Find the top rated trails in Bethalto, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Madison Count Transit (MCT) Watershed Trail is all about trains, bridges and waterways. It follows an abandoned rail corridor built in 1868, the first to serve the city of Edwardsville, itself the...
The Rock Hollow Trail offers a beautiful, wooded excursion in the City of Wildwood, just west of St. Louis. The paved 2.3-mile trail is built on what was once Lawler-Ford Road. A trailhead with...
Only 10 miles from the famed Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the 8-mile Grant's Trail is heavily used for recreation and commuting. The trail was named for the former President Ulysses S. Grant, and like...
Caution: Trail closures are occurring in two areas along the southern half of this trail: 1) near the construction site of the new I-270 bridge over the Mississippi River, and 2) at the construction...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Nickel Plate Trail is the longest of the county’s trails and perhaps the most diverse in its offerings. On the west, it begins at a junction with the MCT Nature Trail,...
The Mississippi Greenway is a growing multi-use trail in the St. Louis area that will eventually span 32 miles. Sometimes it’s referred to as the Mississippi River Trail or the Mississippi River...
The MCT Bluff Trail is the shortest trail in the Madison County network, but it highlights a feature of regional topography which can be evidenced on several other trails. The American Bottom is a...
The Carlyle Lake Bike Trail is located in one of Southwest Illinois's most popular recreational areas, just 50 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri—not far from that area's abundance of great trails, as...
This trail gets its name from the MetroLink Red Line train track it parallels through eastern Belleville and (briefly) the village of Swansea. It is a classic rail-with-trail configuration, where...
Travelers on the Creve Couer Park Trails will enjoy watching the sailboats and kayakers on the sparkling Creve Coeur Lake as they loop around the water. The flat paved trail system continues through...
The St. Louis Riverfront Trail follows the Mississippi River on the Missouri side, from Gateway Arch heading north to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, part of the legendary Route 66. The trail is...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Goshen Trail is a namesake of the old Goshen Road that was built in 1808 to supply salt to the first permanent settlers of Madison County. The modern bike trail...
The MCT Quercus Grove Trail begins in Edwardsville at its junction with the MCT Nickel Plate Trail. It begins on city sidewalks and alleys near Edwardsville's historic downtown area and very quickly...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Schoolhouse Trail is part of the Transit District's system of more than 100 miles of urban and suburban trails—many of which are former railroad corridors, all of...
Earth City Levee Trail, which opened in June 2015, is part of a growing trail network called the Missouri River Greenway. It connects directly with the Riverwoods Trail in Bridgeton, forming a paved...
The Hamilton Carr Trail begins off Woods Road in Rockwoods Reservation, a state forest and wildlife conservation area that offers hiking trails, picnic areas, caves and interesting rock formations....
The Arnold City Park Trail follows former residential streets through a wooded area along the Meramec River in a southwestern suburb of St. Louis. It forms a loop that begins and ends at the gravel...
While exploring the seven mile Lakeside Park Trail you are treated to views of the 140 acre lake at Lakeside Park. Lakeside Park Trail's asphalt and concrete surfaces are ideal for biking, walking,...
For nearly 5 miles, the Columbia Bottom Trail meanders through the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, which features forests, wetlands, and open fields. The trail is part of the Missouri River...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Nature Trail goes through richly varied surroundings of city, farm and wood. In the west, it begins at beautiful Wilson Park in Granite City. From there, it makes its...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Nickel Plate Trail is the longest of the county’s trails and perhaps the most diverse in its offerings. On the west, it begins at a junction with the MCT Nature Trail,...
The Madison Count Transit (MCT) Watershed Trail is all about trains, bridges and waterways. It follows an abandoned rail corridor built in 1868, the first to serve the city of Edwardsville, itself the...
The River Des Peres Greenway Trail provides a flat, paved route along the River Des Peres Drainage Channel in southwestern St. Louis. Although this urban trail is seldom crowded, one of its drawbacks...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Goshen Trail is a namesake of the old Goshen Road that was built in 1808 to supply salt to the first permanent settlers of Madison County. The modern bike trail...
The Glen Carbon Heritage Bike Trail is part of a trail network spanning more than 100 miles managed by Madison County Transit (MCT), which also runs busses equipped with bike racks for passenger...
The Hamilton Carr Trail begins off Woods Road in Rockwoods Reservation, a state forest and wildlife conservation area that offers hiking trails, picnic areas, caves and interesting rock formations....
Hesse Trail connects two neighborhoods and a park in the city of O'Fallon with plans to extend and connect it to other trails in the large Metro-East area. It is a short, completely tree-covered...
