Sept. 2007 - Volume 68, Issue 9
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In this issue
NextGEN Departments
Thirty Years for Missouri's Natural Areas continued...
Grand Bluffs Natural Area
160 acres in Montgomery County
573-884-6861
Towering bluffs of dolomite rock rise 300 feet above the Missouri River floodplain near the town of Hermann. Visitors can hike a 1-mile natural-surface trail from the parking lot to an overlook, or they can hike or bike along the KATY Trail State Park (800-334-6946) between mile markers 105 and 110 to see the bluffs from below.
Driving Directions: From the junction of Highways 63 and 54, north of Jefferson City, take Highway 94 east for 34.1 miles. Turn left on County Road 291 (gravel) and travel north 0.3 mile to a parking lot and trailhead on the east side.
Valley View Glades Natural Area
227 acres in Jefferson County
636-441-4554
Just south of the St. Louis Metro Area, near Hillsboro, are large open dolomite glades and woodlands that can be seen along the 2.5-mile natural-surface Valley View Glades Trail.
Driving Directions: From the intersection of Highway 21 and Route B in Hillsboro, go west on Route B for 4.5 miles to the parking lot and trailhead on the north side.
Pickle Springs Natural Area
180 acres in Ste. Genevieve County
573-290-5730
Sandstone waterfalls, canyons and amazing rock formations that can be enjoyed along the 2-mile natural-surface Trail through Time interpretive hiking trail.
Driving Directions: About halfway between Cape Girardeau and the St. Louis Metro Area. From the junction of Highway 32 and Route W in Farmington, travel east on Highway 32 for five miles, then east on Route AA for 1.7 miles to Dorlac Road (gravel). Turn north and drive 0.4 mile on Dorlac Road to the parking lot on the east side.
Weldon Spring Hollow Natural Area
385 acres in St. Charles County
636-441-4554
Rugged, wooded river hills rise over 300 feet above the Missouri River floodplain just 30 miles west of downtown St. Louis. Visitors to this area can hike either the 8.2-mile Lewis Trail or the 5.3-mile Clark Trail, both natural-surface trails. Hikers and bikers may view the bluffs of Weldon Spring Hollow from below by following the KATY Trail State Park (800-334-6946) between mile markers 56 and 53.
Driving Directions: Located within Weldon Spring Conservation Area. From Highway 40/61 at Weldon Spring, travel west on Highway 94, past Route D. Continue on Highway 94 for 1.1 miles past Route D and turn south into the parking lot and trailhead.
About This Article
Author
MIKE LEAHY is the natural areas coordinator for the Conservation Department. He and his wife, Carol Davit, and their son, Jamie, live in Jefferson City. They enjoy hiking, birding, botanizing, gardening and playing in streams.
Photographer
Department of Conservation photographer NOPPADOL PAOTHONG discovered his love and passion for wildlife photography in college in 1995. Born in Thailand, he came to the United States in 1993 to study graphic art before switching to journalism. He has worked as a full-time photographer at the Joplin Globe and the Springfield News-Leader, and has achieved more than 60 regional and national awards.
