't really like piling on layers to throw snowballs, build a snowman, or take a ride on a sled. โ›„I will do all of those things only because my kids enjoy it.
โ €
The thing I do absolutely love in snowy conditions is to go a hike. The quiet stillness of freshly fallen snow is purely magical. โ„๏ธ
โ €
While we had no snow at our house, I saw that further south in Missouri had a few inches overnight. So we had everything packed and out the door before 6 a.m. to catch it before it melted. The views of the forest and canyons blanketed in white were well worth the cold and early morning wakeup. โ„๏ธ(More info on the hike coming soon!)
โ €
How about you? Do you have a favorite outdoor activity in winter? Or do you prefer to stay cozy inside?
________________________________
 #stlouishiking #stlmag #missourioutdoors #hikesnearstlouis #hikingstlouis #missourihiking #missourilife #ruralmissouri #farmingtonmo #hickorycanyons  #southernmissouri #semo #visitmo #missouri #explorestlouis #winterhike #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwesthiking #hikemidwest #midwestmoment #winterhiking #familyhike #midwestnomadfamily  #1000hoursoutside #kidstoparks #hikingwithkids #familytravelblog
๐Ÿ’ ๐‘ญ๐’“๐’๐’”๐’• ๐‘ญ๐’๐’๐’˜๐’†๐’“๐’”๐Ÿ’ 
โ €
๐Ÿ’ Have you ever heard of frost flowers? Not really flowers at all, these unique creations are actually delicate ribbons of ice crystals. This unique phenomenon occurs on the lower stems of a few specific plants.
โ €
๐Ÿ’ Frost flowers can typically be found in late fall and early winter after the first few hard freezes while the ground is still warm. When the plants stems are ruptured by freezing temperatures, the root system is still sending up plant sap from the warmer ground. The sap pushes out through the broken stem and freezes on contact with the cold air. As more sap moves out, it pushes the ice crystals into ornate ribbons.
โ €
๐Ÿ’ You really have to be at the right place at the right time to see them.  They last a short time as the sun can melt them quickly. The up and down temps this year mean frost flowers have been popping up with more frequency.
โ €
๐Ÿ’ A few places around St. Louis where frost flowers may be found include Babler, Castlewood, St. Francois, Robertsville, Hawn, Washington, and Meramec State Parks. Many other wooded areas can be good spots to hunt. The flowers shown here were found at Rockwoods Reservation just yesterday. 
โ €
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#frostflowers #rockwoodsreservation #stlouishiking #stl #stlouis #stlmag #missourioutdoors #mostateparks #missouristateparks  #hikesnearstlouis #hikingstlouis #missourihiking #missourilife #explorestlouis #winterhike #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwesthiking #hikemidwest #midwestmoment #winterhiking #familyhike #midwestnomadfamily  #1000hoursoutside #kidstoparks #hikingwithkid #familytravelblog
๐Ÿ”Ÿ ๐—š๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฆ๐˜. ๐—Ÿ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ช๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—›๐—ถ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐˜€โ„๏ธ
โ €
โ„๏ธWhen the temperature drops it may be tempting to hibernate inside. But winter can be a wonderful time for hiking. The crowds and ticks are gone while the leafless trees mean unobstructed views.
โ €
โ„๏ธI've put together a list of 10 great hikes around the St. Louis area that are perfect for winter. See the full list on the blog to find out where the best ice formations and scenic views can be found. ๐™‡๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™  ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ค๐™›๐™ž๐™ก๐™š โ†–๏ธ
โ €
________________________________
 #stlouishiking #stl #stlouis #stlmag #missourioutdoors #hikesnearstlouis #hikingstlouis #missourihiking #missourilife #explorestlouis #winterhike #illinoisouth #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwesthiking #hikemidwest #midwestmoment #winterhiking #familyhike #midwestnomadfamily  #1000hoursoutside #kidstoparks #havekidswillhike #hikingwithkids #familytravel #familytravelblog
๐ŸŒฟ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐—น๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—–๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ธ ๐ŸŒฟ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐—น๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—–๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ธ ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐ŸŒฟ
๐Ÿ“๐˜”๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฉ, ๐˜๐˜“
โ €
๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ: โถ mile loop
๐——๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐˜†: โถ/โบ flat and paved
๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—ฉ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜‚๐—ฒ: โธ/โบ Nice walk year round. Wildflowers in spring and summer.
โ €
โ€ข Silver Creek Preserve is a restored wetland and marsh area that covers over 200 acres just outside Mascoutah. This quiet spot offers a nice place for a short walk around the marsh to view the cattails, water, and birds. The path crosses several bridges and passes a wooden overlook of the creek.
โ €
โ€ข Spring and summer bring flowers and wildlife to the marsh. Even winter is a beautiful time for a walk here, especially just before sunset.
โ €
โ€ข After heavy rains, the preserve and the road leading past it may flood.
โ €
๐Ÿšป Restrooms and a picnic area are located at the parking lot.
โ €
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#mascoutah #mascoutahil #silvercreekpreserve #heartlandsconservancy #illinoisouth #enjoyillinois #onlyinillinois  #illinois_shots #exploreillinois #southernillinois #hikeillinois #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwesthiking #hikemidwest #midwestmoment #winterhiking #familyhike #hikesnearstlouis #midwestnomadfamily  #1000hoursoutside #kidstoparks #havekidswillhike #hikingwithkids #stlouishiking #familytravel #familytravelblog
โ„๏ธBabler State Park looked like a winter wonde โ„๏ธBabler State Park looked like a winter wonderland this morning. A dusting of snow and a glaze of ice made the trees in this Missouri park glisten. 

