Here for Exploration
“This is an adventure.”
- Steve Zissou
One of my favorite movies is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. In it, oceanographer Steve Zissou (played by Bill Murray) sets out on an epic quest to avenge the death of his crew mate and friend, Esteban, who died at the hands (fins?) of what Zissou describes as a jaguar shark. After assembling an eccentric group of individuals—including a man named Ned who believes he’s Steve’s son (Owen Wilson, of course) and a pregnant journalist (Cate Blanchett) who becomes the subject of both Ned and Steve’s affections—Zissou sets out on his adventure.
I don’t want to spoil anything for you just in case you haven’t had a chance to watch The Life Aquatic in the 16 years since its release, but I will tell you that this journey includes love, loss, unexpected changes of plans, and plenty of adventure. Also Jeff Goldblum.
“Maybe we adventure.”
#amyshereforthis
Why am I telling you this? I don’t know, really. I like the movie, for starters. You should watch it. Also, I guess I feel like 2020 is kind of The Life Aquatic. We’ve encountered so much loss, individually and corporately. The pandemic has ruined lots of plans, taken thousands of lives, and in the midst of it all, we’ve been fighting our own personal battles just trying to keep our heads above water. In my own life, this time has been marked by heartbreak: my third pregnancy ended in a devastating second trimester loss in early May. The past several months have been heavy to say the least. So what do we do in the face of loss and heartbreak?
Maybe Steve Zissou was onto something.
Maybe we adventure.
Now, I’m not suggesting you set out to wreak aquatic havoc in a submarine and hunt for an elusive creature. I guess if Bill Murray invites you along to do that, you should probably say yes, but that honestly seems pretty unlikely. Do you even know Bill Murray? Does he embark on ocean adventures in real life? Probably not. Maybe, instead, you find adventure somewhere more attainable. Might I suggest the greater St. Louis area? I’m willing to bet there are lots of places you’ve yet to explore.
“I’m willing to bet there are lots of places you’ve yet to explore.”
#amyshereforthis
While COVID-19 has raged on in our nation, many of the usual places my family frequents for entertainment have been closed or harder to visit. Playgrounds are surrounded by caution tape, splash pads turned off, the zoo requires advance planning for tickets, and indoor spaces bring safety concerns. After a couple months of sticking close to home, we grew restless and realized we needed to broaden our horizons to make it out of this pandemic without going completely crazy. And you guys, there are SO many fun spots near St. Louis that I’d never even heard of! Thanks to some Google searches, All Trails research, a couple of nice middle-aged ladies on a hiking trail, and the purchase of an excellent book called Best Hikes With Kids: St. Louis and Beyond, my family has enjoyed a ton of time outdoors adventuring in new places. Today, I’m going to share a few favorites with you.
Don Robinson State Park
My husband Joel and I visited Don Robinson State Park with our two year-old son, Oliver while our four year-old, Eloise had a weekend visit with her grandparents. One of the newer state parks, Don Robinson is beautiful and a popular spot for hiking. We hiked the Sandstone Canyon Trail with Ollie in the carrier. It was about 4 miles, with lovely forest views and, as you may have guessed, a canyon.
Longview Farm Park
My friend Lauren and I went to Longview Farm Park in Town and Country one morning last week. This park has paved trails through a wooded area with a nice pond in the middle, but the real draw for our kids was the horses. We saw them in the pasture at the beginning of our walk and again near the barn as we finished. There was also a little fairy garden on a stump next to the barn and Oliver kept calling a white-haired gnome “Dad,” which made me both laugh and consider taking him to the eye doctor because my husband is 6’5 with very dark hair.
Hughes Mountain Natural Area
Joel happened upon Hughes Mountain Natural Area on All Trails a while back and was excited to plan a family hike there. The trail is about one mile to the top of the mountain, with the rock formation at the top called Devil’s Honeycomb. I expected steep climbs, but most of the trail was a normal, wooded Missouri trail. Around ⅔ of the way to the peak, the trail opened up out of the woods and had beautiful views to the top. Our four year-old was able to do this whole hike herself and had a blast climbing over rock formations on the way to the peak. We carried our two-year old for a little over half of it. I’d never heard of Hughes Mountain before and was surprised the incredible view. One thing to note is that there are no bathrooms or water available, so be prepared to pee in the woods and bring plenty of water. At just about an hour and 20 minutes from the city, it was perfect for a fun family morning!
Bluff View Trail
I found Bluff View Park in the hiking book I mentioned earlier and decided to take the kids to check it out. Located in Wildwood, this trail is a popular spot for mountain bikers and other hikers. The Bluff View Trail is a 2.5 mile out and back trail, but there’s a really lovely overlook over the Meramec River about half a mile in. This was perfect for my kids—we hiked to the overlook, enjoyed the view while eating a snack, then meandered back to the parking lot for a picnic lunch. This trail also connects to the Al Foster Trail near its end, so a longer hike with more river views would be pretty easy to do here. I’m planning to return sometime for a trail run here!
Sherman Beach Park
While on our hike at Bluff View, we ran into some ladies at the overlook. They told me about Sherman Beach, an area just a bit down the river from Bluff View, and said I should take the kids there sometime. I was honestly hesitant to share this one with you, because we went and it wasn’t crowded and it was lovely and I want to keep it a secret. But considering I already posted a photo on my Instagram story and because I really want to inspire outdoor adventure and prove my point that there are lots of places near St. Louis people haven’t heard of, I’m going to let you in on my Sherman Beach secret. From my house in Tower Grove South, it took about 40 minutes to get there. From the parking lot, we turned left on the trail and walked for a minute until we saw some paths leading down to the beach. The “beach” is a large, open, rocky area on the Meramec River. The water where we set up didn’t get more than thigh-deep on me, so it was perfect for my kids in their Puddle Jumpers. They had a blast splashing, swimming, and collecting rocks and shells. As far as weekday entertainment goes, it was pretty perfect. We plan to go back as a family tomorrow so I can report back on Sherman Beach’s weekend popularity. Or…meet us there and find out for yourself!
Honorable Mention
Other places we’ve enjoyed include LaBarque Creek Conservation Area, Sam A. Baker State Park, Hawn State Park, Suson Park, Lower Meramec Park (great for stroller runs!), and our favorite spots like Forest Park and Tower Grove Park.
A few tips before I leave you to explore:
- Make sure to pack sunscreen, bug spray, a first aid kit, and research ahead of time to decide on the appropriate footwear!
- Get comfortable with peeing in the woods or behind large boulders.
- If you’re hiking with kids, encourage them by commenting on their sense of adventure, bravery, etc. Also, associate some sort of fun treat with the end of a hike, walk, or run. My kids always get a sucker when they finish a big hike or are patient in the stroller while I run. In the colder months, we do hot chocolate! Knowing a treat is waiting for them at the end of the trail can help them push up that last big hill or long stretch of trail.
- If you’re visiting a new place, make sure to download maps of the trail or bring a printed copy along. Many of these natural areas have spotty phone service.
Alright friends, I’ll leave you to it. Get out there and hunt down your metaphorical jaguar shark in the name of adventure. Have fun, be safe, and if you happen to meet Bill Murray on the trail, be sure to let me know.
“Get out there and hunt down your metaphorical jaguar shark in the name of adventure.”
#amyshereforthis