We visited on a beautiful Friday evening for the (free!) Wildflower Concert Series. There was plentiful free parking and space to enjoy the live music as well as the beautiful natural landscaping and flowers. We brought a blanket, chairs and picnic dinner. There are shaded pavilions with picnic tables. There are "real" bathrooms. There was food and drinks available for purchase as part of the event. Staff were very friendly and helpful. We did not hike this visit but they have nice hiking trails. No pets allowed, except service animals. read more

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The nature reserve is easy to access off I-44. There is even a gas station at that intersection to get anything you might need before entering. At the entrance is the visitor's center which has bathrooms, souvenirs, educational materials, maps and where you pay the $5 entrance fee unless you're a MoBot member. They give you a token to allow the entrance gate to open. Within 30 seconds of being in the reserve, I saw a male cardinal and a red wing blackbird. Then I heard mourning doves. Later I saw a squirrel, Monarch butterfly, and a white butterfly. I spied Shortleaf pine trees, too. There are so many colorful wildflowers. If you have limited mobility the Whitmere wildflower garden is a good place to start. The parking lot is loose, small gravel and the path is a mix of packed and small loose gravel. Also the wetlands area has disabled parking and a .75 mile packed gravel trail to the boardwalk. Able-bodied folks have many trails with varying levels of difficulty to hike. Disabled folks can enjoy the view from the paved road and there are a few spots that are disabled accessible to enjoy nature up close. You can see quite a bit from your vehicle, where speed limits are 15 mph. Plan about 90 mins to 2 hours if you are doing the easier walks. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and bug spray. read more

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This is a beautiful place! So much to see! The trails are taken care of and grass is mowed near pathways for pedestrians. Staff is so friendly and the signs and labels make for an interesting yet educational experience. It is peaceful, yet still close enough to the city. The entrance into the reserve is also interesting! Using a the coin to enter is a nice touch for both safety and it's unique! read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

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Shaw Nature Reserve is a gem of Missouri. Great hikes and the nature is amazing! Make sure you check out the butterfly garden when it's the right season. read more

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! read more

Shaw Nature Reserve - The loveliest couple I had the pleasure of photographing. Best elopement ever! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Gray Summit, Missouri

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Always my go to hiking spot! Beautiful and well kept always! We have gone for many years and will continue to! Lots of good photo opportunities as well! read more

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. read more

Shaw Nature Reserve - Bascom house - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Gray Summit, Missouri

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. read more

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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'! read more

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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! read more

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

Shaw Nature Reserve - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Gray Summit, Missouri

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Everything... the trails the flowers all the special events just love this place and so relaxing. It makes you forget all the bad things going on in the world and it feels so surreal read more

My sisters and are senior birders. We had hoped that at peak migration The Preserve drive would offer a fine birding opportunity . The birds were there but the staff. . . What can I say. On every nature drive around the country I have been on the polite thing to do is pull over to allow cars behind you to pass. Not here. As we were informed by staff who stopped us, you are expected to move along and not " contribute to erosion by pulling over enough to let them pass". Okay. Got that. A littile while later we were stopped to tell us that you are not allowed to exit your vehicle except in the infrequent parking lots. NEITHER of these rules are posted anywhere or on the map. The speed limit on the 7 mile drive is 15 mph. Clearly you are expected to exit in 30 minutes more or less. We went very slow which was commented on by the staff who were apparently concerned by three gray haired ladies. We were checked on no less than 5 times. Only one other car passed us. The varied ecosystem yielded about 70 birds but I won't ever go there again. I have never been chastised for birding in any park, forest, or preserve before. and I don't intend be exposed to that again. To sat the least this is not what I expect from an organization whose mission statement says their goal is to engage people with nature. read more

The wife and I visited the Shaw Nature Reserve on a beautiful spring day. It was packed, but the are is so big, it really doesn't have much impact. This was my second visit, the first being maybe 12 years ago. The admission is $5 for non-members. it's easy to see what charging admission does for a place like this - they've done a lot of work on the trails isince my first vieit. The scenery is kind of ordinary Missouri prairie and woods. There were tons of daffodils toward the front of the park, and I assume as spring goes into full swing, there will be lots more foliage popping up that was placed by the Botanical Garden people. A couple of other points of interest were the restored 1800's farmhouse and a little sod cabin out in the middle of the prairie. The huge gravel bank along the Meramec River was also kind of cool and I'm sure will be quite beautiful once the leaves are in. It's a nice place to go for a long walk. The trails are good for beginners, mostly pretty flat or gently rolling hills. It will definitely be best in the fall. For us, there are other free trails that are closer to home and just as much fun, so we're not likely to return any time soon. read more