Do you like to hike in winter or do you hibernate inside until spring? ๐ŸŒท
If you don't mind exploring in the cold, what is your favorite winter trail? โ„๏ธ

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#bablerstatepark #mostateparks #missouri #missouristateparks #onlyinmissouri #visitmo #explorestlouis #hikestlouis #hikingstlouis  #stlhikes #hikingwithkids #1000hoursoutside #runwildmychild #kidstoparks #missourihiking #missourioutdoors #havekidswillhike #winterhiking #midwesthiking #midwestliving #midwestmoment #midwestnomadfamily #onlyinmo
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  • Garage Projects,  Off Road Trips

    The Mighty Merc – 11th Off Road Trip at Moonlight Racing 2/8/20

    February 14, 2020 /

    Another quick opportunity to get the wheels dirty! I’m in! The boy and I ran out to Sullivan on one cold Saturday morning to get some more “woods time” in this year.

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    10th Off Road Trip in the Mighty Merc – Flat Nasty Off-Road 1-25-20

    February 14, 2020 /

    It’s been awhile since we got the wheels off the pavement. After we got back from our 2019 trip to Colorado and Utah life just kept us hopping a bit more than usual. So when the opportunity presented itself to go play in the woods for a bit, we loaded up the family and headed out.

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    The Mighty Merc – 9th Off Road Trip At The Badlands 4/6/19 – Part 1

    May 13, 2019 /

    Weโ€™ve been a bit overdue for a weekend trip, so when the option for a trip out to the Badlands came up, the opportunity was seized to make a long weekend out of it. Coming off the high from finally get lots of things sorted on the Merc, we were ready to start putting some miles on it to find out what the next round of maintenance needed to be. I can safely say this…

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    The Mighty Merc – 9th Off Road Trip At The Badlands

    April 17, 2019 /

    After an excellent day prior exploring and hiking around the Parke county area (Turkey Run Visit, and Covered Bridge Exploration), I was anxious to get to our next stop on the Trip. That being The Badlands Off Road Park in Attica Indiana. It had been awhile since we were out here last (2013 trip in The Lone Ranger) so I was curious to see how much the park had changed in 4 years.

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    The Mighty Merc – 8th Off Road Trip at Flat Nasty Off-Road 12/1/18

    December 14, 2018 /

    With a little goading from my internet friends, I made the trek down to Flat Nasty with another friend riding shotgun whom had never been off-roading before. It was great to meet up with a group of people that I have only spoken with online and it wise nice to be around people that have a similar philosophy in off-roading. There was definitely a bit of a mind warp so see so many pretty full…

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midwestnomadfamily

It was 17 degrees when we headed out hiking this m It was 17 degrees when we headed out hiking this morning. โ„๏ธThe frigid weather made it a little rough at first but the beautiful views and endless frost flowers made it all worth it. 

