Hiking 4.2 Miles on the Grotpeter Trail | Castlewood State Park
Today Abby and I hike 4.2 miles on the Grotpeter Trail in Castlewood State Park in Ballwin, Missouri. Castlewood State Park is one of the most popular state parks in Missouri and the Grotpeter Trail Loop circles the entire park. This is the first trail we hit as we start exploring Missouri hiking trails; as far as St. Louis area hikes go, it wasn’t too shabby!
AllTrails Stats
Grotpeter Trail | Castlewood State Park
Type: Loop | Rate: Moderate | Traffic: Heavy
Length: 4.2mi | Elevation Gain: 360ft
Because we had to moved out of LA at the end of October we missed nearly all of the Missouri fall colors. Kind of a bummer coming from California which basically has no fall colors to beautiful Missouri only to miss everything by a couple of days. Even though we didn’t get to see the leaves on the trees we did get to walk on them on the trail, and I’ve got to be honest, there’s nothing better than walking on dry leaves!
Things to do in Castlewood State Park
Castlewood State Park is one of Missouri’s most popular state parks and is only located about 15min from where Abby and I are in Ballwin, Missouri. It sits next to the Meramac River and has several creeks running through the park which you can enjoy. As far as activities we saw other hikers like ourselves, trail runners, and mountain bikers on the Grotpeter Trail. If you’re a trail runner or mountain biker, this is a great trail to enjoy! There is ample parking and the park is pet friendly (dogs must be kept on a leash).
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Grotpeter Trail Review
Difficulty: Easy+ | Scenic Views: Minimal | Enjoyment: Solid
Honestly, Grotpeter isn’t the most beautiful trail I’ve hiked in Missouri, but it’s still a great time! If you head left at the trailhead hiking the loop clockwise your initial climb has some nice views of one of the creeks running through the park. There is no overall scenic destination, however. At least not that we found. I’m going to file this trail away as a great trail running and mountain biking trail, and activity trail that’s more about the doing than the view. Still though, a great trail for a day hike!
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And let me know in the comments what your favorite hikes are in the St. Louis area. Where should we go next?