Showing posts with label MO Weldon Spring Conservation Area. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MO Weldon Spring Conservation Area. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Weldon Spring Conservation Area, MO - Lewis & Clark Trail


ABOUT THE PARK:
Weldon Spring Conservation Area - Missouri Department of Conservation

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 38.69107, -90.72417

TRAIL MAP:
Weldon Spring Conservation Area Map - Missouri Department of Conservation
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HIKE DISTANCE: 5.7 miles

THE HIKE:
I had planned on hiking the 8.2 mile Lewis Trail Loop but ended up hiking the shorter Clark Trail Loop due to flooding.
There was no mention of this on the website, which I had checked because of flooding in the area.  There was also no mention of part of the trail closed due to bridge replacement which we discovered near the end.
Missouri River
The trail was flooded and impassable just before the Lewis and Clark split.  The only option was to backtrack.
But up higher beyond the flooded section, is that dry trail down there?
We bushwhacked steeply downhill and met up with the trail beyond the flooded out section.
All that flooding and here is a dry creek bed.
The shorter Clark Trail goes straight, the longer Lewis Trail goes right.  We turned right.
Ugh.  A few logs placed over the wet area made the crossing doable.  But a short distance ahead ...
... the trail was completely flooded out.  Turning back to take the Clark Trail instead.
The Lewis Trail joins back in from the right.
A short side trail went to this field where there were two turkeys that promptly took off.  They were somewhere way over on the far side.
Coming up on a bridge that was being replaced.  The men asked if there was no sign saying the trail was closed.  No there was not.
We ended up dropping down into the dry creek bed, going under the bridge and climbing back up to the trail. 
Back at the parking lot.