Places to run

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Places To Run

Queeny Park - Nearly seven miles of trails that pass through a diversity of forests and meadows. Trails are open for walking, biking, horseback riding and cross country skiing. Trails in the south part of park are mostly asphalt while in the north they are chat surface. The trails are of medium difficulty with a couple of mild climbs. Popular weekend morning destination.

Creve Coeur Park - Four mile paved trail has become an increasingly popular venue for runners, bikers, and roller bladers. Non-challenging terrain but a good west county site to see and be seen most evenings and weekends. You can diverge from trail and explore upper park sections for more miles and the big hill. It is a scenic venue for running races and fun rides throughout the year as well.

Rockwood Reservations - Another west county destination offering three trails of varying surface. Here you get it all : dirt, gravel, asphalt, technically rock-covered, hard-pack, a nice tree canopy, and major hills. Principally frequented by hikers, no bikes or horses are allowed. Incredibly, its trail system is sparsely populated even during peak seasonal usage times. Some nice eye candy from high atop the hills make the climbs worthwhile.

Babler State Park - Typical far-west-county topography offered here, go vertical. Known to all who have done the Babler Triathlon, the park will give you all the hill repeats you care to take. Sharing the circling outer road or the park-bisecting inner road with cyclists is option one while two is exploring the paved trail network. Best place to park in summer is by the pool and during the winter up by park office.

Forest Park - Perhaps the most populous path in the metro area. Home to a diverse crowd of fitness seekers of all ilk. A better than 6 mile asphalt path follows the outer perimeter and offers some challenging terrain as well as long, flat stretches. It crosses several car intersections and discretion is advised. The park's interior roads and trails provide enough alternative running routes to mix it up all summer and find all the miles you can handle.

Castlewood Park - Predominantly a mountain biker destination, the park's upper trail system can be steep and rocky while the river-level lower trails are generally dirt or mud. Some blind corners created by foliage in summer warrant keeping on your toes for MTB riders blasting in both directions. In my mind, not a premier running site and better thought of as another eventual notch on the running belt. Run it and form your own opinion.

Grants Trail - 10K of asphalt await you. This south county rail to trail conversion sees heavy use predominantly by those who live within close proximity. Very nice place to run despite the flat terrain and a few street crossings.

Katy Trail - As St Louis natives know, this is a rail-to-trail conversion. Essentially built for bikers, hikers, and runners, it has a crushed rock surface, consistently flat grade, and an unending number of miles ahead. Bikers can kick up a bit of dust during dry times. While many trail heads exist, two more popular local ones are the St Charles river front and Augusta, Mo. This cross-state artery passes through countless small communities where water is available, but in between, nada. Bring your own. There is occasionally interesting scenery, but mostly it is about the miles and miles and miles......

Jefferson Barracks Park A relatively short 2.7 mile trail lies here. This south county site hosts high school cross country meets and offers a fair amount of challenge given its abbreviated nature.

Pere Marquette State Park - Located along the great river road in Grafton, Illinois, this park offers approximately 12 miles of marked trails through lush forests and along towering bluffs. A great running location, even if it is a bit of a drive to reach. Take your bike and you can ride the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail to Alton. Completely paved, it is a challenging 40 mile round-trip, completing a heck of a 52 mile brick workout.

Chubb Trail - This 7 mile, point to point, connective pathway between West Tyson and Lone Elk Park requires planning to run, unless you opt for a shorter out and back. The supreme challenge is to do the 14 mile round trip. Water is only available at the West Tyson end. Carry as much as you can. A pocket full of gels is not a bad idea as well. This 14 miler encompasses river bottom land, tough climbs, hard pack, and very rocky footing at times. It can be brutal for the unwary. To say you ran it end to end and back is significant.