#80 - Chubb Trail

The Saturday before Memorial Day, TL and I went out on the Chubb Trail (map). This is a 6.5 mile one-way hike that runs between Lone Elk Park and West Tyson County Park. It was a good hike, though it was kind of buggy down by the river. It is a nicely maintained trail, with decent signage. The only thing against it is that it is a one way trail, so you have to have two people with a car at both ends like we did or do a there-and-back. Which I don't recommend, well at least not for me, since we were both pretty sore after the hike.

Also included in the Chubb Trail section of the 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles book is the Castlewood Loop (yellow on linked map) which I did alone one weekend awhile ago. That is a pleasant 6 mile loop which is actually inside of Castlewood State Park but since it is across the Meramec River from the rest of Castlewood and there is no bridge, it is accessible only via the Chubb.

For our next hike, two things: remind TL to wear her hiking boots since she got blisters and I think I need a bigger daypack because my little hydration pack won't hold both a full day of food and rain gear. Luckily the left at home rain gear wasn't needed but I'd rather not take the risk. Though it isn't like I ever need an excuse to buy shiny new camping stuff.