St. Louis, MO: Giant City State Park

Track 0

Distance: 9.81 mi	Points: 155	Calories: none
Total Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

GTC001

Location: 37.602970, -89.170479
The Red Cedar Trailhead is just west of the main campground area. Follow the trail sign arrow to the right to begin this counterclockwise loop.

GTC002

Location: 37.609336, -89.172592
The trail crosses Indian Creek on stepping stones several times in the next half-mile. The park's horse stable area is north of here: stay on the main trail bypassing north- and south-bound horse trails. The hiking trail is well marked with a white blaze and red dot.

GTC003

Location: 37.616815, -89.193020
After crossing the park road, a creek runs over a series of low sandstone shelves. Near the shore, look for moisture loving trees such as tulip, cottonwood, and sycamore.

GTC004

Location: 37.612600, -89.206066
Turn right @ the T-junction, where the hiking and horse trails merge. Stop to check out the multi-hued and heavily textured rock formations on the left. Decorated with mosses and lichens, some of these rocks have a strange-almost ghoulish-appearance.

GTC005

Location: 37.605309, -89.204849
During the wet season, the sounds of little waterfalls echo through the forest. Most of the falls are just a few feet high and many are partially hidden by boulder piles. Watch your footing as you cross over the top of this six footer.

GTC006

Location: 37.599117, -89.206764
Pitch a tent at the backcountry campground: the picnic tables, fire rings, and pit toilets are surrounded by bluebird houses mounted on posts, but there is no running water. In the morning, the park's wild turkey population may serenade campers. Gobbling all year long, these birds reach their zenith in April as hens prepare for egg-laying.

GTC007

Location: 37.597073, -89.208290
Kick off your shoes to ford this Drury Creek tributary, but watch your step: the submerged slabs of tilting sandstone are slippery. The creek is only 15 feet wide and 10-12 inches deep.

GTC008

Location: 37.588894, -89.213959
After crossing an open meadow, the trail weaves around huge sandstone chunks before climbing gradually east and north.

GTC009

Location: 37.590839, -89.202805
At mile 6.5, the trail crosses Shiloh Road, continue straight to the creek below a sandstone cliff. In the next mile and a half, the trail climbs nearly 300 feet to the trail's high point, 800 feet above sea level.

GTC010

Location: 37.581963, -89.181175
The trail's high point passes through park-operated farmland. The next 0.75-miles is a wooded, downhill trek north toward the trailhead.

GTC011

Location: 37.593361, -89.177918
The rugged terrain mellows to a wide, woodchip-covered trail. Concentrate on spotting wildflowers: daisy fleabane and white baneberry in spring and white trillium, butterfly weed, and wild petunia in summer.

GTC012

Location: 37.595829, -89.175018
It's worth bringing a fishing pole to this backcountry pond near trail's end. The park stocks fish in the pond--presumably to lift the spirits of hungry hikers.

Indian Creek

Location: 37.609642, -89.174027
Stepping stones ease the way across Indian Creek. &copy;<a href="http://www.tedvillaire.com"> Ted Villaire</a>

Sandstone Formations

Location: 37.616776, -89.192810
The sandstone formations, like these shallow steps are one of the park's defining features. &copy;<a href="http://www.tedvillaire.com"> Ted Villaire</a>

Ghoulish Rocks

Location: 37.612587, -89.206062
&copy;<a href="http://www.tedvillaire.com"> Ted Villaire</a>

Sandstone Wall

Location: 37.590664, -89.202522
On this sandstone cliff above an arm of Drury Creek look for ferns, vines of Virginia creeper and wild grape, and wildflowers such as partridge peaberry and French's shooting star. &copy;<a href="http://www.tedvillaire.com"> Ted Villaire</a>