Labor Day weekend is traditionally viewed as the end-of-summer holiday, and after a couple of days of triple-digit heat index last week, many of us are probably happy to hear that the end is near.
Closing pools doesn’t mean it’s time to stay inside. Just the opposite – this is one of the best times of the year to enjoy the outdoors. While some leaves are beginning to change color and fall because of drought stress, the colorful autumn season is coming, and seeing the woods from the inside out on a hiking trail is prime leaf-peeping.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Mastodon State Historic Site. Its trail system may be the best in Jefferson County for the diversity and accessibility it provides to our largest population centers. The views and the natural areas to discover are worth the trip on every visit.
My favorite local hiking trails are at Don Robinson State Park on Byrnesville Road near Cedar Hill. They don’t offer much for those with accessibility concerns, but for hearty hikers, a combined trip on both trails can provide a full day of exploration with a few unique features.
The LaBarque Hills Trail is a 2.4-mile loop of natural-surface hiking. It features hilly terrain with an overall elevation change of about 200 feet from its lowest point to its highest peak. There are some grades that exceed 10 percent, but most climbs and descents are more gradual.
The Sandstone Canyon Trail is more challenging in length and elevation change, but includes a short connector trail that reduces the 3.9-mile loop to about half that distance. The overall elevation change is 270 feet, but the first half-mile of the hike is paved and relatively flat for wheelchair and stroller accessibility.
Don Robinson’s namesake park is a big part of the effort to preserve the pristine LaBarque Creek watershed area in northern Jefferson County. Other connected parks in the area that have good trails with interesting natural features include the Hilda J. Young and LaBarque Creek parks and the Myron and Sonya Glassberg Family conservation area. Those three properties encompass 3,200 acres and offer more than 12 miles of hiking trails.
In the center of the county near Hillsboro, hikers can discover additional unique topography at the Valley View Glades and Victoria Glades natural areas. While the public grounds are better known for their spring wildflower blooms, they also provide plenty of wooded areas for exploring. The 2.6-mile trail at Valley View circumnavigates most of the 225-acre parcel. The 2.3-mile trail at Victoria Glades similarly surrounds the open vistas created by the shallow soil of the dolomite glade.
Other great places to enjoy a walk in the woods just outside Jefferson County include Robertsville, Washington and St. Francois State Parks and Magnolia Hollow Conservation Area in Franklin, Washington, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve counties respectively.
Robertsville offers more than three miles of maintained trails and Washington almost nine miles. The three trails at St. Francois cover nearly 16 miles. Magnolia Hollow’s official hiking trail is barely a mile long, but park service roads wind through the woods for a half dozen miles or more.
Most municipalities in Jefferson County have parks with nice walking paths, and the St. Louis County Parks system is laced with trails. All of those are great options, but for a more natural experience, the big parks maintained by the state Department of Natural Resources and Department of Conservation are well worth the visit.
Summer is slipping into autumn, so with all due respect, “Go take a hike.”
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.