Lone Elk County Park - Saint Louis County Missouri
Castlewood State Park - Missouri State Parks
Castlewood Loop Trail - Missouri State Parks
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 38.53089, -90.54310
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| White Bison Trail Parking |
TRAIL MAP:
Lone Elk Park Trail Map - Saint Louis County Missouri
Trail Map - Castlewood Loop - Missouri State Parks
HIKE DISTANCE: 9.4 miles
THE HIKE:
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| This is a park where you hike among free roaming elk and deer. |
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| It's like a big bowl with a lake at the bottom and trails weaving up and down along the sides of the bowl. |
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| I have always only seen one red-headed woodpecker in each of MO, IL, OH and NJ. |
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| This guy was just pecking away and looking very handsome. |
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| And then there was another. |
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| And another. |
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| And another. There must have been a dozen red-headed woodpeckers. |
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| Coming up on this structure I asked (out loud) if mama goose up there had actually thought this through. |
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| Oops |
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| Coming up on the park road crossing ... |
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| ... there they were and the elk instantly laser focused on me. |
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| There were several right on the trail where I needed to go so I backed away and waited. |
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| They finally dispersed enough that I could continue on but I had eyes on me the whole time. |
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| Hanging a right on the park road to pass this obervation tower ... |
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| ... and exit over this grate that allows cars in and keeps elk in. |
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| A hard left after the grate leads to the Chubb Trail where, oh joy, I had found myself in a race. It's really annoying hiking in a race but it wasn't for very long. |
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| After crossing the railroad tracks ... |
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| ... the Chubb Trail and the race turned left and I was going straight into peace and quiet... |
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| ... to the Castlewood Loop which is a separate section from Castlewood State Park on the other side of the Meramec River where all of the people are. |
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| At this sign the trail splits into a loop. |
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| Views of the Meramec River. |
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| I passed this trail and had to backtrack but worth it for the views. |
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| Zooming in to the crowded main part of Castlewood State Park the other side of the river. |
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| Heading back to the trail. |
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| One last viewpoint ... |
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| ... before the trail leads away from the river. |
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| Coming back up on that sign where the loop started, left to retrace on the Chubb Trail. |
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| Encountering some horses. |
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| And back into the race. |
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| Coming up on the observation tower ... |
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| ... and making a hard right ... |
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| ... over the grate back into Lone Elk Park. |
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| There were no elk to be seen where I had encountered them previously. |
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| They had been here. |
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| Seems they are fed along the road so people driving through can see them. |
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| White-breasted Nuthatch |
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| Ahhh, there they are in the distance. It's later in the day so it must be nap time. |
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| Finishing the White Bison loop back at the parking lot. |