Although a relatively short route, the Riverwoods Trail offers plentiful scenic views of the Missouri River and historic St. Charles. The trail closely follows the river's shoreline through wetland...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Nature Trail goes through richly varied surroundings of city, farm and wood. In the west, it begins at beautiful Wilson Park in Granite City. From there, it makes its...
The Benld-Gillespie Bike Trail is part of two developing Illinois initiatives: the Route 66 Trail from Chicago to St. Louis, loosely following the historic highway; and the Illinois Traction System...
Only 10 miles from the famed Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the 8-mile Grant's Trail is heavily used for recreation and commuting. The trail was named for the former President Ulysses S. Grant, and like...
Dedicated on August 5, 2000, the Green Diamond Rail-Trail was the first bicycling/pedestrian trail in Montgomery County. Partially funded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the trail is...
The Arnold City Park Trail follows former residential streets through a wooded area along the Meramec River in a southwestern suburb of St. Louis. It forms a loop that begins and ends at the gravel...
Centennial Greenway will one day stretch 20 miles through St. Louis County from Creve Coeur County Park at its northern end to Forest Park at its southern tip. Currently, the trail is open in three...
Travelers on the Creve Couer Park Trails will enjoy watching the sailboats and kayakers on the sparkling Creve Coeur Lake as they loop around the water. The flat paved trail system continues through...
As its name implies, the Monarch-Chesterfield Levee Trail was built on top of an embankment created to protect Chesterfield from Missouri River flooding. As such, it offers a wide, flat route over...
The Mississippi Greenway is a growing multi-use trail in the St. Louis area that will eventually span 32 miles. Sometimes it’s referred to as the Mississippi River Trail or the Mississippi River...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Schoolhouse Trail is part of the Transit District's system of more than 100 miles of urban and suburban trails—many of which are former railroad corridors, all of...
The McKinley Bridge has a long and storied past. In 1910, it opened to both railroad and vehicular traffic. Railroad tracks ran through the strong center portion of the bridge under the trusses, and...
Katy Trail State Park is the nation's longest continuous rail-trail, offering nearly 240 miles of scenic trail from Clinton east to Machens on the outskirts of St. Louis. The Katy Trail is in the...
Caution: Trail closures are occurring in two areas along the southern half of this trail: 1) near the construction site of the new I-270 bridge over the Mississippi River, and 2) at the construction...
The Meramec Greenway Trail is planned to one day encompass 60 miles of pathway throughout St. Louis and west to Pacific, Missouri, connecting residents to the Meramec River, the city's parks and the...
The Metro-East Levee Trail offers a semicircle route around Cahokia, which lies south of St. Louis and east of the Mississippi River. It parallels a canal and sits atop a levee that is 30 feet high at...
Hesse Trail connects two neighborhoods and a park in the city of O'Fallon with plans to extend and connect it to other trails in the large Metro-East area. It is a short, completely tree-covered...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Nature Trail goes through richly varied surroundings of city, farm and wood. In the west, it begins at beautiful Wilson Park in Granite City. From there, it makes its...
The Delyte W. Morris Trail lies entirely on the campus of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (SIUE). It is named for the university's president at the Carbondale campus in the 1960s who helped...
This trail gets its name from the MetroLink Red Line train track it parallels through eastern Belleville and (briefly) the village of Swansea. It is a classic rail-with-trail configuration, where...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Schoolhouse Trail is part of the Transit District's system of more than 100 miles of urban and suburban trails—many of which are former railroad corridors, all of...
The MCT Quercus Grove Trail begins in Edwardsville at its junction with the MCT Nickel Plate Trail. It begins on city sidewalks and alleys near Edwardsville's historic downtown area and very quickly...
The Carlyle Lake Bike Trail is located in one of Southwest Illinois's most popular recreational areas, just 50 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri—not far from that area's abundance of great trails, as...
Travelers on the Creve Couer Park Trails will enjoy watching the sailboats and kayakers on the sparkling Creve Coeur Lake as they loop around the water. The flat paved trail system continues through...
This trail along Richland Creek is in two discontiguous sections that must be accessed separately. The northern section goes by the thick and quiet woods of Centennial Park, where there are also very...
Centennial Greenway will one day stretch 20 miles through St. Louis County from Creve Coeur County Park at its northern end to Forest Park at its southern tip. Currently, the trail is open in three...
For nearly 5 miles, the Columbia Bottom Trail meanders through the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, which features forests, wetlands, and open fields. The trail is part of the Missouri River...
The Arnold City Park Trail follows former residential streets through a wooded area along the Meramec River in a southwestern suburb of St. Louis. It forms a loop that begins and ends at the gravel...
