Home › Missouri › St Charles › Weldon Spring Lewis & Clark Hiking Trail
Weldon Spring Lewis & Clark Hiking Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 120 Google reviews · Running trail in St Charles, Missouri · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- 8 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Weldon Spring Lewis & Clark Hiking Trail'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.
Popular hiking area offering scenic overlooks and views of the Missouri River.
What runners say about Weldon Spring Lewis & Clark Hiking Trail
“The Lewis and Clark trail is a scenic trail providing a great opportunity for exercise, being out in nature, and beautiful scenic views.”
“I think this trail would be great for trail running, too.”
“The trail has plenty of shade and some beautiful places to stop with an amazing view.”
Great trail in excellent condition. Great views of the mighty Missouri River. Along with some good elevation changes makes this a fun trail
This trail is great. Beautiful scenery and views of the Missouri River. There were a lot of people there but it didn't feel crowded.
One of the best trails in the “Greater St. Louis” area. Beautiful land with plenty of variety in the terrain. You should expect to encounter mud most days but normally not too bad, the water/moisture/mud does stick around well after rain but don’t let that stop you.
This is my favorite hiking trail so far in Missouri. It is very, very long, and the trail is wide enough that you don’t have to worry about running into a spider web or anything like that (which is a very real concern on other trails). It is mostly shaded because you are covered by trees most of the time.
Trail conditions & character
“The Lewis and Clark trail is a scenic trail providing a great opportunity for exercise, being out in nature, and beautiful scenic views.”
“Initially planned for 5 Miles unfortunately ended up with 8Miles trail route.”
“It's only until the river overview that the trail gets abit steep.”
“Beautiful views, trail variations (ie rocks, tree roots, inclines,) and places to stop and picnic.”
“You can choose from a longer loop or a shorter loop about 8.”
“The trail has plenty of shade and some beautiful places to stop with an amazing view.”
Plan your run at Weldon Spring Lewis & Clark Hiking Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- Loop distance8 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
Hours
| Monday | 4 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 4 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 4 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 4 AM–10 PM |
| Friday | 4 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 4 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 4 AM–10 PM |
Running trails near St Charles
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Lewis and Clark Trailhead Weldon Spring Conservation Area
4.8 ★★★★★ 292 reviews
Scenic nature preserve featuring 5- and 8-mile wooded trails with river views and cliff overlooks.
Hamburg Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 8 reviews
August A. Busch. Memorial Conservation Area
4.6 ★★★★★ 973 reviews
Hiking, hunting & fishing within a designated 3,000-acre wildlife conservation area.
Busch Greenway Howell Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 213 reviews
Dog-friendly nature area offering biking, hiking and walking, plus restrooms.
Katy Trail - Weldon Spring Trailhead
4.6 ★★★★★ 141 reviews
Recreation area with a trailhead for biking along the Katy Trail and access to a boat ramp.
