The warm weather has arrived. Even better, the time has come to slip on those running shoes or to dust off the good ole’ bicycle. The St. Louis area offers numerous walking and cycling trails for those seeking a day of fresh air and exercise.

sam vadalabene bike trail

Straight across the Mississippi and parallel to the Great River Road, the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail supplies an outlet for cyclists and joggers alike. Pick the trail up in Alton, Ill., and journey up to Pere Marquette State Park. The trail offers a beautiful view of the Mississippi River and many of Illinois’ small riverfront towns such as Grafton and Elsah along the 20-mile journey. During the colder months, seek out the bald eagle’s winter nests along the river. Check out the unique Native American artwork, the Piasa Bird, which is painted 100-by-75 feet on the bluffs next to the trail, one mile north of the trail’s starting point.

bike st. louis

As of May 2008, the Bike St. Louis system includes 77 miles of trails throughout St. Louis city. These marked trails journey through downtown, by Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in south city and near several MetroLink stations. The relatively new trail is continuing to sprawl further into St. Louis county and surrounding areas. Many of the trails share roads with motor vehicles and connect cyclists to St. Louis’ neighborhoods, business districts and various recreational amenities. Bike St. Louis is part of “The Great Rivers Greenway” project, which began in 2000 and seeks to unite the St. Louis region with clean and green trails and pathways called “The River Ring.” When complete, “The River Ring” will encompass over 600 square miles in Missouri and Illinois.

katy trail

Pedal across the Show-Me-State on a trail stretching from Clinton, Mo., southeast of Kansas City to the St. Charles riverfront with stops in the state capitol and various small towns along the way. The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad tracks were abandoned in 1986 after many washouts because of the flooding of the Missouri River and, soon after, the tracks were then converted into the 225-mile long trail used today. Take a two-hour trip into the Missouri wine country in Augusta from St. Charles or plan a week-long adventure across the state. Many towns scattered along the path offer food joints, bed and breakfasts and rest stops for the weary traveler.