Here Are The 9 Most Incredible Natural Wonders Hiding Around St. Louis
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Sherrie Runge
Author
The great thing about St. Louis is the fact that it is a big city surrounded by miles and miles of peace and tranquility. From ten minutes to just a couple of hours, you can drive to many different amazing natural wonders.
The city life is great however, escaping the hustle and bustle and being one with nature is necessary to recharge internal batteries. Following are nine of the most incredible natural wonders hiding around St. Louis:
Right in the heart of St. Louis County is Creve Coeur Lake Park. The park is 2,145 acres. It is the largest park in the St. Louis County Park systems. Within the park is the largest natural oxbow lake in the state of Missouri. The lake hosts boat races and rowing competitions, among other things. You can enjoy everything from ziplining to paddle boarding. There is no swimming allowed in the lake. Creve Coeur Lake is truly a natural wonder around St. Louis and the fact that it is located in St. Louis County makes it truly unique.
Only 25 minutes from St. Louis, Mastodon State Park is known as the Kimmswick Bone Bed. The first solid evidence of the coexistence of humans and the American mastodon in eastern North America was discovered at Mastodon State Park. Mastodon offers several hiking trails with opportunity for a secluded nature experience. If you are hiking on a hot summer day you're in luck! A beautiful creek ideal for wading runs through the park offering relief on a hot summer day.
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Don Robinson was a spot remover salesman and owned the 843 acres now known as Don Robinson State Park until the day he died. He bequeathed the park to the State of Missouri and today it is one of the hidden wonders around St. Louis. The park offers sandstone box canyons, shelter caves, cliffs, glades, and upland and bottomland forests. It is only 45 minutes from St. Louis, making a day trip easy to accomplish.
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Washington State Park offers several hiking trails and many breathtaking views along the way. When you're done you can cool off in the Big River and enjoy many different water sports. Only an hour from St. Louis and well worth the drive.
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This absolutely breathtaking park boasts wet-weather waterfalls and unique rock formations carved from sandstone. The park is home to over 40 breeding bird species and supports over 400 native plant species. It is definitely one of the natural wonders around St. Louis. LaBarque Creek is only 40 minutes away, which is definitely a bonus.
Hawn State Park is an absolutely stunning park. Composed of clear sand-bottomed streams, wild orchid, and numerous exposed rock types, Hawn State Park is a true natural wonder. The park is known for its expansive amazing views and is a bird watchers paradise. Just an hour south of St. Louis, Hawn State Park is another natural wonder well worth the drive.
About an hour south of St. Louis you will find the world's largest fresh water dive resort. You can take a walk, boat, or scuba tour. Dive tours hit depths of 40-60 ft. The mine's water temperature remains 58 degrees all year providing diving opportunities 365 days a year. Bonne Terre Mines is truly an amazing natural wonder around St. Louis.
A little over an hour and a half south of St. Louis is the picturesque Castor River Shut-Ins. Covering 209 acres, the Shut-Ins are the only known pink granite shut-ins in Missouri. The shut-ins overlook the Castor River and offers awesome wade and bank fishing. The rock formations are 1.5 billion years old and truly a natural wonder.
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Our last natural wonder is a drive, but well worth the gas. In under three hours you can drive to Alley Spring from St. Louis. Alley Spring is the seventh largest spring in Missouri. Extended at least 3000 feet underground is the spring conduit. The spring water stays 58 degrees Fahrenheit. The area offers canoeing, swimming, tubing, fishing, horseback riding, and more. Alley Spring is absolutely breathtaking.
Any of the nine natural wonders surrounding St. Louis are a good choice when you need a break from your hectic life. Click here to read about another hiking trail hiding in Missouri that will transport you into another world.
What are other natural wonders surrounding the city? Feel free to add them to the list in the comments!
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