Discover the Best Outdoor Recreation in St Louis

Outdoor recreation in St Louis means scenic trails, snowy slopes and picnic spots for fitness enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.

Find Your Next Great Outdoor Adventure

Among the cityscape, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with nature and stay active in St. Louis. From flourishing public parks to exhilarating waterways and exploratory trails to downhill slopes, the region has enchanting options to create your next great outdoor adventure. Let’s dive in!

If you like to hike, bike, paddle, swim, ski and more, these local activities will take you off the beaten path.

Outdoor Adventures in St. Louis

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Can’t resist the call of the trail? Luckily, the region has hiking trails for all abilities. Forest Park offers excellent opportunities for outdoor adventures in St. Louis, but that’s a given. If you want to explore more of the area’s green spaces, here are our recommendations.

The River Scene Trail, a three-mile loop in Castlewood State Park, traverses a series of limestone bluffs overlooking the Meramec River before descending into the valley below via a long wooden staircase. While you’re at the park, you might want to explore the Grotpeter Trail, as well – and don’t forget to pack a picnic.

For other stimulating loop trails with similar lengths, try the Lime Kiln Trail in Rockwoods Reservation, which will get your heart pumping with a steep incline no matter which direction you hike it, or the White Bison Trail in Lone Elk Park, which combines twists and climbs with frequent wildlife sightings – think white-tailed deer, elk, bison, wild turkey and waterfowl.

Skip your spin class and pedal along St. Louis’ best bike trails instead.

Approximately 12 miles from start to finish, Grant’s Trail stretches through St. Louis County, offering a flat, carefree ride past Grant’s Farm, the Clydesdale pastures and more.

Staying in downtown St. Louis? You can easily access the Riverfront Trail via Washington Avenue or Chestnut Avenue through the Gateway Arch National Park. Part of the Mississippi River Greenway, the 15-mile family-friendly trail awards unique views of the industrial landscape along the river.

After the trees have lost their leaves and the brush has thinned, you’re more likely to see eagles, hawks and other raptors in St. Louis. Approximately 20 miles north of downtown St. Louis and three miles west of the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, Fort Belle Fontaine is a prime bird-watching spot.

The former U.S. military base sits on 305 acres of parkland, where you can hike four miles of trails through peaceful upland prairies and beautiful wetlands to look for feathered friends.

The Mississippi River gets a bad rap, but Big Muddy Adventures proves that it’s not only safe to paddle the river, it’s also a lot of fun. Whether it’s your first time paddling or you’re a bona fide river rat, the world-class adventure company has a trip for you.

Highlights include 45-minute micro-adventures through the heart of St. Louis; full moon floats to a beautiful, uninhabited river island in time for the sunset and a gourmet campfire dinner; and a combination biking and paddling trip in the Missouri River Valley.

Tucked into the scenic limestone bluffs along the Great River Road, Raging Rivers Waterpark is a kid’s paradise. Water slides, wave pools and lazy rivers combine to cool you off on scorching summer days.

Take toddlers to the Itty Bitty Surf City, sail down the Mississippi Monster with older kids and then relax in a rented cabana with an ice-cold drink.

At RYZE Adventure Park, thrill-seekers can climb to new heights. The state-of-the-art Adventure Tower features 110 different obstacles reaching four stories high.

People of all ages, abilities and adrenaline levels can climb, zipline, swing, ride, rappel and trek through the exhilarating jungle gym, but RYZE also provides entertainment on the ground with its 18-hole mini golf course.

Giddy up! You can experience one of the most unique outdoor adventures right here in St. Louis.

Horseback riding improves your coordination, boosts your cardiovascular system, increases your sense of well-being and takes most people out of their comfort zones, among other benefits.

Pere Marquette Stables, located approximately two miles north of Grafton, Illinois, on the Great River Road, provides strong yet sweet horses for trail rides from May through October.

Believe it or not, St. Louis has a thriving ski scene. Located in Wildwood, approximately 30 miles west of downtown St. Louis, Hidden Valley is a winter playground for adventure-seekers from near and far.

The resort has two peaks and 16 trails as well as state-of-the-art snowmaking machines to create the perfect base when Mother Nature has warmer plans.

In St. Louis, you can skate year-round. Parks with paved trails – think Jefferson Barracks Park, George Winter Park, Shaw Park and Tower Grove Park – are great for sunny days, and in winter, the fun doesn’t stop.

Both shaky skaters and seasoned professionals enjoy taking laps around the ice rinks in St. Louis.

Sledding on Art Hill in Forest Park is a rite of passage for St. Louisans and a must-do winter activity for visitors – if you’re here at the right time.

After it snows, people of all ages haul their sleds to the hill in front of the Saint Louis Art Museum, get in position and let gravity do its thing.

Uncover Missouri’s buried treasure beneath the rolling hills of the Meramec Valley. Meramec Caverns, the largest commercial cave in the state and one of the most awe-inspiring caves on the planet, boasts astounding formations, including glistening stalactites, towering stalagmites, an ancient “wine table” and a seven-story “mansion,” which were formed from the erosion of large limestone deposits over millions of years.

Trained rangers guide captivating tours along well-lit walkways to some of the rarest and largest cave formations in the world – they’ll also show you where an episode of Lassie was filmed in 1966.