#80 - Hiking roundup

Although I haven't posted on it in awhile I'm still engaged in #80 - working my way through the 60 Hikes with 60 Miles book. This post is a collection of hikes I've done since my last hiking post.

1) Hawn State Park (February 15, 2010) - Took a winter day hike with my Dad and his friend Gary along the relatively new White Oaks Trail and the adjoining connectors. Probably did about 6 miles total. The major hike in Hawn is the Whispering Pines Trail, and while I haven't been on that in awhile, I'm considering this one done. I realized that my goal with this task is, when asked, to be able to offer useful suggestions on hikes (length, scenery, difficulty, etc.). Enough knowledge to have an informed opinion. Which is actually come to think of it the reason I'm doing most of this list.

2) Meramec State Park (October 24-25, 2010) - Another hike with Dad and Gary - this one an overnight along the 10 mile Wilderness Trail in Meramec State Park. Good hike, great sleeping weather. Meramec is nice because you can have fires in the backpacking camping sites along the trail. Though I did get a spark hole in my brand new convertible hiking pants.

3) Matson Hill Park (December 2009) - Solo dayhike at a secluded little park out in St. Charles County. Easy walking around the 2.75 mile loop. Very pretty and didn't see a soul.

4) Powder Valley (January 2010) - TL and I took a little walk around this suburban park. It has 3 paved trails totaling 2.2 miles. Saw a bunch, bunch, bunch of deer - very tame deer. Certainly not the most challenging trails but like Emenegger a quick retreat if I ever just need to be outside.

5) Rockwoods Range (December 2009) - Two separate hikes here. The Round House Loop at 3.6 miles which is a nice hike, which I took on a cold day that froze over the nipple on my CamelBak. Had to keep it inside my down jacket. The other is the Fox Run trail which is 3.5 one-way, so 7 out and back. I have to report I was pretty pleased with myself on Fox Run. I was able to accurately follow the contour map and be able to tell where I was. I also had the excellent idea of noting the time I reached significant landmarks. This was useful to gauge remaining distance and my pace on the hike back.

6) Castlewood State Park & Al Foster Trail (Various times) - Over a couple of weekends I did most of the trails in Castlewood State Park. If you can only do one, do the 3 mile River Scene trail. Spectacular views from high bluffs overlooking the Meramec River. TL & I did this and it was really nice. I did really enjoy the 3 mile Grotpeter trail, but it is definitely not as scenic. But it is less crowded and you do feel more isolated.

Also, semi-part of the Castlewood system is the Al Foster Trail. This is a new trail established as part of the Meramec Greenway multi-purpose trail. The nicer section runs from the Glenco Trailhead in Wildwood to Sherman Beach. There it connects up with the western side of the Castlewood State Park trail system - the Stinging Nettle and Cedar Bluff trails. The connection between the River Scene Trail and Stinging Nettle on some older maps is currently off-limits (the latest update I can find is May 2010.) I think because it goes too close to railroad property.

So, anyway my parents and I walked the western half of Al Foster one day in April and then the next weekend I did the eastern half (which is the north part of the Stinging Nettle Loop), and included the Cedar Bluff loop. You can tell no one gets to the Cedar Bluff, it is not that well-maintained. After I got back on the Stinging Nettle / Al Foster, it was only a little ways to the point where the trail used to go east to the rest of Castlewood. Unlike everyone else there that day I choose to honor the off-limits sign and walked back the way I came on Al Foster. I did that since the high Meramec River had closed part of the southern half of Stinging Nettle.

7) Rockwoods Reservation (Sept 2010) - Three good trails in this park. Did the Rock Quarry (2.2) and Trail Among the Trees (1.5) in the spring. Finished the park up with the 3.2 Lime Kiln Loop.

8) Lewis and Clark Trails - More good hiking in St. Charles. This was a pretty trail with great views of the Missouri River. I saw a fox near one overlook. It was curious enough about me to get within 10 feet. This is a "double loop or figure 8" trail - the Clark trial is the western half, taking the middle cut-off is 5.3 miles. I continued on the eastern Lewis Trail for an 8.3 mile total.

I really need to buy a camera to capture all the great sights I am seeing. But this is basically the fox I got within 10 feet of.

And the fox I will never get within 10 feet of :

I've also almost completed Greensfelder Park. So hiking "task" is proceeding nicely.