Sandstone Canyon Trail | Don Robinson State Park | Missouri
#sandstonecanyontrail #donrobinsonstatepark #stlouishikes
Today Abby and I hike 4.4 miles on the Sandstone Canyon Trail in Don Robinson State Park in Jefferson County, Missouri. Don Robinson State Park is an 800 acre park that lies within the LaBarque Creek Natural Area and was donated to Missouri State Parks in 2012 by St. Louis businessman Don Robinson, inventor of the stain remover OFF. We explore the beautiful sandstone canyons and the lovely woodland hiking trail.
AllTrails Stats
Sandstone Canyon Trail
Type: Loop | Rate: Moderate | Traffic: Heavy
Length: 3.9 mi | Elevation Gain | 498 ft
Our hiking stats are pictured. We generally do more miles on the trail than what’s marked because we wander and play around. Also I have to run back and forth to get the camera, LOL.
Don Robinson State Park opened to the Missouri public in 2017. The first thing you notice in the main parking lot is a funky hodge-podge of a building, which just so happens to be Don’s house. Expanding off of a one-room stone cabin built in 1928, Don began a building project in 1964 that never really ended. He would use recycled materials to add rooms and other nooks and crannies up until he passed in 2012. Unfortunately you can’t go inside the house as it’s fenced off, but just by seeing the building get the sense of the eclectic man Don must have been.
Sandstone Canyon Trail Review
Difficulty: Easy | Scenic Views: Canyons are the best | Enjoyment: 4 out of 5
Two trails in one! Don described his 800 acres as “wild and wooly.” Visiting at the end of November I think we missed out on the “wooly” parts of the trail, but it was certainly worth the trip. You’ll notice in the AllTrails map there are essentially two halves of the trail, each 2 miles, with a connecting trail in the center if you’d only like to hike one half. The northern half (left side) is where all the canyons are, is lower in elevation, and a bit more wooded. The southern half (right side) goes up in elevation and is all relatively open woodland. With no leaves on the trees it felt like we were almost in an open space. Not what you’d expect hiking through the Missouri woods.
Overall we had a great time hiking Sandstone Canyon. It really did feel like we hiked two different trails in one trip. Each half of the trail has its own distinct personality and vibe, but both are a great time. Thank you Don for donating your land to Missouri State Parks. Cheers!
Head to my Instagram to see more photos from our hike! @mshepjordan9
Now that Abby and I are solidly planted in Missouri, we’re going to explore all the St. Louis area hiking trails, all the best places to hike in Missouri, and share it all with you.
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