My cousin Heather and I along with two dogs decided to take on the Lewis and Clark trail in Weldon Springs MO. We chose an exceptional nice day in February when it climbed up into the low sixties and the sun was shining bright. You have the choice of two trails one is 8 miles and the other is five miles. We chose the five mile and off we headed. The trail heads are marked Lewis or Clark and every now and then a marker is planted to remind you where the trail is. We crossed through an open plain and followed the trail over a creek and for the first mile or so we never saw another soul. The ground was hard and bits of ice could be seen here and there.
Eventually we started to see hikers coming towards us and we would ask how close are we to the river bluffs. The web site said there is a spectacular view of the Missouri river along the bluffs and a modest climb here and there.
Somewhere about the first hour into the hike we came across the mud. My assumption is the ground had being frozen the past few weeks and this sudden warm day started to thaw everything out.
I was walking my pals pit bull Sadie and she was like having a small engine pulling me through the muck and mire.
At long last we could see the river peeking through the trees and a vista soon appeared that makes every moment of the hike worth it.
You will find several small overhangs along the bluffs where you will find and outstanding a view of the river.
We stopped to take some pictures and enjoy the view knowing we still had two or three miles to walk back. Here’s where the challenges came in. The mud was now thick and filled with puddles and we crossed several long tricky passages where one really had to watch their step.
One or two hills that I would not think of twice about, now brought us to a crawl because of the thick mud. Still along the way we met several hikers all very cheerful and sharing info about the mud or how much further to a nice view.
Three hours later we arrived at the parking lot where we had started and I was left wondering how nice this would be if it was not muddy. I have heard the bugs can be harsh in the summer..I will find out because I can’t wait to try it then. As far as tips it goes without saying wait until the ground is dry. When I go back I will take a walking stick and bug spray. I’m sure I will go early and do the entire eight mile path. In spite of the mud I really enjoyed the trail. Plenty of changes along the paths to keep it interesting and a lot of history you read about later on around this area.
It might be a bit long for some people but I found it ideal for a day hike.
Peace and Love
We did Castlewood that weekend. We feared the mud. Have you ever been to Klondike Park? It's not from this trail and is very interesting. It was the site of an old silica sand mine. There are places where it looks like a snow scene even in July. We are blessed with some great day hiking trails here, yes?
ReplyDelete~k
Have not been to Klondike yet, I will look it up. Love the Chubb trail through Lone Elk and Castlewood. Your right Keith we are very lucky with all the trails near by.
ReplyDeleteAll the best !