Set in the heart of downtown St. Louis near the riverfront, the Gateway Arch Trail encircles the base of the famous monument. The “trail” is not one particular route; it blends into the network of paved paths in the national park and connects to the greenway along the river. You can simply wander the grounds and find different perspectives on the architecture, including standing directly beneath the arch and gazing at its dizzying span across the sky.

For hikers in the St. Louis area, Castlewood State Park’s River Scene Trail is not to be missed. It makes a loop with the top of stone bluffs and banks of the Meramec River. You’ll find panoramic views from elevated overlooks, plus tranquility among diverse vegetation beside the water. You can also find the crumbling relics of a resort that stood here in the 1920s. It’s a hike for almost any season, with colors and conditions that change throughout the year.

Powder Valley offers a much-needed escape to nature in the St. Louis metro area. It’s a pocket of hilly forest tucked between neighborhoods and two busy interstates. So while you can’t fully lose the sound of the highway, you can find more greenery and tranquility than you might expect so close to the city. This family-oriented park has three trails to choose from, as well as picnic areas, a nature center, aquarium, and guided tours.

Just south of St. Louis is a newly expanded forest park with trails and a view of the Mississippi River. It also boasts some notable geology and interesting history. A cave set in the base of 100-foot cliffs was once used as a tavern and later as a wine cellar. Today it’s preserved as bat habitat, but you can view the entrance and see a lot of other nature by hiking a loop with River Bluff and Spring Valley trails.

​​Rockwoods Reservation has several trails, and Lime Kiln Loop is one of the most highly rated. It covers the base and spine of a wooded ridge, passing rocky outcrops, trickling creeks, and various forest types. This area is well known for birdwatching and for wildlife like deer, small mammals, and reptiles. With a fun combination of mellow straightaways and rugged steeper sections, the trail makes an excellent family hike or quick workout among intact nature.

Lone Elk Park is an unexpected gem in the St. Louis area. It’s a wildlife park with elk and bison on the roam. Such fauna were hunted out of Missouri centuries ago, but these re-introduced herds now thrive in a protected fragment of their former habitat. The most popular activity in the park is driving the paved loop, where you can see animals from your car. But there’s also the option to hike into their habitat on the White Bison Trail.

This state park is quite removed from the city, making a great place to experience intact nature. Hike the Sandstone Canyon trail if you want to see the best of it. This footpath leads through familiar Missouri woodland until reaching the canyon, where erosion has exposed giant boulders, and the crannies sometimes flow with seasonal waterfalls. This trail gives a fantastic tour of Missouri’s natural environment, displaying both what’s on the surface and what’s underneath.

Named for the explorers who traveled from Missouri to eventually reach the Pacific Ocean, the Lewis and Clark trails explore a small piece of that historic route along the mighty Missouri River. Located in Weldon Spring Conservation Area, the trails meander through hilly woodlands and reach the top of tall bluffs. Unlike some other trails in the area, these are hiker-only, so they remain a bit more peaceful in the absence of mountain bikers.