Grant’s Trail

I see that I’m in the minority here, but I thought others might want to know before they go– especially first time users. This is definitely NOT a place to get in a good workout on a bike! Though the paved trail is in very good shape, I did not enjoy my ride past numerous graffiti displays, stagnant water filled with garbage & junk, & worst of all– my 18 stops! I felt as if I was at a stop for as long as I was riding! I blame myself, though, for not having researched this well, or I would have known about having to cross major intersections (though most were at stop lights), and 2 way & 4 way stops (with oncoming cars traveling down hills & winding roads.)
So– IMO, I think this trail is best for walking & running.

I don’t know why I haven’t started running on this a while ago! Now that it’s nicer out, I decided that rather than go to a park, I should try out this trail. I hopped on in Kirkwood near Big Bend and ran towards Affton. I will say that when I do this again, running by myself, I will probably hop onto the trail near Grant’s Farm — the closer I ran to Grant’s Farm, the more people there were on the trail — not in a bad crowded way but in a «I feel safer seeing others around me» kind of way. The stretch near Kirkwood was empty for about a mile which made me feel a bit uneasy. Maybe when it’s warmer or later in the day, this isn’t an issue. Sappington is probably the best entrance for the trail — there’s a drinking fountain and restrooms.

This is a great trail to bicycle. A good work out. I see wildlife now and then (deer, turtle, birds, muskrat (?). The Clydesdales are out at Grant’s Farm and it’s always a treat to see them. The trail gets crowded on the weekends with strollers and kids, so my suggestion would be to go early in the day, or late afternoon. Convenient water stations and rest rooms.

This is a great paved trail. It has a small graded hill. Plenty of places to park along the route. This is an out and back ride, 16 miles. It was very packed today, but everyone was biker, skater, runner and walker friendly.

This is a great place to enjoy a bike ride or a run of any distance. It has a lot of shaded areas and goes along some nice sections of the area. You can get a lot of mileage in and see several sites along the way. It also has a few restaurants within riding distance if you want to bike in the morning and grab some lunch while you’re out. They’ve really done a good job of marking the trail, and there are a few spots where you can get some water or take a bathroom break. It can get pretty busy on nice weekends with a lot of people biking or blading or running or walking, but I enjoy seeing so many people out enjoying Mother Nature as long as I’m expecting it before I go.

Very nice and peaceful trail. Great for the novice biker or roller skater. This is my go to trail, however, my one complaint is the current lack of trash cans along the trail. I frequently walk with my dogs but when they do their business, I have trouble finding the proper receptacle for the poop bag.

This is one of my favorite running trails in STL. There are tons of places to get on the trail depending on where you are coming from; I normally either start at Holmes Rd. in Kirkwood or at the other end at Orlando’s off of 55 and Reavis Barracks. If you go from end to end, its about 16 miles. I love this trail because it is flat (for those of you who are serious runners, it does slightly incline going from Crestwood/​South County up to Kirkwood, so I would recommend starting south so that when you come back, you hit the downhill path!) and it doesn’t get too busy.
I’ve run this trail after work in the early evenings and it isn’t too packed, and on weekends it generally starts getting busier around 9 a.m. There are lots of different people who use this trail from runners, walkers, bikers (who all usually announce as they are passing and don’t try to mow you over like they do at other parks!) so it’s always a nice mixture of people. The trail itself is nicely paved and you pass by Grant’s Farm and the Clydesdales which is fun. If you are looking for mostly flat, down and back trail, this is the one to try!

Parking, paved path, pet-​friendly, somewhat private, pit-​stops and potty-stops…pretty perfect place for walking, running, biking, blading, etc etc. Aside from the lack of protect from the parching sun on a pretty sunny afternoon, this is one perfect place to pack in a few recreational miles. On a nice day, I can promise you it will be packed with pedestrians doing just that.
Whew…all that «P”-in pooped me out… or maybe it was that pretty prolonged parade with the pups through Grant’s Trail!

I love this trail. It’s one of my fave places where I can shut off my phone & bike in peace. Although I haven’t done the entire trail, the scenery is just spectacular. It’s flat & is fantastic for beginner bike riding. I don’t like the «interruptions» (e.g. traffic stops). But, these interruptions allow you to take a break. The mile posts are wonderful. I once saw a wild turkey on the side of the trail.

