“Where should I take my kids hiking?” I get asked this question ALL THE TIME and to be honest, this question is the reason why I decided to start a blog in the first place! I want to share our favorite State Parks, hikes, and historic sites with anyone and everyone who will listen (or in this case look). I love spending time outside with my kids for a couple reasons: they are nicer when they are outside, and they go to sleep earlier! Just kidding…. they NEVER go to sleep early no matter how far they hike. However, the whole “nicer” thing… that’s real, and this little “outside trick” comes in very handy when you have two VERY strong willed tweens who are constantly butting heads! Enough about WHY we hike, lets talk about WHERE!
Hercules Glades Wilderness - Forsyth, Missouri
I am ashamed to say that I have lived in Southwest Missouri my ENTIRE life and have only been to Hercules Glades one time! In my defense, I didn’t know just how cool it was until our recent trip and I haven’t had the opportunity to go back, you know… with the pandemic and all.
This place is PERFECT for hikers of all ages and is especially great for children. There are 32 miles of trails at HGW, so there are several different options depending on how long you want to stay in the area. After reviewing all of the options, we (me) decided to hike the Blair Ridge Trail, which is a 6.2 mile out and back trail that takes you directly to The Falls. What are The Falls, you ask? Just the BEST place to have a picnic in all of Forsyth! Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself…
Pretty cool, huh? I told you! In addition to The Falls, there are lots of very cool rock formations and the terrain changes several times during the 3 mile trek! Grasslands, forests, creeks, this hike has it all! Another reason this trail is great for kids is there are no terrifying ledges and the elevation changes are gradual. I will warn you, the trip to The Falls is all down hill, so plan for the trip back to the car to take a little more time (and energy).
Two Rivers Mountain Bike Park-
Highlandville, Missouri
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.