July 26, 2021
The Myron and Sonya Glassberg Conservation Area near Eureka, MO is worth a visit for anyone looking for a short but scenic hike. Ben and I found ourselves itching for a hike on a warm, early spring Saturday and decided that the 3 mile loop sounded about right. Given the beautiful weather, we were a bit surprised to find only a few cars in the parking lot. We were greeted almost immediately by a full array of spring wildflowers, and the creek just to the right of the trail was flowing heavily after the recent rains. Right away we knew we were in for a good day on the trails.
Hiking counter-clockwise, we began on the right fork of the trail. The waterfall was flowing well, and we played in the water for a while since we had the spot to ourselves. This little waterfall is very accessible for those hikers who seek out waterfalls, right off the trail and really not very far from the parking lot. If you only had a few minutes it would be easy to hike to this spot and eat your lunch or whatever. The running water drowns out any sound from the nearby highway.
Ben and I continued climbing uphill, and of course took the side trail over to Buder Lake. The water was muddy and only a few geese were present, so we quickly moved on taking the side trail through the woods around the lake. This proved to be a bad idea, as numerous trees had recently been cut down as part of a timber stand improvement project and many were lying over the trail. We climbed around and through the mess and only fell a few times in the soft mud. At least we had an adventure.
Eventually we made it back to the main trail, and we both appreciated the asphalt trail straight up the hill. After a quick detour through what appeared to be an old homesite, we continued a bit further up to the lookout area. This is worth a visit, as the overlook offers a long distance view of the Meramec River and the surrounding valley. Serviceberry trees were in bloom, and a bald eagle flew right by giving us an eye level view. We could see several boaters resting on the sand bar in the distance, and could even hear them talking. This lookout is fairly close to being the halfway point on the trail. Many opt to just hike right back down to the parking lot from there. While this is not a bad option, we continued on to complete the loop.
Ben and I took the trail through the mixed woods, mostly downhill towards the parking lot. This portion of the trail is pretty typical for the area, packed rock with a few ups and downs. Nothing exceptionally noteworthy, although the plant variety provided plenty of interest as did the views from the power line cutout.
The parking lot was pretty full on our return, mostly families and people out walking their dogs on the beautiful spring day. Add Glassberg Conservation Area to your list if visiting the nearby Young CA, LaBarque Creek CA, or even Don Robinson State Park. The wide trail makes for a great summertime hike for those trying to avoid ticks in the taller grass, and it is a shaded hike. Spring wildflowers, fall color from the mixed woods, and winter time views make the area suitable for all seasons. For maps and more information, check below:
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/myron-sonya-glassberg-family-conservation-area
