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Best Riverside Hikes in Missouri

The directory currently contains 7 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Missouri. Their average mapped distance is 12.3 km and average recorded ascent is 209 m (686 ft); the longest route in the set is 53.4 km.

This subset represents 9% of the 74 quality-checked routes in Missouri. Its average distance is 12.3 km, compared with 18.3 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 209 m (686 ft), versus 116 m (381 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the river tag. The tag does not establish how much of the mapped line follows water or whether crossings are safe. Within this set, 2 routes (29%) are rated easy, 1 (14%) are rated hard or expert, and 3 (43%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

1.3 km

Pa-Huska Nature Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

19 m

Pa-Huska Nature Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

3 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Expert

Missouri · United States

Distance
53.4 km
/ 33.2 mi
Elevation gain
550 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • River
Moderate

Missouri · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
98 m
Typical duration
1 hr 2 min
  • River
Easy

Missouri · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
54 min
  • River
Easy

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Typical duration
20 min
  • River

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Cedar Creek TrailMissouri53.4 km550 m13 hrExpertApril to October
Piney Creek Wilderness Area LoopMissouri12.3 km424 m3 hr 12 minModerateApril to October
Spring Creek Gap Conservation Area TrailMissouri9.8 km297 m2 hr 30 minModerateApril to October
Pa-Huska Nature TrailMissouri1.3 km19 m18 minModerateApril to October
River Bluff Nature TrailMissouri4.2 km98 m1 hr 2 minModerateApril to October
Goddard River TrailMissouri3.8 km75 m54 minEasyApril to October
Owl Creek TrailMissouri1.6 km0 m20 minEasyApril to October

Cedar Creek Trail, Piney Creek Wilderness Area Loop, Spring Creek Gap Conservation Area Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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