What are your best tips for staying warm outdoors? Do you have a cut off temperature for outdoor activities? ๐Ÿฅถ
____________________________________
#mostateparks #donrobinson #donrobinsonstatepark #missouri #visitmo #midwestmoment #winterhiking #midwestnomadfamily #midwesthiking #stlouishiking #hikesnearstlouis #hikemissouri #missourioutdoors #missourilife #familyhike
๐ŸŒฟ๐—๐˜‚๐—น๐—ถ๐˜‚๐˜€ ๐— ๐—ž๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฏ ๐ŸŒฟ๐—๐˜‚๐—น๐—ถ๐˜‚๐˜€ ๐— ๐—ž๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ต ๐—ช๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐˜€ ๐—ก๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐ŸŒฟ
๐Ÿ“ Belleville, Illinois
โ €
๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ: 0.75 loop
๐——๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐˜†: โท/โบ Minor hills, small creek crossing, can be muddy
๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—ฉ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜‚๐—ฒ: โธ/โบ Nothing outstanding but a pleasant walk in the woods. Can sometimes see houses through trees.
๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—บ๐˜€: None ๐Ÿšป
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๐ŸŒฟKnobeloch Woods is a small spot of nature located between Belleville and Mascoutah. If you aren't looking close you may miss it, as the only parking is a small pull off on the side of the road. A sign marks the trail entrance.
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๐ŸŒฟThe trail makes a short loop up and down small hills and a across a pretty log bridge. A gentle creek passes through the area. Kids will have fun hopping along the tree stump stepping blocks to cross the water. This is a great family hike or for anyone looking for a trail that's short and sweet. 
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๐ŸŒฟSpring and summer bring wildflowers but also poison ivy so hike with caution. Obey private property signs and make sure not to block any mailboxes when parking.

