Wildwood: Route 66 and Nature Trails

Wildwood brings together a history visible along Route 66 and a landscape of forests, hills, and trails along the Meramec River. If you’re planning a hotel stay in Wildwood, you can first consider whether the town’s history or a particular trail better suits your trip. The historic sites and different types of trails offer a range of ways to explore.

Route 66 and Local History

Historic Route 66, now called Manchester Road, passes through the Wildwood Town Center and runs through downtown Wildwood. The stretch in Wildwood follows the road’s original route from the early 1930s. Historic markers help visitors locate early settlements. The Historic Markers Program places descriptions of historic areas at historic sites throughout the city.

Another place to explore local history is Old Pond School. The restored one-room schoolhouse dates to 1914 and stands on a one-acre property in Wildwood. It is considered one of the finest examples of a one-room schoolhouse in Saint Louis County. Route 66, the markers, and the schoolhouse show different aspects of history: a historic road route, descriptions at historic sites, and a preserved school building.

Landscape and Trails

Wildwood’s natural surroundings include dense forests, gentle hills, valleys, meadows, and clear streams. State, county, and city parks cover 11 of the 68 square miles within the city limits. There are trails with different surfaces and route characteristics for outings; their mileage figures do not all describe the same type of trip.

The Wildwood Greenway includes about 18 miles of paved trails. The Al Foster Memorial Trail generally follows the Meramec River and begins at the Al Foster Trailhead in Glencoe. Another paved connection is the 1.7-mile Hamilton Carr, which connects the Wabash, Frisco and Pacific Miniature Railroad in Glencoe with Rockwoods Reservation. The Hamilton Carr leads to a flat, shaded limestone-gravel route along the Meramec River, passing high limestone bluffs.

The Bluff View Trail System offers a different kind of trail: a natural-surface singletrack for hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. The out-and-back trip from Bluff View Park is about 12.7 miles long. The trail system also includes the rock formation Sperm Whale Rock. The Rock Hollow Trail is paved and open to pedestrians and cyclists; thirteen wooden bridges are located along the trail.

When comparing distances, keep in mind that the approximately 18 miles of the Wildwood Greenway refer to the trail network, while the approximately 12.7 miles at Bluff View refer to an out-and-back trip starting from a specific park. The trails also differ in surface: the Greenway, Hamilton Carr, and Rock Hollow are paved, while Bluff View is a natural-surface singletrack. This lets you consider trail length and type together, rather than relying on mileage alone.

For planning, note that construction may change the Greenway’s length; trail configurations may change at the Bluff View Trail System, connections may change along the Hamilton Carr, and conditions may change on the Rock Hollow Trail. Check the current trail information for your chosen route before setting out.

A Visitor Tip

If you’re traveling with a dog, note the requirement for Buddy’s Place Dog Park: membership is required to use the park. It is located at Community Park in Wildwood, Missouri 63038, at 17155 Pond Grover Parkway.

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