River Scene Trail (Castlewood State Park) Hiking Guide

River Scene is the trail most people mean when they talk about hiking Castlewood. It climbs straight onto white limestone bluffs above the Meramec River, follows the edge for about a mile past a string of overlooks, then drops down a long wooden staircase and returns along the riverbank. The old foundations along the way date from the 1920s and 1930s, when Castlewood was a weekend resort for St. Louis.

no permit neededdog-friendly
Difficulty
moderate
Distance
3.5 mi
Elevation gain
350 ft
Trailhead
Ballwin
bluff-top overlooks more than 200 feet above the Meramec Riverwooden boardwalk stairs past the ruins of the resort-era Grand Staircasetunnel under the Union Pacific railroadflat return through the Meramec floodplain
springfallwinter

Distance and Route

Missouri State Parks lists River Scene as a 3.4-mile loop rated moderate and estimates about two and a half hours to walk it. Hiking Project measures 3.5 miles with roughly 350 feet of climbing. The first quarter mile wraps around a wooded hillside before turning sharply uphill to the bluffs. At the far end a boardwalk descends past the crumbling Grand Staircase to a tunnel under the Union Pacific tracks, so there is no grade crossing of the railroad. The trail then turns left along the river for about two miles, passes back under the tracks at the Kiefer Creek Road underpass and follows that road to the trailhead. White Connector 7 can shorten or lengthen the loop.

Floods and the Lower Section

The river half of this loop sits in seasonally flooded woods, and the Meramec rises fast. In 2026 the park posted that washouts had closed most of the lower trail, including the stairs, while the bluff section and the paved lower loop stayed open. That notice was no longer shown on the state's status map when this guide was checked in October 2026, but a summer travel report still described the lower section as closed. Check the Park and Site Status Map before you go, and turn back at any floodwater rather than detouring off the trail.

Parking and Hours

The trailhead is opposite the entrance road to the first picnic shelter, off Kiefer Creek Road in the park's day-use area. The gates open at 7 a.m. and close half an hour after sunset all year. Park only in marked spaces; the park forbids parking along the road or in the grass. On busy days staff close the lots past Kiefer Creek once the day-use area fills and suggest Babler or Route 66 State Park as alternatives, so arrive early on spring and fall weekends.

Trail Rules and Dogs

Only hikers are allowed on the bluff portion; mountain bikes share the lower part of the loop. Leashed dogs are welcome as long as the leash is 10 feet or shorter, and the park says shock collars and other electronic controls do not count as a leash. Swimming and wading are prohibited in the Meramec River here, though the park points visitors to Kiefer Creek for cooling off. The bluff edges have drop-offs next to the trail, so keep children and dogs close at the overlooks.

Resort History Along the Bluff

Trains on the Missouri Pacific line once carried city residents to a depot at the base of these bluffs. The Grand Staircase climbed from the depot to a hotel and cabins on top, and visitors ferried across to Lincoln Beach, a sandbar where more than 10,000 people would gather on summer weekends. The open field you cross on the river stretch was the site of Lincoln Lodge. Visitation faded after World War II, and the land became a state park in 1974.

Hiking tips for River Scene Trail (Castlewood State Park)

  • Check the state's Park and Site Status Map for flood damage on the lower section before you drive out.
  • Do the steep climb first by starting at the trailhead and walking the loop in the park's described direction.
  • Arrive early on weekends; staff close the outer lots when the day-use area fills.
  • Carry water and a rain layer, since the river stretch has little shelter if a storm moves in.
  • Stay well back from the unfenced edges at the overlooks.

Nearby trails to explore

  • White Bison Trail (Lone Elk Park)
  • Lime Kiln Loop Trail (Rockwoods Reservation)
  • Lewis Trail (Weldon Spring Conservation Area)

Hike this trail with TrailMates

River Scene is a short drive from most of St. Louis, and the lots fill early on good-weather weekends. Use TrailMates to find people for a morning loop at Castlewood, split up the driving through the event's group chat, then gather across from the first picnic shelter. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.