We enjoyed a moderately strenuous (to strenuous by Midwest standards) hike on the Green Rock Trail at Rockwoods. Note that the trail is listed as 8.4 miles out and back on AllTrails, and does not loop back to the office. Near the beginning of the trail, you will see a sign that says "short loop". If you stay on the regular Green Rock Trail (for about 2 miles or so) you will see the other end of the "short loop", which is also marked "to office". This will bring you back to the short loop marking near the entrance, and can make for a 3-4 miles total trip. We hiked beyond this point, then backtracked and returned via the short loop for a total trip distance of 4.38 miles and 807 ft of total ascent. This is some good elevation gain for Missouri. Early Spring was a nice time to hike as it was cool and dry. It was not as pretty, though, as it was still brown from Winter. We look forward to exploring more trails at this location, and seeing what the rest of the park has to offer. read more

See all

Went here for a nice 3.2 mile loop hike here with the dogs. We passed maybe 4 people on the trail, it was pretty sparse which was great. It was also convenient because the trail was right inside the park entrance. The hills and valleys were cool to walk though, neat for Missouri lol. The trail was well maintained and easy to follow, not too muddy or buggy early spring. Wish this place was closer, we will be back! read more

See all

This is an awesome pics to go hiking. The path that I took was about 3.5 miles, moderate intensity. The view is great. There are two parking lots that I saw and it is not very busy. I definitely would recommends coming here in the fall. It is beautiful and great exercise read more

Rockwoods Reservation - Hiking Near Me - Wildwood, Missouri

This is not a fully flat trail. Some parts are rocky, steep or both. It takes longer time to complete. Today we did 3 trails, 6.5 miles and 3h total. There is bridges, creeks in the woods. It was relaxing walking thru all. We also saw some caves in Rock Quarry Trail. The old kiln in Lime Kiln trail is also a must-see! Rock Quarry trail has the biggest parking lot, others are small and usually full. Bonus: When driving in, there is an alpaca and llama farm. read more

See all

Wow. What a beautiful place, so close to west Saint Louis!! This reserve provides many options for your family... Picnic areas, short loop trail, longer loop, easy to difficult trails. The small ranger station includes a small interpretive bird trail as well to learn about the natives of different times of year!! My partner and I greatly enjoyed our few hours spent here. I would highly recommend for anyone who needs a weekend break. Dogs welcome! read more

Rockwoods Reservation - Creepy crawly... or friendly field critter - Hiking Near Me - Wildwood, Missouri

Great spot for hiking. Can't go wrong although some of the shorter trails like Lime Kiln are very popular on weekends so parking can be an issue read more

COVID review. What can we do during a Covid year? Yes let's go outside and go for a hike. Aa This is a nice little gem tucked away Highway 109. Came here on a recommendation from a friend. There are some nice views and mild to moderate trails. Right across the street from the lime kiln trail is an alpaca farm. The trails are big enough to socially distance. Overall it was mildly busy. Can't wait to check this place out in the spring and summer when the water will be flowing through the creek. Trails are on average a few miles long. So in the summer definitely bring your water. Further into the park there are some picnic tables. read more

See all

We hiked the trail among the trees. Think it was 1.5 miles on a mostly paved trail. Goes through Forest to an overlook about half way. Past rock formations and a creek Anne over a few bridges. Had a nice time read more

See all

Its a very beautiful and peaceful place. We live near this park and love to visit. It is also a great picnic place.

For Eastern Missouri, this was a highly enjoyable hike! I started at Lime Kiln Trailhead and ventured over to Trail Among the Trees halfway through. Through a round about meandering, I ended up going 6 miles on these two trails. There's enough elevation to get a good workout for an average hiker, but definitely not hard. There are creeks, big mossy rocks, and you can even catch a view of Hidden Valley ski slope from afar! I will be going back for another enjoyable hike. read more

See all

Nice place to walk my dog. There are paved and level pathways, scenic views, and many trails. A gem in St. Louis County.

Great area to hike with losts of trails.Went for National Take a Hike Day. We did a 3.5 mile hike and decided to venture off to do a 5 mile hike. Trail was well marked and there were losts of people out which made me feel safe. I also enjoyed to look out points. Very peaceful read more

See all

Pretty nice walking trail, nice lime kiln, a bridge over a creek, tons of trails... would recommend!