This is my favorite paved trail in St Louis. It’s great for walking skating and biking. Parking is available conveniently every few miles. It is a very easy trail for beginners. Many parks and attractions are along the trail.

I’ve been riding this trail for the last couple years and it’s one of my favorites. I start off of Big Bend behind the QuikTrip, bike to the end near highway 55 and then back again.
For the most part, the scenery is beautiful. One passes Grant’s Farm, ponds, and streams. This time of year, the trees and underbrush are lush. Dogwoods and red buds are blooming everywhere. Where I was biking Friday, I saw Clydesdales hanging out in the field, countless bunnies, and even two wild turkeys!
The trail is in good condition and easy to bike. When the weather’s like this, if I have two hours, I’m throwing my bike on the back of my car and heading to Grant’s trail.

After hearing all the hubbub around the amazing Grant’s Trail, I had to check it out for myself. We usually hit Creve Coure Park on the weekends, but wanted to avoid the rugby event, so we decided to make a little pilgrimage to the South City trail.
The area is ultra-​nostalgic for me because I grew up in the apartments right up the road on Holmes (Yeah the ones that crazy pervert, Michael Devlin, lived!). The QT, Oak Bend Library, the bridge over the highway – All locales of my childhood. The Trail has really brought the working class area up.
We parked in the larger parking lot with the bathrooms just North of the highway and went from there. During our warm up, we passed a really nice play ground. Lots of drinking fountains.
It was a gorgeous sunny morning and there were a lot of the people on the trail. Not too many people. Just enough to make me happy — girl friends power-​walking, mommy groups with tricked out strollers, bikers of all experience levels, dog-​owners, hoosiers, hippies, and older people. This trail is literally for everyone.
People were courteous for the most part. I did almost get plowed over by some asshole cyclist. He’s lucky, if wasn’t running I would have jammed a stick in his spokes. That’s just how I roll.
We only covered about two miles of the trail (4ish there and back) because my slow ass is still getting in shape. Since I have the goal of running the Go! St. Louis ½ marathon next year, I imagine I’ll do a lot of running on this trial in the future. Add me to the list of fans!

Wow! Now THIS is a trail worth talking about!
I went here today for the first time, and I was blown away. Why? Well, lovely Unilocalers, let me count the ways…
1. LOTS of parking along the trail. I parked in the Applebee’s parking lot, which is steps away from the trail. There are lots of other lots where you can safely park your car as well.
2. It’s a VERY nice trail. No cracks in the road, and there’s a line going down the middle to separate those coming from those going. So that’s nice.
3. The trail is busy, but not TOO busy. Just busy enough to feel safe. And I felt COMPLETELY safe.
4. There were a couple of drinking fountains, as well as restrooms. That’s always a plus, since I don’t like carrying water on my runs.
There were a wide variety of people using the trails: lots of bike riders, young and old; lots of runners and walkers; rollerbladers, etc.
I can’t wait to run it again. Best trail in St. Louis (next to Forest Park, of course!)

Oh Grant’s Trail, how I have missed thee during the cold weather! Yes, I may be a wuss for not wanting to ride in the cold, but sorry. I’m just not that hard core.
Grant’s Trail is right by my house (think 2 blocks) so it’s awesomely convenient. Even if it isn’t, it’s worth the trip and struggle with a bike rack. Even when crowded, you can still get a great workout going. There are a lot of places to park along the trail. I absolutely love going by Grant’s Farm and seeing the Clydesdales of different generations.
It’s great for a beginner because it has a gentle grade. Going north is harder so do it first if you can and the way back is a breeze! It’s easy to calculate the distance you go based on markers and the website. Long or short rides are worth it. Pretty scenery along the way– not too many stops except for at the north trail head and thereabouts.
I can’t wait to have more great rides on you Grant’s Trail!

