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Easy Hiking Trails near St. Louis

The directory currently contains 12 quality-checked routes matching this guide near St. Louis. Their average mapped distance is 1.7 km and average recorded ascent is 15 m (49 ft); the longest route in the set is 4.2 km.

This subset represents 71% of the 17 quality-checked routes near St. Louis. Its average distance is 1.7 km, compared with 4.9 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 15 m (49 ft), versus 48 m (157 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is rated easy by the directory’s distance-and-elevation model. The rating does not verify surface, exposure or current hazards. Within this set, 12 routes (100%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 2 (17%) 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

0.6 km

Dog Park Trail

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

Skunk Prairie Trail

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

Return logistics

2 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

Easy

Central Park Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
30 m
Typical duration
23 min
Easy

Riparian Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
38 min
Easy

Skunk Prairie Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
12 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Dog Park Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
8 min
Easy

Open Play Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
10 min
Easy

Beaver Bayou Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
17 min
Easy

Governor Bates Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
64 m
Typical duration
28 min
Easy

Old Hamburg Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
20 min
Easy

Owl Creek Trail

Missouri · United States

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

Fox Run Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
14 min
Easy

Gravel Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Typical duration
32 min

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
Central Park TrailMissouri1.7 km30 m23 minEasyApril to October
Riparian TrailMissouri2.8 km32 m38 minEasyApril to October
Skunk Prairie TrailMissouri1.0 km0 m12 minEasyApril to October
Dog Park TrailMissouri0.6 km9 m8 minEasyApril to October
Open Play TrailMissouri0.7 km13 m10 minEasyApril to October
Audubon Trace TrailMissouri4.2 km0 m52 minEasyApril to October
Beaver Bayou TrailMissouri1.4 km0 m17 minEasyApril to October
Governor Bates TrailMissouri1.8 km64 m28 minEasyApril to October
Old Hamburg TrailMissouri1.5 km13 m20 minEasyApril to October
Owl Creek TrailMissouri1.6 km0 m20 minEasyApril to October

Riparian Trail, Central Park Trail, Skunk Prairie 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

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

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