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Cliff Cave County Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,189 Google reviews · Running trail in St. Louis, Missouri · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Loop distance
- 1 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Cliff Cave County Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Long limestone formation gated to protect bats, with natural grounds & river for picnics & hiking.
What runners say about Cliff Cave County Park
“Park is nice with paved trails for walking and hiking, I did not spend a lot of time there during to time limitations but I would say it was nice clean.”
“Beautiful trails have been made confusing by all the Mountain biking loops.”
“The trail offers ample shade, making it perfect for a comfortable stroll even on sunny days.”
Large park in South County that has great views of the Mississippi River. There are 2 parts to the park: an upper part connected to the Meramac Greenway and the lower part, which is the main part of the park.
This was a neat trail we just discovered. The roads are paved and wide. Good for bikes. There is also a significant mountain bike trail here. There are some great open views at lookout points. The whole place is easy to traverse. There are several loops from about a half mile, and a 4 mile loop.
Enjoyed the walk we took through the woods to the observation site overlooking the Mississippi. Wonderful place. The walking path is shared by horses and bicyclists, which was a bit of a surprise at first.
Great place to spend some quality time outdoors. Lovely hiking trails, paved or through the woods whichever you prefer. Plenty of parking at the bottom, just have to deal with a fairly active railroad crossing if you wanna walk up. Good views of the river and a very well-kept and clean park.
Trail conditions & character
“Very nice views and some of the trails are paved for a nice stroll with the kiddies, strollers, bikes, and skates are welcomed.”
“When you travel down Cliff Cave Rd, the first area you come to is the upper park that has some trails, both paved and unpaved that lead to a bluff view of the Mississippi.”
“There are well-maintained restrooms along the way, which is a definite plus.”
“Plenty of parking at the bottom, just have to deal with a fairly active railroad crossing if you wanna walk up.”
“There are several loops from about a half mile, and a 4 mile loop.”
“The trail offers ample shade, making it perfect for a comfortable stroll even on sunny days.”
“Very nice views and some of the trails are paved for a nice stroll with the kiddies, strollers, bikes, and skates are welcomed.”
Plan your run at Cliff Cave County Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- Loop distance1 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitestlouiscountymo.gov
- Phone(314) 615-4386
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–8:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–8:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–8:30 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–8:30 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–8:30 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–8:30 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–8:30 PM |
Running trails near St. Louis
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Arnold City Park
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Lake and riverfront spot for disc golf, picnics and playgrounds.
Bee Tree County Park
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Kid-friendly park featuring trails for hiking, picnic areas, playgrounds and a lake.
Bolm-Schuhkraft Memorial City Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 243 reviews
Clean, kid-friendly site with a playground and tennis courts, plus basketball, baseball and volleyball fields.
Meramec Greenway: Krumm Road Trailhead
4.9 ★★★★★ 35 reviews
Paved pathway for walking and biking, plus an earthen trail through the woods.