Hiking Swimming Deer Trail at St. Francois State Park | Hiking Missouri
Solo Hiking Swimming Deer Trail St. Francois State Park | Hiking Missouri
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Today I’m hiking Swimming Deer Trail at St. Francois State Park just outside of Bonne Terre, Missouri about an hour south of St. Louis. Swimming Deer Trail may not offer the best bluff views in Missouri, but it is a Missouri hiking trail that offers several unobscured bluff views of the Big River. Combine that with an easily accessible gravel beach along the banks of the river and remnants of Missouri history throughout the hike, and Swimming Deer Trail is a great St. Louis day hike.
Swimming Deer Trail
Type: Loop | Rate: Moderate | Traffic: Moderate | Distance: 3.1mi | Elevation Gain: 357ft
If you are camping at the St. Francois Campground waypoint #6 offers another trailhead at the east end of the campground.
View this map in AllTrails.
Swimming Deer Trail at St. Francois State Park
The Swimming Deer Trailhead is located in the St. Francois State Park Campground area which offers basic and electric campsites for car-campers and RVers with a shower house and restrooms. The main trailhead is just behind the shower house. Pass by the woodland amphitheater where park rangers offer special programs on designated weekends and dive into the Missouri wood.
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Bluff Views at St. Francois State Park
I broke with my tradition of saving the bluff views for the end of the hike and headed right at the start of the loop portion of the trail to get to the bluff in the morning sunlight. On the way I was treated with a quick detour to a gravel beach along the banks of the Big River. Then it was a short climb to the top of the bluffs for the best views of the hike. There are two main overlooks at the 1.0 mile mark that offer unobstructed views of the Big River below.
Missouri History on Swimming Deer Trail
After soaking in the views I jumped back on the trail which begins to loop back around on itself as it dives into the white oak, black oak, shagbark hickory, and dogwood filled Missouri woods. At 1.5 miles the trail splits. Look to the right and you’ll see a lonely shed standing in the woods. This are the remnants of a historic saw mill.
At 2.2 miles you’ll notice peculiar wooden fencing along side the trail. Upon closer inspection the fencing is surrounding a metal grate which covers a deep hole in the bedrock. Looking around you’ll notice other shallow depressions in the land. These are the scars leftover from when the area was mined for lead. No significant deposits were ever found, but the evidence remains.
Swimming Deer Trail at St. Francois State Park Trail Review
At 3.1 miles, Swimming Deer Trail is a short, easy, and pleasant hike that is perfect for a St. Louis day hike or if you’re camping at the St. Francois State Park Campgrounds. The two overlooks over year-round bluff views and in the Summer the access to the Big River via the gravel beach is perfect for a swim. If you’re making a trip to St. Francois State Park, Swimming Deer Trail is a great family friendly hiking trail!
Hiking Gear List
Jacket -
Shirt - REI Co-op Sahara T-Shirt
Shorts - prAna Alameda Shorts
Underwear - REI Co-op Everyday Boxer Briefs
Shoes - The North Face VECTIV Fastpack FUTURELIGHT Hiking Shoes
Pack - REI Co-op Flash 22 Pack
Water Bottle - REI Co-op Nalgene 1L
Camera Gear List
Camera - iPhone 14 Pro
Drone - DJI Mini 2
SD Card - ScanDisk Extreme Pro 128 GB 200 MB/s
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