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    Shaw Nature Reserve

    4.5 (26 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Shaw Nature Reserve Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Shaw Nature Reserve

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    Children's play area- natural climbing structures, beams, barn, sandboxes, etc.
    Lexi M.

    I was so happy with our first visit to Shaw Nature Reserve! There are beautiful trails to walk and so much to explore. What impressed me the most though was the children's area with a natural playscape! As a toddler mom and former outdoor teacher, I was so excited to find this space. It's the perfect place for outdoor play and education. I will definitely be bringing my family back soon!

    Trash
    Güneş Ö.

    Peaceful place. $5 entry fee. Some trails were closed due to erosion. There is outlooks shown on the map on the Goddard River trail but that is a very small cliff looking spot in the woods, not a real overlook. I will definitely come back to complete all the trails.

    The loveliest couple I had the pleasure of photographing. Best elopement ever!
    Rebecca C.

    I've been coming to Shaw Nature Reserve since I was a kiddo with my family for photos and nature hikes. Every season there is an abundance of gorgeous natural views, flora, and fauna. Covid-19 has changed up how Shaw Nature Reserve works now, but they've got a great system to keep things safe. To visit Shaw Nature Reserve now you'll need to go online or call and reserve a time slot (in 2-hour increments). If you are a member, there is no admission fee. If you are a visitor, the admission fee is quite small for what you get to access (adults are $5 and children are free). They'll send you a confirmation email with a bar code that will be scanned upon arrival. After scanning your ticket at guest services, you'll receive a token for your car to gain entry into the reserve. Pack a picnic to enjoy by the lake or take a hike on one of the many trails available! And watch out for all the bunnies on the gravel roads! Shaw Nature Reserve is also a wonderful spot to have a photo session or elope! The views can't be beat!

    Bascom house
    Joan G.

    When you join as a member of Missouri Botanical Gardens, you also get free admission to Shaw Nature Reserve. That is why we found ourselves here. If you want to know any other information or the history about the Reserve, go online and check it out. We packed a picnic lunch and made the forty-five minute drive to the Reserve. Neither one of us had ever been here before. We stopped in at the Visitor Center to get some info and a map and off we went to explore. We started at the Bascom house where my phone promptly died after taking one picture. We chose the wildflower trail as our first hike. I have never seen so many Monarch butterflies in my life. There was one flower that had about ten of them hanging off of it. I was amazed. We had our lunch under one of the pavilions near the Bascom house. Afterwards we took a hike around the lake. There are a few lookout areas around the reserve to watch the birds and bees and to admire the landscape. A couple of tips. Do not bring your bike. They are prohibited on the trails. Do the old-fashioned thing and walk. Do not wear sandals or flip-flops no matter how comfortable you think they are. You're just asking for trouble. Would I come back here. Yes, I think the spring would be lovely.

    Climbing
    Zen D.

    We loved Shaw Nature Preserve! Nice to have a place so close to us that has such a great variety of natural features. The variety of wildflowers, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, and especially birds was wonderful. On the beautiful day we went there we spotted so many bird species, it was great. They also have a tremendous area for kids and adults who are kids on the inside. Great bridge over the pond, things to climb on, swing, play music, build etc. Every weekend in May they have wagon rides too.

    Prairie by the Wetland
    Aaron B.

    Shaw Nature Reserve is easily one of my favorite trails near St. Louis. If you have a love for hiking and haven't been here yet then move this to the top of your priority list. It's only about a 40 minute drive if you're coming from downtown STL. When you roll up you might accidentally skip the admission but DON'T, cause you're on the honor system here. Admission is $5 but you're going to be spending a lot of time here so it's well worth the cash. If you want to take a break from hiking or have little ones with you they have "nature rides" that you can pay $1 to get on and drive you from one scenic route to the next. That way you can "quit" no matter where you are on the trail. We, however, hiked the whole time like true champions. To make this easier for you to prioritize, I'm going to break it down by area. You can follow along using their trail guide listed here http://www.mobot.org/snr/PDFs/SNRVisitorGuide.pdf ...You can also check out the bajillion photos I uploaded to the biz listing to see what I'm talking about. Pinetum Lake/Nature Classroom: This lake is right by the entrance and an easy place to start. On your way you'll walkthrough a wonderfully creative "Nature Classroom" targeted towards kids but fun for adults. I recommend hitting up the bridge made from an old tree and trekking across. Bascom House/Wildflower Garden: I'm partial to this area for numerous reasons. 1) It's the most beautiful area of the park. It most closely resembles The Botanical Garden and is well manicured with plenty of flowers and plants. You can plan on spending some time walking around here. It's very peaceful 2) The Bascom House serves coffee and lemonade on the weekend for free! 3) I proposed to my, now fiancé, in the Gazebo by the pond. So clearly I'm bias. :) Prairie: There are lots of "Prairie" areas when you look at the map. They are beautiful representations of what Missouri looks like. Big open fields with massive trees and rolling hills. Glade: Once you hit the north side you'll find a Glade by the Meramec River. We made the mistake of not walking down to the river but I've been told this is an destination see .The glades have plenty of wildflowers and beautiful vistas overlooking the cavernous space. Wetlands: Yes, go see them. They're marshy and filled with plenty-o-birds, massive lily pads, and it has a leisurely boardwalk that traces the bodies of water. If you're lucky you'll spot some turtles and bullfrogs while you're here. We walked a total of 8-9 miles so I've seen a lot of the area but not quite all of it. I think if you take all the trails it totals to 14 miles. The visitor center is V helpful if you have any questions and you don't need to be a cartographer to forage these trails. Grab a map and get to steppin'!