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. read more

Shaw Nature Reserve - Wildflowers, Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit, Missouri, USA, June 2016 - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Gray Summit, Missouri

I second the original high rating. The only drawback for me is the $5/person admission price BUT keep in mind that you could keep yourself busy here for an entire day so it's a cheap date/outing, to be sure. For those in need of some solitude, beauty, trails, and woods close by the city, Shaw Nature Reserve is IT! Mom and I visited mid-March and the blue bells were in their full glory, about a 1-1/2 mile hike in from Bascom House. Check with the visitor's center (to pay, of course, and) because they can tell you where to look for the latest blossoms. I'd like to return with bikes and a picnic to enjoy in one of the many bucolic fields. There are many gravel roads that you can bike. Note: you cannot bike on the hiking trails. read more

The Shaw Nature Reserve was amazing! There is no better way to experience forest nature near my home in St. Louis! It was a great experience and only about 20 minutes away! We took the river trail! It is a long walk, so make sure to bring water. It was NOT wheel chair accessible though. Overall, it was amazing! The kids loved it!!! read more

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! read more

Shaw Nature Reserve - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Gray Summit, Missouri

Omg! Have you ever been here? It's amazing! It's like stepping back in time...pristine, untouched. Hawks above, bluebirds in the trees. I'm here after a fresh rain and everything is shimmery and blooming for spring. I see tons of wildflowers. So glad I decided to do this today, it's about a half hour drive from Fenton. Lots of little antique stores to visit in Eureka too. I found a bench, I may never leave. read more

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

Extensive trails and rustic facilities highlight this beautiful area. Just south of I-44 you can get your fill of wildlife, trees, wetlands, and glades all in one place. read more

Beautiful nature reserve!!! Wonderful walking trails, parries, wooded areas, river, creeks, wetlands! Its just an amazing walking experience! Stop into the visitors center to get a custom map depending how much want to walk! I did 5 miles and saw a lot of stuff! Open every day from 7 a.m. til sunset! Located right on the corner of MO 100 (right off 44) and pinetum loop rd. (literally 1 minute off the highway). Friendly staff and expertly manicured, a must see for all those in St. Louis who have forgotten what nature looks like! read more

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First, let me say "Yes, there is a $5 fee for visitors" but if you are from St. Louis and the surrounding area, a membership to the Mo Botanical Garden (Shaw's Garden) in St. Louis will give you and a guest year 'round access to both Shaw's Garden and the Shaw Nature Reserve, free for a 1 year period. Children under 12 are free at the Nature reserve. There is also a yearly membership to the Nature Reserve available for $45. Money well spent, when you See what is available for your enjoyment and how well the money from those memberships is used in the maintenance of these beautiful places. At the Visitor Center, there is a great pocket map available, free of charge... I live near Shaw's Nature Reserve and hike there 4 or 5 days a week, year 'round... It is amazing to see the changing of the seasons from one to another... Right now, the Wildflowers are just starting their annual procession to their Full Glory... I can't wait to go back each time to see what will be blooming next... Historic Bascomb House is open to the public daily and, on weekends, coffee, hot chocolate, tea and an informative hostess to greet you are among the pleasures of a visit there... There is something for everyone there. Easy paths where families with children in strollers won't have trouble getting into the woods for their kiddos to enjoy nature at it's best. There are woodland trails, Prairie Grass trails Bluff overlook trails, a path along the face of a small cliff which overlooks the River Road from which you can access a sand bar on the Meramec River... Wetlands trails, Trails and overlook walkways through Glades which are being reclaimed and returned to their original condition... This place is one of Franklin Counties and even Missouri's Best Kept Secrets... A Wonderful place to take a solitary hike for your own peace of mind or for families to get away from computers and TV to spend some time appreciating the world around them... From the time I leave, I begin looking forward to the next time I can be there :) read more

It's very pretty, but what they don't tell you when you pay your entrance fee is that they've closed most of the roads, so you'll be limited in what you get to see. Want to hike the Wildflower Trail? It's a 3/4 mile hike just to get to the trail head. Want to see the observation blind in the wetlands? That's 3/4 mile in a different direction. It's very disappointing that they close the roads, and a bit deceptive that they don't warn you about it before you pay your money to get in. read more