Solo Hiking Rockywood Trail in Washington State Park | Hiking Missouri
Solo Hiking Rockywood Trail in Washington State Park | Hiking Missouri
Today I’m solo hiking Rockywood Trail in Washington State Park. Rockywood Trail is a roughly 6 mile loop trail featuring beautiful Missouri bluff views overlooking the Big River, the oak and hickory forest of the Washington State Park Hardwood Natural Area, and classic Missouri glades. If you’re looking for a Missouri hiking trail with multiple bluff views, Rockywood Trail is the hiking trail for you featuring 3 bluff views that are visible year-round.
Rockywood Trail
Type: Loop | Rate: Moderate | Traffic: Moderate | Distance: 6mi | Elevation Gain: 810ft
When using AllTrails this hike will start at a pull off about 0.3mi into the park. I would suggest instead parking at Thunderbird Lodge and starting there.
View this map in AllTrails.
Rockywood Trail at Washington State Park
Located about an hour south of St. Louis near DeSoto, Missouri, Rockywood Trail is a 6 mile loop trail (blazed in Orange) encircling nearly the entirety of Washington State Park. Portions of the trail converge with the Opossum Track trail and 1000 Steps trail as it passes along the dolomite bluffs alongside the Big River, winds through oak/hickory forest, and colorful Missouri glades. Along the trail hikers will experience beautiful bluff views and have an opportunity to visit petroglyphs, or rock carvings, from the Mississippian Native American culture dating back to 1000 A.D.
Rockywood Trail Trailhead
The trail begins in the parking lot of the Thunderbird Lodge which hosts a convenience store with souvenirs, ice and firewood, and watercraft rentals (open during regular park hours April - October, with limited hours November - March). The lodge was built by Company 1743, an African American company of the Civilian Conservation Corps, who developed the land after it was donated to the state for a park in 1932. Company 1743 also constructed the stone pavilion overlook (Overlook #4) and the stone steps which are now part of the 1000 Steps Trail which concludes this hike. Pass along the wooden bridge beside the lodge and begin the short 0.3 mile climb up the bluffs overlooking the Big River and valley below. There are three overlooks with Overlooks #2 and #3 featuring clear visibility year-round.
Where to see Missouri Petroglyphs
At the 4.8 mile mark you’ll come to a road after passing through a glade. Turn right on the road to take a quick detour to the Native American Petroglyphs Interpretive Site. This is a wood covered walkway that allows views of the petroglyphs, the largest collection of petroglyphs currently discovered in Missouri. It is open to the public year-round. Guided tours of the petroglyphs generally happen on Saturdays at 2 p.m. Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Rockywood Trail Review
Rockywood Trail at Washington State Park is a lovely Missouri hiking trail featuring everything you want in a Missouri hike: beautiful bluff views, wooded natural areas, classic Missouri glades, and interesting history. My only pet peeve is where AllTrails had me start and end the hike, but if you follow the custom Rockywood Trail map I created all of the points of interest will be spread throughout the hike. Rockywood Trail is probably best hiked during Fall, Winter, or Spring, but can be enjoyed year-round. Bonus! If you do hike in the Summer you can cool down in the Big River after your hike.
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Hiking Gear List
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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