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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles
60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: St. Louis: Including Sullivan, Potosi, and Farmington
It's Time to Take a Hike in St. Louis! Mention St. Louis, and most people think of the famous arch. Residents and knowledgeable visitors appreciate the many outdoor recreational opportunities the Gateway to the West has to offer. With new hikes and updated text and maps, Steve Henry's 60 Hikes Within 60 St. Louis points hikers to the best outdoor trails and rambles within easy reach of the city. Whether walking in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, exploring amazing rock formation in the Pickle Springs Natural Area, or trekking along a portion of the longest rails-to-trails paths in the United States, hikers are sure to be amazed at the diversity of outdoor experiences awaiting them.
304 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 10, 2016
This book is what the title indicates: 60 hikes within 60 miles of St. Louis.
I bought this a few years ago when the girl I had just started seeing said she was into hiking. Turns out she wasn't so I've only done 10-12 of them to date.
The Good: This book is packed with information, from maps to descriptions to locations. I never would have found out about such cool places as the Castor River Shut-ins or the Little Grand Canyon without it.
The Not So Good: Some of the information isn't all that accurate. For one thing, the difficulty ratings seem off. For another, some of the directions are a little skewed. For example, if the location for the Castor River Shut-Ins was a little clearer, I could have shaved twenty minutes off my drive time.
The Thrilling Conclusion: If you live in the St. Louis area, this guide is a pretty good choice. All of the parks are in fairly accessible, if out of the way, locations. I would have liked more pictures and better directions but it's a great value for the money.
I bought this a few years ago when the girl I had just started seeing said she was into hiking. Turns out she wasn't so I've only done 10-12 of them to date.
The Good: This book is packed with information, from maps to descriptions to locations. I never would have found out about such cool places as the Castor River Shut-ins or the Little Grand Canyon without it.
The Not So Good: Some of the information isn't all that accurate. For one thing, the difficulty ratings seem off. For another, some of the directions are a little skewed. For example, if the location for the Castor River Shut-Ins was a little clearer, I could have shaved twenty minutes off my drive time.
The Thrilling Conclusion: If you live in the St. Louis area, this guide is a pretty good choice. All of the parks are in fairly accessible, if out of the way, locations. I would have liked more pictures and better directions but it's a great value for the money.
September 5, 2009
This book accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. It organizes state parks and conservation areas and trails by their vicinity to St. Louis (metro area, illinois, west/northwest, south, southwest), all of which are no more than 60 miles of the city. Steve Henry also includes directions to each location (and GPS coordinates), though they are as detailed as they could be, being short and often assuming you already know how to get to various interstates and the St. Louis area. The amount of hiking available in this relatively small radius (considering that if you take the interstate, the travel time is next to nothing) is absolutely breathtaking.
Each of the 60 hikes has a few pages dedicated to it. Steve Henry includes a (usually) comprehensive map of the trails, and does not let any useful information slide. Trail lengths, difficulty rating, traffic on the trails, scenery and exposure to the sun, trail surfaces, park hours... everything is at your fingertips. It lets you pick a trail that is within your level, choose whether you want rough or paved trail. Perhaps a more experienced hiker with a good knowledge of Missouri's trails will find the book pandering to beginners, but the guide offers a good mix of easy, medium, and expert trails, and even an experienced hiker might appreciate the information that the author provides. The index also helpfully splits trails up by what you might be looking for: length, scenic, even good trails for winter hikes. Along with each trail, there is usually one or two (or more) pages taht include a detailed description of the trails and the scenery and what to expect, along with a short history of the trail and surrounding area that I (as a history major) greatly appreciated!
It's hard to think of something the book is lacking. Park phone-numbers or websites would have been much appreciated for checking ahead for trail closings, but perhaps the author hopes that hikers will be conscentious enough to do this for themselves? Also, the read can only boast a few photographs throughout the entire guide, and only black-and-white photographs at that. I would have enjoyed more, but maybe the point is again to do it for yourselves and enjoy. I would imagine this concise and easy to read guidebook is imperative for anyone who wants to get into hiking in the St. Louis area and Missouri, beginner or otherwise!
Each of the 60 hikes has a few pages dedicated to it. Steve Henry includes a (usually) comprehensive map of the trails, and does not let any useful information slide. Trail lengths, difficulty rating, traffic on the trails, scenery and exposure to the sun, trail surfaces, park hours... everything is at your fingertips. It lets you pick a trail that is within your level, choose whether you want rough or paved trail. Perhaps a more experienced hiker with a good knowledge of Missouri's trails will find the book pandering to beginners, but the guide offers a good mix of easy, medium, and expert trails, and even an experienced hiker might appreciate the information that the author provides. The index also helpfully splits trails up by what you might be looking for: length, scenic, even good trails for winter hikes. Along with each trail, there is usually one or two (or more) pages taht include a detailed description of the trails and the scenery and what to expect, along with a short history of the trail and surrounding area that I (as a history major) greatly appreciated!
It's hard to think of something the book is lacking. Park phone-numbers or websites would have been much appreciated for checking ahead for trail closings, but perhaps the author hopes that hikers will be conscentious enough to do this for themselves? Also, the read can only boast a few photographs throughout the entire guide, and only black-and-white photographs at that. I would have enjoyed more, but maybe the point is again to do it for yourselves and enjoy. I would imagine this concise and easy to read guidebook is imperative for anyone who wants to get into hiking in the St. Louis area and Missouri, beginner or otherwise!
December 1, 2021
This is an excellent primer for hiking trails near the St. Louis area.
Areas explored include along the Missouri River where Lewis and Clark explored, in the Ozarks where you find amazing rock formations, or bushwhacking along the Meramec River.
Trails can be short hikes near St. Louis such as Castlewood State Park, Dr. Edmund A. Babler State Park, or Engelmann Woods Nature Area. Or they can be farther away and much longer such as Buford Mountain Conservation Area or Council Bluff Lake Trail.
The hikes in this book are not just in Missouri but also in Illinois.
I’ve returned to this book many times for information on the trails and the difficulty each poses.
Areas explored include along the Missouri River where Lewis and Clark explored, in the Ozarks where you find amazing rock formations, or bushwhacking along the Meramec River.
Trails can be short hikes near St. Louis such as Castlewood State Park, Dr. Edmund A. Babler State Park, or Engelmann Woods Nature Area. Or they can be farther away and much longer such as Buford Mountain Conservation Area or Council Bluff Lake Trail.
The hikes in this book are not just in Missouri but also in Illinois.
I’ve returned to this book many times for information on the trails and the difficulty each poses.
June 3, 2020
Bucket List
I'm making this my bucket list for 2020. My one concern is where does the 60 miles start because many of these are more than an hour away from StL.
I'm making this my bucket list for 2020. My one concern is where does the 60 miles start because many of these are more than an hour away from StL.
July 1, 2021
My go-to book for finding new hikes in the region!
September 10, 2009
Hiking last weekend put me in the mood to hike this weekend - nothing too major or strenuous, just discovering a beautiful area around STL.
I love the way this book is organized. You can search by length of hike, difficulty, find trails specifically good for winter hikes or hikes with kids or dogs. Love the amount of detail.
I love the way this book is organized. You can search by length of hike, difficulty, find trails specifically good for winter hikes or hikes with kids or dogs. Love the amount of detail.
July 13, 2014
Made my way through about half of the hikes and used this book as my guide and journal. Excellent recommendations and accurate descriptions of the hikes. Enjoyed the history and narrations.
March 16, 2013
Wondering if the difficulty level of the hikes are a little skewed. After all, what is an average hiker?
March 10, 2016
Hey how that you can see it back in general public relations betwee
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews