Castlewood State Park

We took a hike on the River Scene Trail in Castlewood State Park the other day.  It's a keeper!  What a great hike.  The 3 mile loop took us up onto a bluff that overlooks the Meramac River and offered some nice views of the rolling hills.  The trail then went down next to the river to circle us back to the trailhead.  This one will be in our Falcon Guide and we highly recommend it.

Trailhead.

The views.

A Prairie Ring-necked Snake.

A hiking break.

Last weekend we took a short break from hiking to enjoy the AEE Heartland Regional Conference in Potosi, MO. It was a great time. Highlighted by Seth Warren's Keynote address and the Adventure Film Festival from Boulder, CO.

Next year's 20th anniversary of the AEE Heartland Region in Bradford Woods, IN should be pretty sweet as well.

You know that people at an AEE Conference are gonna play some games.

Spring Valley Trail at Cliff Cave County Park

The other day we went for a hike on the Spring Valley Trail in Cliff Cave County Park near St. Louis. A nice little 2.3 mile lollipop. For being so close to the city it was a nice hike, we are not sure if it is hiking guide worthy though. For example, we actually walked right along someone's backyard at one point and could hear traffic for almost the entire hike.

Any opinions by those who have been on it?

There is no shortage of Red Bud trees on this trail.

You gotta love the spring!

Not sure that I'd eat that one.

You Are All Invited!!!

We wanted to invite everyone again to the AEE Heartland Regional Conference.  If you're into bribes, we have donations from:

Keen
Headsweats
REI
Whole Foods
Restop
Chaco
Falcon Guides
National Geographic Maps
Leave No Trace
Going Green Promotional Products
Larabar
Oberle

Just to name a few.

If you can't make the whole Conference, then come for Saturday!  $70 to attend one day includes all meals and a chance to win items in the Silent Auction, to see the Keynote Speaker Seth Warren, and to watch the Adventure Film Festival!!!

This is a great opportunity!  Don't Miss It!!!!

Time to Hit the Trails!!!

We have taken a few days off to get caught up on some things like a book deadline and the acceptance of a FOURTH Falcon Guide book here in Missouri.  That's right, we are now working on Best Easy Day Hikes St. Louis, Best Hikes Near St. Louis, Best Easy Day Hikes Springfield, and most recently Best Easy Day Hikes Ozarks.

Keep an eye out for Best Easy Day Hikes Grand Staircase-Escalante and Hiking Grand Staircase-Escalante and Glen Canyon Region later this fall.

Hiking the "Goat Trail" in the Arkansas Ozarks