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#knobelochwoodsnaturalarea #illinoisouth #heartlandsconservancy
#hikeillinois #illinois #enjoyillinois #illinoisoutdoors #southernillinois #midwestmoment #midwestliving #midwestnomadfamily #familyhike #hikingwithkids #hikesnearstlouis #stlhiking #hikestlouis #illinoishikes #familytravel #familytravelblog #bellevilleil #bellevilleillinois #nature #indr #ilnaturalarea #ilconservation
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๐ŸŒฟ๐—›๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ธ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜†๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ ๐—ก๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—”๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐ŸŒฟ
๐Ÿ“Ste. Genevieve, MO
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๐ŸŒฟ๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ: 0.25 mile out and back on east side. โถ mile loop on west side.
๐Ÿฅพ๐——๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐˜†: โธ/โบ Moderate hills, rocky path in some areas, creek crossings
๐ŸŒฟ๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—ฉ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜‚๐—ฒ: โน/โบ Great year round
๐Ÿšป๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—บ๐˜€: None 
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Hickory Canyons is a hidden gem near the more popular hiking at Pickle Springs and Hawn State Park.
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Two trails are located on each side of the road. The shorter path leads to a box canyon and a tall seasonal waterfall. The longer loop drops in and out of a canyon and along a scenic creek.
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Kids will enjoy the shallow creeks for splashing while adults admire the rugged beauty along the trail. Winter can bring dramatic ice formations when the temperature drops.
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๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฃ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜จ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ต. โ†–๏ธ๐™‡๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™  ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ค๐™›๐™ž๐™ก๐™š ๐™ค๐™ง ๐™œ๐™ค ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™ข๐™ž๐™™๐™ฌ๐™š๐™จ๐™ฉ๐™ฃ๐™ค๐™ข๐™–๐™™๐™จ.๐™˜๐™ค๐™ข.โ €
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#visitmo #hickorycanyons #moconservation #missouri #missourilife #naturalmissouri #missourioutdoors #midwestmoment #winterhike #midwesthiking #midwestnomadfamily #hikesnearstlouis #farmingtonmo #stegenevievemo #hikemissouri #missourilife #mooutdoors #hikemo #hikingwithkids #kidstoparks #1000hoursoutside #waterfall #familyhike #familytravel #familytravelblog #havekidswillhike #midwestliving #midwest.
๐ŸŒ‰ ๐—˜๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐˜€ ๐—•๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ด๐—ฒ ๐ŸŒ‰
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The need for a bridge to cross the Mississippi River at St. Louis was a major roadblock to westward expansion in the 1800s. Many professionals said a bridge that size to carry the railroad could not be built. It would take James Buchanan Eads, a self taught engineer to do the job.
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Eads had gained fame after building several iron-clad boats for the government in record time. However, he had never before built a bridge! He was set on using steel alloy for the bridge, which was a new material at the time. Critics scoffed and said his design would never work. Eads responded by asking, "๐˜”๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต, ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ, ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ?"
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The bridge opened with much fanfare on July 4, 1874. To prove that the first ever steel bridge was sound, an elephant was walked across the bridge first. It was thought at the time that elephants would not cross a bridge that was unsafe. ๐Ÿ˜
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Today the bridge carries vehicular traffic on the upper deck and light-rail trains on the lower deck. The pedestrian walkway on the upper deck provides a great view of the Arch. Named a National Historic Landmark, the bridge continues to stand elegant and strong almost 147 years later. As an engineer myself, I always admire the view of this beautiful structure. 
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 #missouri #eadsbridge #bridge #bridgesofinstagram #visitmo #missourilife #explorestlouis #stl #downtownstl #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwestmoment  #midwestnomadfamily #stlmag #stlouis #mississippiriver #onlyinmissouri #familytravelblog
๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ง๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ... โ € I' ๐˜Š๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ง๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ...
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I'm not a fan of most winter outdoor activities. I don't really like piling on layers to throw snowballs, build a snowman, or take a ride on a sled. โ›„I will do all of those things only because my kids enjoy it.
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The thing I do absolutely love in snowy conditions is to go a hike. The quiet stillness of freshly fallen snow is purely magical. โ„๏ธ
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While we had no snow at our house, I saw that further south in Missouri had a few inches overnight. So we had everything packed and out the door before 6 a.m. to catch it before it melted. The views of the forest and canyons blanketed in white were well worth the cold and early morning wakeup. โ„๏ธ(More info on the hike coming soon!)
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How about you? Do you have a favorite outdoor activity in winter? Or do you prefer to stay cozy inside?
