Don Robinson State Park — Attraction in Meramec Township

Great place to hike. Go only when the trails are dry. When wet, there are difficult sections, and walking then damages the paths (and surrounding areas when people irresponsibly walk off the trail). A half mile paved path is fine for walking in all conditions, but the typical visitor drives a significant distance to the remote location and the paved path is probably not worth the drive if the unpaved trails are messy.

There are no trash cans, so be prepared to take anything away with you.

Most people will probably reach the park from the east, but if you arrive from the west on Byrnesville Road, beware the sign for the park is before a road. Skip the road and continue on Byrnesville for a short distance to the park entrance.

Prescribed fires can close trails and can make hiking unpleasant for a while afterward. Tree removal is frequent, so don't be surprised to hear chainsaws, and you'll definitely see fallen trees (many of them native white oaks). I believe one reason LaBarque Creek is so shallow is erosion from burning and logging (another reason is increased runoff from private property).

There's an overflow parking area, rarely used as people park in inappropriate spots.

Best to stay on the official trails, mainly to avoid damage, also to avoid getting lost. Shortly after the park opened, vandals destroyed fragile sandstone formations by carving graffiti into them. Would like to see security cameras capture vandals resulting in significant...

Very nice state park. It’s a newer park in the Missouri state park system. There’s two trails, one about 4 miles the other about 2.5 miles. The longer (red) trail can actually be shortened as there’s a cut off trail about half way through. Red trail is nice. Starts off paved for handicap accessibility. That stretch is more open and had lots of wildflowers in bloom (early September) with lots of pollinators buzzing around them. The trail then becomes a dirt and gravel path that’s well marked with red blazes, which is good because there are lots of “hiker made” trails that shot off of the actual trail all over the place. Pay attention or you could end up on the wrong path and have to backtrack. The actual trail follows the top of a bluff line, but others have blazed a trail to the lower portion of the bluff. Not much in the way of amenities; toilet with spigot and running water behind toilets. My son said the drinking fountains were off. A shelter with picnic tables. Paved parking is limited, but there is a lower gravel lot that we saw. View from overlook area is nice. Probably a great scene in the fall when the leaves change. The park is close to the St. Louis metro area and depending upon where you live could be not a 20 to 30 minute drive. The roads to it though...

Thought I already wrote a review with 5 stars, will give 4 this time. The scorched earth policy of frequent fires leaves an ugly landscape, smelly too. Many trees get scorched and killed. Subsequent rains wash away what little remains of the soil, choking LaBarque Creek. The creek is extremely shallow.

Another reason for the erosion is the constant thinning of the forest. They cut large native trees seemingly every day.

Meanwhile invasive plants persist and spread. Within sight of the parking lot are tree of heaven, Johnson grass, mimosa, and other invasives. Portions of the park have significant bush honeysuckle.

The park is extremely quiet, one reason is the lack of birdsong. Don't expect to see it hear many birds. I believe the fires kill overwintering insects that birds would feed their young. In addition, the thinning of trees and burning of low branches leaves little space for nests.

Don't expect fall color. The view from the parking lot might have some good oaks for the week or two they quickly change from green to brown.

As I said in the other review, you will probably approach the park from the east, but if you take Byrnesville Road from the west, the sign is misleading and some people might turn too early. It's actually the...