For hikers longing to escape northern Missouri's rolling plains, Cuivre River State Park is the closest you can get to an Ozarkian oasis north of the Mississippi: a mere 50 miles from downtown St. Louis. Hike the rugged terrain of any of the nine winding trails along the park's forested hills; follow Big Sugar Creek Trail, which traverses seven miles through limestone glades and bottomland forest alongside the crystal-clear, rock-bottomed waters of Sugar Creek. You're likely to see a solemn... More »