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 #stlouishiking #stlmag #missourioutdoors #hikesnearstlouis #hikingstlouis #missourihiking #missourilife #ruralmissouri #farmingtonmo #hickorycanyons  #southernmissouri #semo #visitmo #missouri #explorestlouis #winterhike #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwesthiking #hikemidwest #midwestmoment #winterhiking #familyhike #midwestnomadfamily  #1000hoursoutside #kidstoparks #hikingwithkids #familytravelblog
๐Ÿ’ ๐‘ญ๐’“๐’๐’”๐’• ๐‘ญ๐’๐’๐’˜๐’†๐’“๐’”๐Ÿ’ 
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๐Ÿ’ Have you ever heard of frost flowers? Not really flowers at all, these unique creations are actually delicate ribbons of ice crystals. This unique phenomenon occurs on the lower stems of a few specific plants.
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๐Ÿ’ Frost flowers can typically be found in late fall and early winter after the first few hard freezes while the ground is still warm. When the plants stems are ruptured by freezing temperatures, the root system is still sending up plant sap from the warmer ground. The sap pushes out through the broken stem and freezes on contact with the cold air. As more sap moves out, it pushes the ice crystals into ornate ribbons.
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๐Ÿ’ You really have to be at the right place at the right time to see them.  They last a short time as the sun can melt them quickly. The up and down temps this year mean frost flowers have been popping up with more frequency.
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๐Ÿ’ A few places around St. Louis where frost flowers may be found include Babler, Castlewood, St. Francois, Robertsville, Hawn, Washington, and Meramec State Parks. Many other wooded areas can be good spots to hunt. The flowers shown here were found at Rockwoods Reservation just yesterday. 
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#frostflowers #rockwoodsreservation #stlouishiking #stl #stlouis #stlmag #missourioutdoors #mostateparks #missouristateparks  #hikesnearstlouis #hikingstlouis #missourihiking #missourilife #explorestlouis #winterhike #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwesthiking #hikemidwest #midwestmoment #winterhiking #familyhike #midwestnomadfamily  #1000hoursoutside #kidstoparks #hikingwithkid #familytravelblog
๐Ÿ”Ÿ ๐—š๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฆ๐˜. ๐—Ÿ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ช๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—›๐—ถ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐˜€โ„๏ธ
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โ„๏ธWhen the temperature drops it may be tempting to hibernate inside. But winter can be a wonderful time for hiking. The crowds and ticks are gone while the leafless trees mean unobstructed views.
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โ„๏ธI've put together a list of 10 great hikes around the St. Louis area that are perfect for winter. See the full list on the blog to find out where the best ice formations and scenic views can be found. ๐™‡๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™  ๐™ž๐™ฃ ๐™ฅ๐™ง๐™ค๐™›๐™ž๐™ก๐™š โ†–๏ธ
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 #stlouishiking #stl #stlouis #stlmag #missourioutdoors #hikesnearstlouis #hikingstlouis #missourihiking #missourilife #explorestlouis #winterhike #illinoisouth #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwesthiking #hikemidwest #midwestmoment #winterhiking #familyhike #midwestnomadfamily  #1000hoursoutside #kidstoparks #havekidswillhike #hikingwithkids #familytravel #familytravelblog
๐ŸŒฟ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐—น๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—–๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ธ ๐ŸŒฟ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐—น๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—–๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ธ ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐ŸŒฟ
๐Ÿ“๐˜”๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฉ, ๐˜๐˜“
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๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ: โถ mile loop
๐——๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐˜†: โถ/โบ flat and paved
๐—ฆ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—ฉ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜‚๐—ฒ: โธ/โบ Nice walk year round. Wildflowers in spring and summer.
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โ€ข Silver Creek Preserve is a restored wetland and marsh area that covers over 200 acres just outside Mascoutah. This quiet spot offers a nice place for a short walk around the marsh to view the cattails, water, and birds. The path crosses several bridges and passes a wooden overlook of the creek.
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โ€ข Spring and summer bring flowers and wildlife to the marsh. Even winter is a beautiful time for a walk here, especially just before sunset.
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โ€ข After heavy rains, the preserve and the road leading past it may flood.
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๐Ÿšป Restrooms and a picnic area are located at the parking lot.
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#mascoutah #mascoutahil #silvercreekpreserve #heartlandsconservancy #illinoisouth #enjoyillinois #onlyinillinois  #illinois_shots #exploreillinois #southernillinois #hikeillinois #midwestliving #midwestlivingmag #midwesthiking #hikemidwest #midwestmoment #winterhiking #familyhike #hikesnearstlouis #midwestnomadfamily  #1000hoursoutside #kidstoparks #havekidswillhike #hikingwithkids #stlouishiking #familytravel #familytravelblog
โ„๏ธBabler State Park looked like a winter wonde โ„๏ธBabler State Park looked like a winter wonderland this morning. A dusting of snow and a glaze of ice made the trees in this Missouri park glisten. 

Do you like to hike in winter or do you hibernate inside until spring? ๐ŸŒท
If you don't mind exploring in the cold, what is your favorite winter trail? โ„๏ธ

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#bablerstatepark #mostateparks #missouri #missouristateparks #onlyinmissouri #visitmo #explorestlouis #hikestlouis #hikingstlouis  #stlhikes #hikingwithkids #1000hoursoutside #runwildmychild #kidstoparks #missourihiking #missourioutdoors #havekidswillhike #winterhiking #midwesthiking #midwestliving #midwestmoment #midwestnomadfamily #onlyinmo
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