Posts Tagged ‘natural wonders’

See that speck of a tower at the top of the hill? The challenging hike up there, to Charbonier Bluff, is a one-of-a-kind North County delight.

If you think the Gateway Arch is tall, imagine climbing up it…plus another 25 feet. That’s what you get when you hike to the top of Charbonier Bluff, the 655-foot historical and natural wonder that remains one of North County’s finest treasures and best kept secrets.

For more than 1,000 years, “La Charbonniere” (meaning “coal hill”) has served as a familiar landmark along the lower Missouri River, playing an important role in the lives of early pioneers and Native Americans. It was here that St. Rose Philippine Duchesne disembarked in 1819, preparing to establish a Native American Catholic school.

In May 1804, William Clark (of the Lewis & Clark expedition) described Charbonier Bluff in his journal: “The next morning we set sail at five o’clock. At the distance of a few miles, we passed a remarkably large coal hill, called by the French ‘La Charbonniere.’”

Even before that – long before that – the bluff was considered a sacred place for Native Americans. Burial grounds have been found in several areas there, including beneath two mounds (similar to those in Cahokia, IL) dating to the Mississippian period, 800-1400 A.D.

A short paved trail at the base of Charbonier Bluff, in the St. Stanislaus Conservation Area

One mound was partially excavated in 1837 by students from St. Stanislaus Seminary, which once leased Charbonier Bluff and built several buildings on it, including a chapel directly atop the excavated mound. The ruins of that chapel and other seminary structures can still be seen today, if you look hard enough.

On the other side of the bluff, just east of where Charbonier Creek and the Missouri River converge, evidence of two Native American villages also remains – just one reason why Charbonier Bluff was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, largely due to the efforts of local resident Christy Love.

Most of the hikers who trek there probably don’t know that (or care), but that’s ok, because the bluff offers plenty of natural joys to see. In addition to lush woodlands, rolling streams and abundant wildlife at its base, if you can make it to the top of Charbonier Bluff, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views in nearly every direction.

I would post a photo of those views, including a gorgeous shot I took of downtown St. Louis, but I think it’s so much better if you earn it yourself. Both the journey and the destination are well worth the effort.

This is actually a great time to visit Charbonier Bluff, because the vegetation has died back, but be cautious if you go. During deer season, hunters are not uncommon in the surrounding river bottoms, and a portion of the bluff rests on private property, where trespassing is not appreciated. Please note that it is also illegal to disturb any of the archaeological sites.

Within St. Stanislaus Conservation Area, where most of Charbonier Bluff is located, you can enjoy 3.5 miles of gloriously primitive (and often steep) trails, some leading to the river, plus a half-mile paved loop trail, a small picnic area and dozens of nice, peaceful spots for fishing and bird watching. If you’re coming from Shackelford Rd, St. Stan’s parking lot will be about 2.8 miles down Charbonier Rd on the right. Just before it, on the left, is another small parking lot, which offers the most direct access to the bluff itself.

So what are you waiting for? Get hiking! And be sure to savor the view from one of the highest points in St. Louis County. Charbonier Bluff and the St. Stanislaus Conservation Area are open every day, 4am to 10pm.

Park in the lot across from this gate on Charbonier Rd, then take the trail that heads to the right, slowly winding your way up the bluff.

The proposed casino would occupy nearly 400 acres of wetland directly adjacent to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.

At last night’s St. Louis County Council meeting, the council voted 4-3 to approve zoning changes for the proposed Riverview Casino at Columbia Bottom. At least twenty people, many representing larger groups, spoke in opposition to the casino. Two people, both representing unions, spoke in favor.

Many local residents also called the council prior to the meeting to express their disapproval of the project. The clerk I spoke with said her “anti-casino” list was quite long.

Despite that, and the fact that Columbia Bottom represents a genuine opportunity for North County in terms of eco-tourism, all three NoCo reps – Mike O’Mara, Hazel Erby and Kathleen Burkett -  voted YES on the casino project. Florissant mayor Bob Lowery has also come out in favor of it, citing the need for more (low-wage) service and (temporary) construction jobs.

Thankfully, it’s not a done deal. The casino developers still need to clear environmental regulations, address floodplain issues, and secure a state gaming license…in a state where no more licenses are available.

The new visitor center at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, part of $25 million already invested in one of NoCo's most exceptional natural areas

I wrote about the proposed Riverview Casino a few weeks ago, and how I and many others believe it’s a bad idea for North County. Well, it all comes down to Tuesday night, when the St. Louis County Council votes on whether to approve the casino’s zoning amendments.

