St. Louis: Fern Hollow Goat Cliff Loop
On this 6.8-mile loop, you'll find reclaimed prairies, sacred Indian grounds, and scenic overlooks of the lakes and rivers surrounding St. Louis.
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Mapped by Bill Yearout
Trail Facts
- Distance: 10.8
Waypoints
GCL001
Location: 38.9728584289551, -90.5423736572266
Start with stiff climb N on Hickory Trail, then flatten out and parallel ridge E to blufftop
GCL002
Location: 38.9790802001953, -90.5302276611328
R @ Y onto Fern Hollow Trail; path ducks under overgrown sections
GCL003
Location: 38.9743690490723, -90.5281372070312
Reach bottom slope of ridge; wind through watercourses back to crest
GCL004
Location: 38.9797592163086, -90.5176467895508
L @ Y; ahead, cross road (stay with Fern Hollow Trail)
GCL005
Location: 38.9814796447754, -90.5312728881836
R @ T onto Hickory North Trail; downhill into ravine and up again
GCL006
Location: 38.9800109863281, -90.5380172729492
R @ T onto Hickory Trail; pass CCC-built Twin Shelter. Views open S over St. Louis and the Gateway Arch soaring over the Mississippi River
GCL007
Location: 38.9788513183594, -90.5409317016602
R @ Y; pass Twin Mounds, a prairie maintained via prescribed burns and ringed with bluestem (IL state flower), Indian grass, sunflowers. Great for fall color viewing, too
GCL008
Location: 38.9786796569824, -90.5429000854492
Pass McAdams Peak Shelter and turn R onto Goat
Cliff Trail
GCL009
Location: 38.981029510498, -90.5432968139648
McAdams Peak is on an ancient Illini Indian burial mound. In the late 1800s, a Smithsonian dig led by archaeologist William McAdams uncovered 100 skeletons. Enjoy vista of Illinois River, grain elevators rising like skyscrapers. Descend on Goat Cliff Trail around E side of hill
GCL010
Location: 38.9840812683106, -90.5428924560547
Head S above Eagle Lake and by Goat Cliffs
GCL011
Location: 38.9735908508301, -90.5444488525391
Bottom out @ Goat Cliff trailhead and hike .1 mi. E back to vehicle