Rockwood Reservation is easily one of the hidden gems/less appreciated hiking trails of the St. Louis-ish area. Castlewood gets all the the love but this place may easily overtake it as #1. RR has wayyy more trail options, it's less crowded, and the views are amazing. Plus, it's way more unique scenery. Sure, it might be a little farther out than Castlewood but it's worth the extra 10 minute drive. Plus, there are some beautiful cliff scenes and classic hidden bungalows. I recommend researching what trails end up where and how long they are...some of them don't end up exactly where you start but nothing too far. Maybe a couple blocks away? Also, looking ahead of time will give you an idea of what kinda views you're in store for. If you're reading this and have other amazing hiking trail recommendations then pm or compliment me! I must go. I can't wait to come back. I still have one more path to try out. read more

See all

Located in Wildwood, near Eureka, Rockwoods Reservation is a great place for hiking. With 6 different trails at various lengths and difficulties, there is something for everyone. We went on a Sunday when the weather was perfect and encountered very few people. The first trail we hiked was called the "Trail Among the Trees". At 1.5 miles long, this paved trail was considered moderate difficulty with hilly inclines. Early spring is a good time to go when you can see through the forest without all the leaves on the trees, however I'm sure it's just as nice in the fall. You can grab a trail map/booklet at the trail-head which describes a few points of interest as you stroll through the forest. Highlights include a small abandoned mining area, a sealed off cave, wooden bridges and hilltop views. Note that the trail starts and ends in different places, but you can get back to the start along the road. The other trail that we hiked was the Rock Quarry Trail which has two loops at 1 mile and 2.2 miles. We took the short loop in reverse and found the steep incline to be a good challenge. I don't see an actual rock quarry, so I'd assume that it's on the longer loop. Regardless, it was still a nice view from the top. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to any of the other trails, but I do plan to return soon to hike the rest of them. read more

Rockwoods Reservation - Photos are from the Trail Among the Trees (1.5 mile long trail) - Hiking Near Me - Wildwood, Missouri

Beautiful hiking. Never too crowded. We live close by and this is great for exercise.

What's better than a secluded place deep in West County where you can hike, enjoy nature and get some great scenery. Not.a.thing! I grew up coming to Rockwood for camps, with my family for picnics and hikes and I still have a special place in my heart for it. I drove through the other day on my way back home and I made sure to stop and talk with Smoky Bear. They have festivals throughout the year so check out the parks page for information on that. Be sure to enjoy this wonderful place of nature if you ever get a chance. read more

Rockwood Reservation offers some beautiful hikes. It does live up to its name, though -- the trails are very rocky so wear good shoes with ankle support. Don't let your small children go galloping down a trail at full speed, either, because they will trip over a rock and there will be many tears. The maple syrup festival is excellent and always receives a good turnout. read more

Went today for the Maple Festival. Interesting stations explained the process of Maple Syrup from sap to syrup. Then we visited the other booths with information about the process, maple on ice (so good) and the children's activities like making hats and coloring maple leaves, getting free frisbee's. We spent an hour at least playing with that free frisbee among the oaks, maples, cedars, and pines. While the chickadees and nuthatches feasted on seed, we ran, chased, laughed, and played the afternoon away. Thanks MDC. Don't ever change. read more

Rockwoods Reservation - Different types of taps - Hiking Near Me - Wildwood, Missouri

See all

This is a great place to go hiking, have a picnic, or just drive through for some scenery. A very secluded area still within the greater St. Louis metro area. Some challenging hikes, short and long trails, and easy guided access in and out. read more

This place is very easy to get to from the city, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to hike. Some of the trails are a little steep if you're a novice walker/hiker, but the trails are well maintained and well marked. I hiked 4.5 miles today, and did not see one piece of trash, and only a couple other hikers. It's beautiful cool wooded trails with lots of places to stop and rest. Enjoy! read more

Love this place. It is a bucolic oasis. Great hiking trails. And I love the Maple Sugar festival that is held here every year.

I love this park, it's beautiful, I wish I could enjoy it but came here the other day with my dogs for a small hike and wasn't on the trail but five minutes when I look down at my feet and I am COVERED in tiny seed ticks from my feet to my knees and they're moving FAST up my legs. My dogs were covered also. Thousands of them, it was out of a horror movie. It is mid August and I know ticks are bad in Missouri, but we were on the trail the entire time and my dogs were right next to me. It was awful...spent the whole day getting them with off my dogs, myself and my car. The are so TINY!! Such a nightmare. read more