    William B.

    Great location for photos and hiking trails. Visit on Saturday or Sunday during the summer or fall.

    Christine W.

    This is a beautiful place to immerse yourself in all the sounds, sights, and smells of nature. I visited the Shaw Nature Reserve for the first time earlier this month and I look forward to many more trips here. The reserve is only about a 30-40 minute drive from St. Louis, depending on which part of the city you live in. It costs $5 per person or free if you're a member of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. There's a visitor's center at the entrance where I spoke to a really helpful and passionate employee who pointed me in the direction of the daffodils (I wanted to take some photos) and recommended a hiking trail according to my preferences. There are so many trails here that I would image it could take a full day or two to really explore them all. The landscape varies from meadows to a gravel bar at the Meramec River to prairie to woodlands / forest with streams and ponds throughout. The hiking is fairly easy, although certain sections may be somewhat challenging for those who aren't in the best shape (for example the bluff outlook area). Restrooms, water fountains, and signage are all well-placed and very helpful. There are a few locations with tables where picnicking is allowed, although you're encouraged to bring water and snacks to eat on the trails (just clean up after yourself and don't you dare think about littering!!!!). What I love best about the reserve is the way it really showcases nature. Hiking there allows you to see how the plants and animals are in their natural habitat. Don't get me wrong, I love the Botanical Gardens with its manicured lawns and flowers and trees, but there's just something special about seeing the world as it naturally is, you know, without too much human intervention. It's really worth the trip out there to check out this place. Make sure to wear comfy shoes and bring water. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

    Wildflowers, Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit, Missouri, USA, June 2016
    Sue T.

    Wonderful natural area for walking and birding. Miles of trails go through varied topography of woodlands, prairies, hills, small lakes, and along the Meramec River. I took a sunny walk from the Brush Creek bridge to the Sod House through meadows filled with tall grasses and wildflowers, and saw a nesting pair of Orchard Orioles, Red-Headed Woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebirds, Common Yellowthroat, and Eastern Meadowlark. Several buildings on the property house a visitor center and classrooms. It would be easy to spend half a day or more here.

    Jon D.

    Excellent place for a beautiful hike. I spent the morning hiking the Wolf Run and Wetlands trails. The entire area is perfect for nature and landscape photography. The two trails together are a moderate 3 miles in length and on very flat ground. I can't wait to go back!

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    9 years ago

    Stunning! Great walking trails, and even nice to drive through. Cute little gift shop too.

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    Ask the Community - Shaw Nature Reserve

    Review Highlights - Shaw Nature Reserve

    The landscape varies from meadows to a gravel bar at the Meramec River to prairie to woodlands / forest with streams and ponds throughout.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Augusta Winery - Inside the Augusta Winery

    Augusta Winery

    4.2(46 reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $$

    My friends and I visited here for the second stop of our winery day. We shared a sangria pitcher,…read moreand it was pretty good! The ladies working at the counter inside were very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. We didn't get anything to eat, but I noticed they have a fridge full of ingredients for sale to make your own charcuterie board, such as cheeses, meats, and crackers. I would love to try their wine flight next time I visit! We absolutely loved the beautiful covered patio area. The surrounding views aren't necessarily anything special, but the grapevines above definitely make up for it! There's plenty of seating options for small and large groups. We also enjoyed their live music. When we were ready to move onto our next stop, the trolley shuttle picked us up right outside the entrance of Augusta Winery.

