St. Louis Area Running and Walking Trails

GRANT'S TRAIL

TRAIL DESCRIPTION: The Grant's Trail (formerly the Carondelet Greenway Trail) opened as a rail-trail in 1994. This 8-mile trail, once part of the Missouri Pacific railroad line, enjoys very heavy use from runners, walkers, bicyclists, and rollerbladers. The trail passes through the southern neighborhoods of St. Louis . It goes by an urban and suburban area adjacent to undeveloped wetlands. In 1997, the trail was renamed Grant's Trail after President Ulysses S. Grant, who established the country's first National Park. The Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site is located in southern St. Louis County on 9.65 acres of land (between mileposts 5 and 6 of the trail). Runners can visit the Gateway Trailnet's office where Reavis Barracks Road meets the Grant's Trail (near mile post 1). The yellow brick building was formerly the Grasso Brothers Coal Company, a destination for the coal carried by the railroad's freight cars. In Fall of 2006 the trail was extended another 1.8 miles and now ends in Kirkwood making Grant's Trail a total of 8 miles of continuously paved running, walking and biking path.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Grants trail is a safe haven from the roads and provides runners and walkers a relaxing environment to workout without worrying about traffic and numerous street crossings. The trail is well marked and allows you to track how far you have traveled in each direction. It is easily accessible from the South County area with numerous places to park.

PARKING: Parking can be found on Hoffmeister, Reavis Barracks Road , Union Road , White Cliff Park, and Tesshire Rd. (see map)

TRAIL MAP (with suggested Parking areas)

DISTANCE: 8 miles (ALL paved as of Fall 2006!)
SURFACE: Asphalt
RATING: Easy

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Trailnet Inc.
3900 Reavis Barracks Rd.
St. Louis , MO 63125
314-416-9930 or 618-874-8554
http://www.trailnet.org