The Ted Jones Trail runs for 2.2 miles between the town of Ferguson and the University of MissouriSt. Louis (UMSL), where it joins with the St. Vincent Greenway on the west side of campus. From...
The MCT Bluff Trail is the shortest trail in the Madison County network, but it highlights a feature of regional topography which can be evidenced on several other trails. The American Bottom is a...
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Nickel Plate Trail is the longest of the county’s trails and perhaps the most diverse in its offerings. On the west, it begins at a junction with the MCT Nature Trail,...
The Glen Carbon Heritage Bike Trail is part of a trail network spanning more than 100 miles managed by Madison County Transit (MCT), which also runs busses equipped with bike racks for passenger...
While exploring the seven mile Lakeside Park Trail you are treated to views of the 140 acre lake at Lakeside Park. Lakeside Park Trail's asphalt and concrete surfaces are ideal for biking, walking,...
Also, the bridge over the Missouri River (I-64 bridge) is temporarily closed.
A construction worker from the sewer district said the trail would be closed until March 2018 - the closed section is between the Boone's crossing bridge and the Chesterfield Valley Athletic complex. You can bypass the closed section by using gravel roads to connect to "North outer forty road". Ride on this road for about 1/2 mile to bypass the closed trail section.
Also, the bridge over the Missouri river is also closed. So you can't get to St. Charles County or the Katy Trail. I'm not sure the duration of this closing, but it does not look like a major project
Keep bringing us great trail info!
Biked the trail near the St. Louis Arch. Very safe, and a dedicated lane each way for bikers and a dif. path for walkers.
We rode our tandem 15 miles out from the trailhead in Alton. A little rough in two sections because of recent flooding, but I am really glad we rode this trail. The Channel of Rocks Canal and bridge were the highlights of this for us. Tug boats, barges- everywhere! I only wish we had another day to explore this and other river trails in the area. Was it a perfectly smooth surface? No, but if two seniors, 68yrs and 71 yrs old can ride 30+ miles on a tandem and have fun, then so can you. (Pa. Tandem Team)
This is a really nice trail with beautiful scenery. The people are real friendly. My bike computer stated around 4 miles from the north end of Centennial park to centreville ave. The trail was close south of that point which should be around another 2 miles. If you are looking for a trail that you can get up to speed and maintain it then this isn't for you. There are a lot of curves that will reduce your speed. But it was nice for a good leisurely bike ride. I would recommend it.
I live close to this trail and ride it all the time! As of 3/25/2017, they've opened it up to shiloh-scott station which adds 3.8 miles to the trail past east belleville ymca. They are also working on the trail by caryle avenue to cut out the neighborhood(and make it more straight), that is coming along nicely and once done, will cut out a road to wait for cars to cross. Over at the other end of trail memorial hospital, they have not started yet on expanding to fairview heights station. Overall great trail for our area!
Noisy noisy noisy highway right up against it!
Busy, boring, straight, flat, and the path(s) are mostly along the top of a levee, so it slopes off rapidly on both sides.
If there is any wind whatsoever you'll get the full brunt of it, possibly more due to the updrafts from the slopes.
Do not take a younger kids here.
There are several other better options nearby, take a pass on this one.
Un-FREAKIN’-Believable! The review could end here.
Buy “The Complete Katy Trail Guidebook” by Brett Dufur.
I only had two days to ride to make the best of the eastern half. I will return to ride the western half and the Bluffton and McKittrick/Herman sections I missed. Day 1 - I rode from Columbia to Portland (ride the M-K-T, visit the MLK Memorial Gardens, stop at the iron bridges, enjoy the bluffs, creeks & river, linger at Cooper’s Landing & eat at Dotty’s Cafe). Day 2 - I rode from Trelor to St. Charles (talk to folks at Turner KT Shelter, drink a beverage at Augusta & enjoy the well-earned bounty of St. Charles).
I really like this trail for my skill at roller skating and age. I start at the Hardees end and skate to near the river where it starts to go downhill. I then turn around and return to my start point. As a result, i skate about 10 miles. I am surprised how little it is used; I rarely encounter other users. I've used this trail 3 times and when weather gets warmer, i will use it more often. There are several locations where trucks/cars enter the flood plain; as a result, there might be pieces of gravel to skate around. But I have been lucky and have had no accidents. Pretty good for a 70 year old lady.
from umsl rec center to Ferguson end is 2.5miles. it makes a nice easy give miles. I don't want to repeat what has been already said except I did feel perfectly safe the entire way this morning.
Nice walk around the lake. Watch the kayakers and sail boats while you walk.
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