Are you training for a long run or bike race? Are you frustrated with all the short-​ish paved trails that St. Louis has to offer? Do you wish that just once you could jog or cycle for 16 – 18 miles without looping or double-​backing 2 or 3 times? Do you want to feel like you’re out in the country but not have to drive outside the city? Well my friends, do I have a trail for you.
Grant’s Trail, my ultimate marathon-​training course, is the trail for you. Starting way down south at 55 and Bayless, it curves and slides all the way up to downtown Kirkwood, providing some of the most beautiful scenery and easy running/​cycling in the metro area.
I’ve used the trail to train for a full marathon, and 3 – 4 other half-​marathons, and when it comes to runs of 8+ mile runs, Grant’s Trail has them all beat (the only close competitor is the Riverfront Trail). This is a rails-​to-​trails conversion, which means a couple of things:
#1, it’s flat. Because all railroads had to adhere to a maximum grade (angle), they were all built relatively flat. The only significant hills are as the trail runs past Grant’s Farm itself, and the section between Watson and Big Bend roads. But neither of these is significant, just long and somewhat challenging.
#2, the land around it is relatively undeveloped. Who wants to live next to a railroad? Well, not many, and therefore as suburbia sprung up, the stretch of land along the tracks was not built up as much as other suburbs. As a result, there are still mini-​forests, natural creeks, and open fields in most parts of the trail. You would never think you were in the middle of St. Louis in some parts. There are still some industrial areas and houses/​apartment buildings, but they are not overbearing and are actually rather quaint.
Other positives:
— It’s still relatively unknown and while it can get a tad busy, it has nowhere near the highway-​like volume of Forest Park.
— It’s new and wide. Built in the last 10 – 15 years, the pavement is still new and well-​maintained. Also, the width is what you would expect from a new-​style trail, with 4 people easily being able to fit across, with even a dirt jogging path in some areas.
— There’s little-​to-​no problem crossing streets/​highways. There are plenty of signals to cross the major roads (Gravois, Big Bend, Watson), and the trail either passes over or under the 2 highways (55 and 44). The few roads that don’t have a signal are lightly traveled and marked well.
Even though this trail is great to use, there are a few negatives:
— Not many facilities. There’s a bathroom about 1 mile into the trail, and after that you’re pretty much on your own. There are a few port-​o-​potties scattered around, but I wouldn’t rely on them. Very few water fountains as well. Bring your own water/​food/​whatever, and go to the bathroom before you start (or be prepared to find a bush).
— There’s a high speed differential on the trail. There are some cyclists who use this trail to try to set a new land-​speed record, and there are some people who barely walk on it (or sometimes stand). Unlike Forest Park, where everyone is pressured to move at a steady pace, Grant’s Trail is a free-​for-​all, and you have to be somewhat aware of your surroundings before you start passing people.
When I talk to people training for a race, this is always the first trail I tell them about. I’ve logged many miles on the trail, and while Forest Park and Riverfront trail both have their charms, pound-​for-​pound, Grant’s Trail wins out for me.

This has become my favorite trail to ride my bike on in St. Louis. Sure, it gets packed with baby strollers, people trying to avoid paying for parking at Grant’s Farm, and it seems that there is an abundance of people that have no idea what «on your left» means, but I keep riding it, nearly every day.
The trail runs from Union Rd. and Highway 55 in South County all the way up past Big Bend in Kirkwood (it dead ends just past Holmes as you cross over 44). Altogether, the trail is about 10 Miles and is seemingly flat. However, riding a bike you KNOW there’s an annoying uphill. It’s smooth, it’s largely shaded, there’s actually bathrooms along the side of the trail if you need to stop in the middle of your workout, and the best part, there’s a ton of parking all along the trail.
This thing is nearly always packed on nice days. You will get all kinds of folks on this trail as well. As I stated above, you have your wonderful women with baby strollers, kids heading to the BMX park at the south end of the trail, girls in high heels talking on their cell phones (I don’t get this one), rollerbladers, runners, the guy who cross country rollerblades in full purple and black lycra and a floppy hat with the biggest smile I have EVER seen… you get my drift… it’s great people watching.
If you need a little more of a challenge you can always get off the trail at Clydesdale park and just have fun riding up and down THOSE hills.
I suggest wearing bug spray though… this trail has given me more bug bites than girl scout camp ever did.