Best paved trails in St. Louis, Missouri

The Ulysses S. Grant Trail (Grant's Trail) is a "rails to trails" smooth, flat, point-to-point route from River des Peres to Kirkwood weaving through south and southwest St. Louis County, Missouri. It is perfect for biking, running, inline skating, walking, or cross-country skiing. Accessibility: The main trail is paved, smooth, and typically at least eight feet wide. The grade is mostly flat (estimated all under 5%). Most wheelchair and stroller users will likely find this trail navigable.Show more

The Mississippi River Greenway at Jefferson Barracks Park is a popular, fairly flat out and back trail along the Mississippi River. It is mainly asphalt but also includes brick pavement and concrete bridges at the start. This popular trail is shared by young and old walking, jogging, running, biking, strollers, and wheelchairs. It starts at the north end of Jefferson Barracks County Park and travels behind Notre Dame High School and River City Casino before ending at River des Peres. Accessibility: The trail surface is paved and typically at least six feet wide. The grade is mostly gentle (all estimated under 5% except for the first 0.1 miles).Show more

A nice easy walk through a beautiful park with a slight incline and many connecting paths for alternate route options. Accessibility: There is not a parking lot at the start of this route but there is street parking in this park. The trail surface is paved, typically at least six feet wide, and has an estimated grade of 5% or less so is mostly gentle for wheelchair and stroller users.Show more

This popular trail has both paved and gravel options (the "Heels Path") and goes by attractions such as Jefferson Lake, McDonnell Planetarium, Missouri History Museum, Forest Park Golf Course, and the St. Louis Zoo. The park is very easy to navigate. There are 30 miles of trails that run through the park, and this loop only represents the perimeter. There are bike racks at all the different places that you can stop and visit. You can pick up a detailed map from the visitors center which is very helpful; however, they do have basic maps placed along the trails throughout the park. Exploring the park by bike is definitely a great way to see the park. It allows you to cover the vast area in the most efficient way. Accessibility: The main trail surface is paved asphalt and typically at least five feet wide. The estimated grade is mostly gentle (all 5% or less) so most wheelchair/mobility equipment or stroller users will likely find this trail navigable.Show more

Trail gate locks and closes at 6pm. Great riverfront and downtown skyline view, especially when starting and the north end, and heading south to the Gateway Arch! Accessibility: This asphalt trail is estimated to typically be at least 10 feet wide. There is a center dividing line for passing and opposite direction travelers. There may be loose gravel at some road and rail crossings. The slope is estimated to flat everything from flat to steep sections. Overall, the slope ranges from -12% (downhill) to 12% (uphill) grade. The steepest downhill sections are located at about the 1.4, 2.2 and 10.0 mile mark when heading north. It is unclear if there are any ADA-designated handicapped accessible car parking spots with access aisles at the trailhead lot. There are 3 handicapped accessible car parking spots at the trailhead lot at about the 8.0 mile mark-marked here with a waypoint.Show more

SEASONAL CLOSURE: This area is subject to seasonal closure due to weather conditions. For more information, please visit https://greatriversgreenway.org/greenway/meramec-greenway-lower-meramec-park/. Accessibility: This asphalt trail is estimated to typically be at least 5 feet wide. The slope is estimated to be moderately steep and range from -6% (downhill) to 6% (uphill) grade. It is unclear if there are any ADA-compliant car parking spots at the partially paved trailhead lot.Show more

This trail starts in Creve Coeur County Park and provides a way to access the Katy Trail. The entire trail is paved with enough room for two bikes across in each direction. Bikers use this trail more than pedestrians. While it is mostly flat, there is quite a hill to climb at each end, so it gives your lower gears (and legs) a nice work out. It follows alongside a highway with plenty of traffic noise. Taking the trail across the bridge over the Missouri River puts you at an access point to the Katy Trail. There is a nice point to stop midway across that bridge and sit on the bench to watch the river roll along. Accessibility: This asphalt and cement trail is estimated to typically be at least 7 feet wide. There is a painted center dividing line along most of the route. The slope is estimated to be steep (12% grade or less) up and downhill. There is one estimated very steep (higher than 12% grade) section located at about the 0.4 mile mark. This section is marked with a waypoint as trail goers using mobility equipment may need to avoid it. There are 2 designated handicapped-accessible parking spaces with access aisles at the alternate paved trailhead lot with access to the less steep portions of the trail. It is marked here with a waypoint. The most accessible portion of this trail is the section between the 1.0 and 3.0 mile mark on the south side of the river.Show more

A wonderful urban trail with views of the iconic arch. Accessibility: This composite, concrete, and brick trail is estimated to typically be at least 7 feet wide. The slope is estimated to be mostly gentle to very steep and range overall from -13% (downhill) to 15% (uphill) grade. The steepest sections, above 8% grade downhill and 12% uphill, are located at about the 0.3 and 1.1 through 1.3 mile marks. These areas are marked with waypoints as trail goers using assistive equipment may need to avoid them. There are 4 ADA-compliant car parking spots with access aisles at the paved trailhead lot.Show more