In recent years, both the state of Missouri and a handful of nonprofits have invested more than $25 million in the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, believing it’s a unique natural treasure and a potential economic driver for North County. Considered one of the most significant migratory bird corridors in the entire country (especially for Bald Eagles), Columbia Bottom boasts gorgeous scenery, hiking and biking trails, abundant wildlife, and a front-row seat to the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

Many people think that it can make NoCo a destination for eco-tourism, and I agree. But not if we ruin the place with a big, bloated casino. Plans for the Riverview Casino call for 376 acres of development, including a hotel, convention center, and 8,000 parking spaces…all directly adjacent to Columbia Bottom. And did I mention that the site currently has no sewer or stormwater service, meaning taxpayers would have to foot at least a portion of the bill if this development proceeds?

Currently we have SIX casinos in the metro area, but only ONE natural wonder like Columbia Bottom. Please voice your opposition to this unnecessary and harmful development by contacting the County Council today: (314) 615-5000.

The handsome new band shell at Gentry Park, one of several park upgrades that Bridgeton recently completed with the help of federal grant money

To say that the city of Bridgeton has been “impacted” by Lambert Airport is a vast understatement. For the past 25 years, airport expansion has chipped away at the community, gutting entire neighborhoods and causing many St. Louisans to forget that Bridgeton actually has a rich history dating to the 1700s.

In 2006, the U.S. Congress decided to compensate Bridgeton for its losses, awarding the city an $800,000 grant to fund the replacement of park facilities that were lost to airport expansion. Bridgeton used the money to create McKelvey Park at 3220 McKelvey Rd, but it also invested in upgrades at both Gentry Park and Riverwoods Park.

The new bocce ball court at Gentry Park, 4201 Fee Fee Rd

Gentry Park, where the Payne-Gentry house and Bridgeton Community Center are located, also now has eight new picnic areas, a concrete walking trail that loops through the woods, a sleek new band shell for concerts in the park, and what may be the only public bocce ball court in North County.

Over at Riverwoods Park, which sits at the very end of St. Charles Rock Road at the Missouri River, there have also been some exciting new additions. Complementing the park’s gorgeous riverfront trail, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of historic St. Charles and the river itself, Bridgeton recently installed four new picnic sites, additional benches, several information kiosks, and new restrooms.

Eventually, Riverwoods Park will serve as a trailhead for the Greenway Trail being developed by Great Rivers Greenway. This new multi-use trail will stretch from I-70 to 370 (through Earth City) and connect with a larger trail network running from Creve Coeur Park to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area near Spanish Lake.

If you haven’t been to Riverwoods Park yet, definitely check it out. It’s a beautiful, peaceful place where you can enjoy nature and get some exercise. Dogs are welcome too.

Take a stroll beside the great Missouri at Riverwoods Park, not far from the shipwreck of the Montana, a large paddle boat that sunk in 1884.

A view from Sinks Road, so named because of the Old Jamestown area's many sinkholes

Anyone who drives down Old Jamestown Road can easily see that the area is a natural wonderland. But hiding beneath those dense forests and beautiful rolling hills is a treasure so unique that St. Louis County recently passed legislation to protect it.

Covering four square miles bordered roughly by Lindbergh Blvd, Old Halls Ferry, Hwy 367 and the Missouri River, the “Florissant Karst” is well known by geologists all over the world. Essentially it’s a landscape that has been carved out by millions of years of water, creating caves, underground rivers, springs and eventually sinkholes as the sedimentary limestone slowly dissolves.

The Florissant Karst offers the finest example of deep, funnel-shaped sinkholes in the Central United States. It also provides natural drainage for the Old Jamestown area, leading many to believe that it should be protected from certain kinds of development.

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The great Missouri River, flowing swiftly past the northeastern border of North County. Breathtaking even on a cloudy day.

In my opinion, St. Louis has done a dreadful job of showcasing one of its finest features: the mighty Mississippi River. Approach the river on 90% of the local shoreline and you’ll find a dismal, dirty view of factories and other commercial operations. That’s if you can even get near the water.

St. Louis has this amazing natural wonder right at its doorstep and you’d barely even know it’s there. That’s why I think we NoCo residents should count our lucky stars, because North County is the best place in St. Louis to experience the Mississippi.

It also offers a front row seat to the Missouri River and one of nature’s most awesome displays – the confluence of two of the grandest rivers in North America. As if that’s not cool enough, you can view the Mississippi/Missouri confluence either from NoCo, at the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, or looking at NoCo, from the Ted & Pat Jones Confluence Point State Park in West Alton.

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