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| Trail Website: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/cgi-bin/atlas/search.cgi?cgistate=1&area=7404Trail Distance: 8 miles Trail Surface: Rugged Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult Type of Use: Mountain Bike/Fat Tire Towns: Weldon Springs County: St. Charles (MO) Intensity of Use: Light Setting: Forest/Country Connecting Trails: Katy Trail Maintained By: Missouri Department of Conservation Directions for parking: Take Hwy 94 south past Hwy 40/64 about 5 miles. Just before the one-lane bridge, slow down and turn right into the large gravel parking lot, just before the Little Femme Osage Creek Hours of Operation: Sunrise to sunset Trail Map:  About Weldon Springs Conservation Area: The total contiguous acreage of Weldon Spring, Howell Island and the Busch Conservation Area is 16,918 acres, 7,356 of which comprise Weldon Spring. The area was named for John Weldon, who received a Spanish land grant in 1796 for 425 acres. Nearly 150 years later, during World War 11, the government acquired 17,000 acres here for the construction of a munitions plant. It was then owned by the University of Missouri and in 1978, the Conservation Department acquired this property. Along the road, you'll notice a fine short trail that looks like the Katy Trail, except that it has WARNING signs posted on all sides. The government is cleaning up the old munitions plant where atom-bomb research was done during World War I. This area is like the cousin St. Louis doesn't want to talk about. The wildflowers in Weldon Springs are amazing, making spring rides delightful. Look for pink and purple phlox, may apples and bluets dot the green landscape. Spring also brings many nesting great blue herons, noted for their slender profiles and wide wingspans However, Weldon Springs is good to avoid during hunting season, as it does get to be a hot spot for hunters and bikers may be mistaken for wild game! Rider's Comments: Eight-mile loop. The first three miles are mainly flat double and single track. There's a short climb followed by a downhill and rolling hills. Half of the trail is a flat wide country road closed to auto traffic, the second half winds through forest and meadows and along ridges and many streams. |
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