It would be oversimplifying things to say that the Shaw Nature Reserve is a great place to commune with nature or to temporarily escape city life (or even just suburban life). The reserve, which sits just off I-44 in Gray Summit, is so much more than a park, and a visit there is not to be confused with a simple “trip to the country.”
But perhaps it’s somewhere in between. Most parks don’t have half-a-dozen natural habitats within their boundaries, and trips to the country can’t offer huge glens of carefully cultivated native wildflowers. Simply put, the Shaw Nature Reserve is the place to see the best of what nature in Missouri has to offer.
Hike Through Six Unique Natural Habitats
Plan to spend a day or an afternoon just wandering the grounds. The Wetland Complex can be exceptionally tranquil, and visitors often see ducks, kingfishers and herons working their way through the lily pads. Or, take a hike through the reserve’s upland forests, keeping an eye out for deer and wild turkey. Hidden within the forests are quite a few naturally occurring glades, wide open areas that bloom with native wildflowers through spring and summer.Overall the reserve has more than 14 miles of trails, cutting through a wide variety of native habitats, including tallgrass prairies, pine meadows and bottomland forests. A number of trails also lead to a peaceful section of the Meramec River, where hikers can cool their feet in summer months.
