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Print Friendly MapThe 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 is that it follows the busy Des Peres Parkway, so you will experience traffic views and sounds on your journey.
Mid-trail, a spur across the river on a pedestrian bridge will take travelers along the tree-lined Christy Greenway up to Holly Hills Avenue. The Carondelet Connector links the River des Peres Trail to Carondelet Park with its two scenic lakes. The trail ends near the mouth of the channel where it meets the Mississippi River.
In 2020, an additional two miles of trail and a bridge were added to Grant's Trail, completing that trail's connection to the River Des Peres Greenway Trail south of I-55.
Take I-55 to the Germania St./Carondelet Blvd. exit and head north along the river. Parking lots and trail access can be found on both streets (on either side of the river).
The trail's northern end is also close to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station; exit the south side of the station and cross Lansdowne Ave.
If you’re looking for variety, it’s not a terrible route. There are some pretty areas and some not so pretty areas, a few small hills, and it isn’t overly crowded before 8 am. You can get in a good distance for an easy or recovery run.
Your trail map needs to be updated as to the southern section of the trail. The section we took yesterday of the RDPGreenway starts (or ends, however you want to look at it) at Military and Kayser. Most people start though at Lemay Park due to the nice parking. For people who are walking or running, they have those little exercise stations at Lemay Park - you know the slanted sit up bench, a chin up bar, leg lifts, etc to get you all warmed up. You do have to cross over the Alabama overpass to get to the Germania side of the RDP. This section is not the most scenic by far( you go by a Monsanto plant for one) but it is an easy flat walk with very little traffic and got to see lots of ducks, geese, egrets and killdeer enjoying the RDP. The trees and plantings will eventually fill in and brighten the section up I hope.
The River smells and you are right next to the traffic. There are intersection were the cars ignore you and make left turn right at you! Some of the intersection do not have the ramp interchange. You go off a 5 inch curb to the road. The trail crosse the road to continue on the other side of the river but is not well documented when going south.
A nice, quiet, 4 to 5 mile pedal along the River Des Peres. A pleasant trail with a fair amount of shade. Provides nice connections to the Grants Trail, Christy Greenway and Bike St. Louis routes.
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