There must be hundreds of Lewis & Clark Hiking Trails between St. Louis and the Pacific Northwest, commemorating the excursion of those adventurers. One of these is an 8 mile loop at Weldon Spring Conservation Area, on the north wall of the Missouri River Valley, in St. Charles County.
We limited our hike today to a 2 mile section of that loop (4 miles roundtrip) that runs along a ridge top to broad views of the Missouri River (see photo). The large access lot for this trail is on the south side of Missouri 94, a few miles west of Interstate 64.
An additional treat on this road trip was travel along Missouri 94 as we headed westward back to Columbia. This paved, 2-lane highway jogs between the River Hills and the broad, flat floodplain of the Missouri River, passing river towns, vineyards, wineries, tree farms and ranches en route. We recommend this scenic road for those wishing to avoid the congestion and monotony of Interstate 70.
See also: Up River with Lewis & Clark (and the three posts that follow it)
