Meramec Greenway Trailhead: Rock Hollow Trail — Attraction in Ellisville

Nice little slice of nature with a background rich in historically significant tales that have led to suspicion of paranormal presence. While it's certainly a nice path that runs through an area that surely dwindled as the beautiful residential area surrounding it grew, I did not feel any abnormal or even excessive energy during my visit. This visit was brief but long enough to see why the area appealed to so many locals. Located in what seemed to be a fairly popular area for those families fortunate enough to be able to afford a such eloquent homes. Clustered together it looks obvious that the area originated as many typical subdivisions as although the exterior colors and variety of external coverings differ most of these spring from a few basic floor plans. Well kept properties that suggest at least the added eyes of home owners associations or neighborhood watches, even if there isn't the additional police patrol I had to speculate they likely have as we found this to be the first area near st Louis that didn't have that risky feel we saw nearly everywhere. I have read that this area was known to have been used by the native Americans and is said to have been at some point used for burial grounds. Found out that it's believed to have been an area where civil war soldiers where lost in battle. We can only speculate how much of the legends repeated are truth as I have found no proof in this during my own research. Still I was curious in those possibilities that when I heard of the local folklore story that claimed a serial killer took the lives of teens and other young lovers during the fifties as they came here to make out. I now believe that much of these stories are likely ones falsified to scare, intrigue, or just entertain. However It is a cute little area where nature might make it easier for one to relax if they aren't busy convincing themselves that the spirits claimed to be here are for sure there, or even spookier demons and so forth. With creepy remains of long ago left behind wooden bridges or forged paths to the hike it's not hard to get ones imagination stirring these stories to wonder in the back of their mind. That would be especially true the later and less traveled the path was as the sounds of others passing by in groups or with their pets surely makes it feel safer than it might if you walked it alone. I think this is the exact reason it's closed off at night as it's usually thought that thrill seekers might be more prone to cause destruction and known that many spook hunters seek out the biggest scares on quests for things that go bump in the night. Such restrictions might be in place to prevent playful partying from becoming graffitied in garbage and serve to make these legends...

I decided to combine Rock Hollow Trail and Zombie Trail via Upper Rock Hollow Greenway and came out with a total of 8.25 miles. Starting at the northern trailhead, the first two miles is entirely paved asphalt, then it turns into a semi-natural / gravel path. After reaching Glencoe and using the restroom there (the only one on this trail), the return trip included the Zombie Trail West option which is an entirely natural path. There were a number of other walkers and bikers on the asphalt path. The Zombie trail portion included a couple of mountain bikers but no other hikers. If you're okay with trainers on a natural trail or hiking shoes on an asphalt path, then this trail is okay. I prefer my shoes to be terrain-specific, so I won't be taking this particular route again. But the scenery is pretty on either the Zombie West or Rock Hollow trails and the elevation climbs are good exercise. I'll probably be back in the Spring to walk just the Rock Hollow Trial and enjoy the bluebells that...

Very nice paved walking trail with a semi steep downward grade through the mountain, ozark like hills in the area. At the bottom of the trail, approximately 3 miles down, it meets a flat gravel trail that partially runs with the Meramec River a ways to the right.

The big safety negative is the cross walk across Ridge Road to the trail. It uses blinking yellow lights to stop traffic for pedestrians, not red lights which I believe is appropriate. My natural instinct is to drive through yellow lights using caution and I have had pedestrians angrily yelling as I have driven through when I first drove by the crossing. I stop now but I think red lights should be installed before someone gets run over or...