[AggieDad]

Howdy!

I'll be west of St Louis this entire summer as my wife will be helping my daughter with her new twins.

I'll be based in Robertsville as a camp host at the state park. My daughter lives in Wildwood. Since we will be there for 10-12 weeks, I will be looking for places to go to grab some photos. I like landscapes, flowers, and wildlife - particularly wading birds and raptors.

Should you have any suggestions, they would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Don

[jsherm323]

Pere Marquette State Park (1.5 hr N) Taum Sauk Mountain State Park and Pickle Springs Natural Area (1.5 S) are all nice day hikes.

---------- Post added 06-24-16 at 11:43 PM ----------

Elephant Rocks State park is nice as well

[monochrome]

@AggieDad I have visited each of these places at least once in my life - most in the last ten years.

Almost all mentioned below are within 45 minutes of Wildwood (most within 30 minutes). All have hiking trails, water, wildlife, limestone formations and meadows or glades to photograph. Some have running water and shorebird habitat. You'll find eastern Missouri is hardwood forests and dessicated limestone formations throughout, peppered with springs and spring brances. You can get various Herons, otters, muskrats and other running water predators, but less swampy standing water than you might like.

MO Conservation Department Interactive Website with search tools

Missouri Botanical Garden (enough flowers to last your entire visit)
Shaw Nature Reserve
St. Louis Zoo (free) - though the interesting wildlife is all human
Forest Park
Busch Wildlife Center
Weldon Spring Conservation Area
Faust County Park (Missouri River views, wildlife, natural meadow (undisturbed), Butterfly House)
Creve Couer Park Lake (sunrise - birding and people skulling on glass-flat water).
Beckmeier Conservation Area
Rockwoods Reservation (19th C. quarry and railroad grade, trails, falls, creeks)
Babler State Park
Howell Island Conservation Area

Castlewood State Park
Tyson Research Center / Lone Elk Park / Wild Bird Sanctuary (captive raptors, shorebirds, elk, bison).
Hawn State Park
Meramec State Park

Then there's the entire Mississippi River Road system from Pere Marquette (make reservation weeks in advance for lunch at the Lodge - NECESSARY) mentioned above all the way down to the confluence with the Missouri River. The 75 or so miles is littered with Conservation Areas, overlooks and parkland. Unfortunately the Bald Eagles and Trumpeter Swans at Audubon Society Riverlands near Alton Locks and Dam #26 will all be in Canada by now.

Also search on St. Louis County and St. Charles County Parks near the Missouri River as well as Missouri State Parks St. Louis Region.

That doesn't even begin to think about the locations South and West within a 90 minute drive. Your real problem is there are too many opportunities and places to go shoot.

Happy to talk more by PM

[AggieDad]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will probably get to most of them as we will be here through September.