Although we are missing going to museums, the opera, or sport events, we are relieved that one of our favorite activities is still available – hiking. Since there is restrictions on parks, and, therefore, more people are flocking our neighborhood parks, we are driving out further and exploring new parks. Our weekend hikes have been what we look forward to all week, and have provided us with some times to get our, exercise, and enjoy fresh air.

A new state park that opened only three years ago in Missouri is Don Robinson State Park that is only about 45 minutes outside the city center. Don Robinson is named after the man who donated the land to preserved as a natural area. The park has an assortment of ecosystems that run up and down all the bluffs, creating a nice variety in your hike. When we visited we hiked the Lebarque Hills Trail, which is around 3 miles and is a nice loop that has an assortment of topography. The trail has little caves, small water features, granite outcrops, and a nice upward descent to the top of a ridge. Although parking was a bit difficult when we visited on a Saturday morning, once we were on the trail we only passed a few people, and overall the trail was not heavily trafficked. We both found Don Robinson State Park to be a great way to get out and have a lovely hike in a serene setting.