    We spent an hour browsing the adorable winery while waiting for the tour bus. It made an impact…read morewith all of us as soon as we walked in. The atmosphere was light and fun with many people at the bar or browsing. They appeared to have a nice selection of wine as far as an occasional wine drinker could tell. Service was wonderful and the staff were friendly, knowledge and professional. The interior has a rustic, comtempory vibe with a large u-shaped bar. The sample line was busy and the bar seats were almost full too. High top cocktail tables were scattered throughout. There is a refrigerated case filled with all types of cheeses and meats for a nice picnic or Charcuterie board at home. It's helpful having two entrances into the building. It cuts down on the congestion and it quickens the turnover. The side entrance opens up to a beautiful view of Mount Pleasant Estates. Everthing on the grounds is pristine including the stunning statues of a mare and colt. They have an excellent map of everything on the estate and the map is extremely legible. Today, they were set up for an outdoor wedding with a gorgeous view of the hillside. The white arbor and chairs were attractive even without guests against the green grass and the lovely landscaping with the sun starting to set. If you are touring winery's, add Augusta Winery to your list. They have several Winery in Augusta. Maybe plan to take the cruise of the Mississippi River before or after the cruise. Augusta is an adorable little, cozy town.

    Photos
    Augusta Winery - Vintage cars

    Vintage cars

    Augusta Winery - Large parking lot across from the Winery with beautiful scenery.

    Large parking lot across from the Winery with beautiful scenery.

    Augusta Winery

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    The Landing Hub

    The Landing Hub

    4.8(5 reviews)
    4.4 mi

    We came here for a wedding and it exceeded every expectation…read more For the past couple of years I've skipped destination weddings. I have a four-year-old and a two-year-old so it didn't seem really feasible to bring them and my husband definitely didn't want me to leave them. I decided this was the year we would travel. Our majority of travel is to different Disney resorts, so we are pretty well-versed in hotel rooms. This beats them hands down. First, this place is VERY family friendly. We stayed in a Boxcar room and it was perfect. There was a bedroom separate from a living room. In the living room there was a small kitchen that even had a dishwasher and microwave. I realized in our room they even had children's plates and utensils that were unbreakable. Can I point out how rare it is for a room to have a microwave? Mini fridge, yes, but I always found it ridiculous that I could easily keep my food cold, but can't heat it up. I loved having a microwave. The tv connects to Disney plus, Netflix and Hulu. Disney plus was all we needed to keep our kids happy. The AC was easily adjustable and there was one in the front room and the bedroom. Then let's talk about the Landing Hub itself. It is super cute and you can tell the owners poured love into it. There are little booklets everywhere that tell you about the decor and the meaning behind it. In the main communal area there is a pool table, ping pong and tons of trucks/legos. We spent over an hour with the boys playing with the toys every morning. They threw a fit when we made the leave to go to the zoo and Cardinals game on different days. It was pretty relaxing just sitting enjoying coffee while they played around our feet. They're pretty rambunctious kids so having all that space was very helpful. The Landing Hub also has a table with information about nearby attractions. My kids love Monster Trucks so thanks to the table (and information from the owner) we learned that Bigfoot is less than 10 minutes away! We stopped by on our last day and met the driver. That was a fun surprise. My son says that was his favorite part of the trip. We were here for a wedding, which was a ton of fun. We knew everyone we ran into was there for the wedding so it was like one big family reunion. I didn't really know anyone other than the bride, since we are friends from over 10 years ago, so it was great knowing immediately that anyone I ran into was there for the wedding. That was such a fun part of the wedding. Then the wedding itself was beautiful. They set up the ceremony on the patio and the reception was both inside the communal area and outside. This place is only 35 minutes from tons of fun kids things like the STL zoo, Grants Farm, Magic House and the Science Center. I did look up hotel rooms in the city to try to decide if we wanted to stay downtown some nights. A double queen was comparable in price to the suite we got (with much less space) and downtown you have to pay for parking. Although driving in I was a little nervous, I felt very safe the entire time we were here. The only downside is there aren't many food places close by, but we would grab food when we were in STL and bring it back, since it was so easy to refrigerate and heat back up. The owner is super nice. She gave my kids some Bigfoot memorabilia (which I think has now started their obsession with Bigfoot). I love supporting small businesses. If you're thinking about staying here, just do it. You won't regret it. It's also super clean. The owner loves checklists (I saw her checklists all over the place) and the one for cleaning is super comprehensive. Seriously cleaner than my house even.

    Amazing facility's for any and all family gatherings, weddings, aniv, pool, and fire pits! Dog…read morefriendly and a clean easy and inexpensive place to stay for a night or a month. Love it!!!! Mike

    Photos
    The Landing Hub
    The Landing Hub
    The Landing Hub

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    Shaw Nature Reserve - gardens - Updated May 2026

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