Fort Bellefontaine Park, March 15, 2018

Two mile trail to the Police Canine Monument

Lewis and Clark camped on this spot.

Fort Bellefontaine Park, St. Louis, Missouri

(click on the above link for the history and the story of hauntings)

Great Spring-like day to hike around a park I didn't know existed. Across the Missouri River from Alton, Fort Bellefontaine was first a Spanish outpost and then a trading post after the Lousiana Purchase. The original fort would have been where the river is now--when the river shifted, the fort was relocated at the top of the hill. The staircase was added in 1936.

Field near the two mile flat loop. Looks as if there was a controlled burn.

The Police Canine Monument

Jaimie O'Connor and Marvin in front of the Canine Monument--Marvin will be one in April, 20218.

The Training Facility. Click this link to read about it and the cemetary.

These staircases are purportedly haunted. In many photos, a red mist appears.

Great day to get out. Thought I couldn't walk anymore because of my knee--hence the two year hiatus from posting. Turns out this small hike didn't bother me at all. Supposedly the grand staircase is haunted, but we didn't see anything. The gatekeepers at the entrance to the park, however, exude a horror film vibe as they ask you to sign in before driving down the very narrow road into the park. There were a fair amount of folks walking their dogs.

Rockwoods Reservation: Round House and Fox Creek Spur

 We think we hiked about 4.2 miles in all--the Fox Creek Spur is .6 miles and is a gradual but steady incline for most of that distance. It really gets your heart pumping right away.  Then the first half of the 3 mile Roundhouse Trail is mostly incline as well, but once you get used to it, it's not really that terrible, although Paul thought that the condition of the trail (many grooves from horse hooves) and the inclines made it the hardest 3 mile trail he's ever completed.

The trailhead for the Fox Creek Spur is across Fox Creek Road and next to the Greenrock Trailhead. There were a few cars when we started, but none when we finished. I had completely forgotten about this trail for years.  If we'd been at Rockwoods Reservation, there would have been crowds.

Again, this is a multi-use trail, which means that the condition was not as smooth as a hiking only trail.  Although we ran into only one other hiker--and technically, she was on a different trail at the Round House cut off.

Gorgeous day, about 65 degrees, no clouds.

Inclines are the norm on this trail.

Have no idea what this is supposed to spell.

Cute outhouses in the middle of the Roundhouse Trail.

Rockwoods Reservation, March 23, 2016

 This is a great trail, located off the I-44 Service Road. Take the Allenton exit, 261, make a left onto Fox Creek Road, which is the service road--and drive to the second Rockwoods  Range Trailhead, which will be on your right.  Again, you are in Wildwood, but not the Wildwood of the Al Foster Trail.  This trail was clean, well-tended and challenging. There were hills.  I ran across one couple and their tiny dachsund, who was spry and friendly despite the little saddle bags she was carrying.

 No dogwoods yet. . .

 . . .but one red bud.

Al Foster and Cedar Bluffs Trail, March 22, 2016

 At the Sherman Beach Trailhead.

 Along the Stinging Nettle Trail

Debris in the trees. I guess this is underwater sometimes.

 Houses along the bottom land range from comfortable (above) to ramshackle and junk-filled.

 A small country church right before Easter Sunday.

 Again, lots of trash. Dumped? Brought in by the river?

 The Cedar Bluffs Trail in Castlewood State Park.

 I sat on this bench and journaled for awhile.

 An interesting glade just off the trail that overlooks the railroad tracks.

 You have to walk through this tunnel to get to the Cedar Bluffs Trail.  I had to stoop to get all the way through.

 Just as I was ready to go through the tunnel, I heard a train whistle.  Made it through the tunnel with time to spare before it thundered by.

 A roofing company run out of a house along the Al Foster Trail.  Lots of pallets.. . .

So close to the river. Here's a shell. . . .

Interesting if slightly creepy and depressing trail.  I learned about it from 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles--St. Louis, borrowed from my brother.  The Sherman Beach Trailhead in Wildwood is where I started at 11:00 am.  Not many people--one walker with an i-pod finishing up. A father and his looked to be about 9 year old daughter on bikes. The terrain goes from sandy path along the river to gravel to a trail that climbs bluffs in Castlewood State Park.  There are other connectors and offshoots, but I didn't visit them today. Hiked about 5 miles--although most of the terrain was flat.