Gateway Arch National Park

Monday, July 11

Springfield, IL

Lincoln Museum and State Capital

On my way to the Arch in Saint Louis I stopped in Sprinfield, IL to visit the Lincoln Museum and Presidential Libary. The museum was very well done and informative of Lincoln's life, the civil war and his assasination at Ford Theater. The coolest was the Ghost's of the Presidential Library show. It had a gentlemen talking about the history of the libary, the purpose of the library (archive and historical research) and as he was talking there were cool ghostly hologram special effects of floating letters, books, people and war scenes that would wisp away. The best was at the end when the narrator, I thought was a person, also whisped away, very cool.

Also made a quick trip to the capital and took a picture.

Lick Creek Wildlife Preserve

After the museum and capital I did a hike in a nearby preserve. Noboday else there! I had planned to do the full 4.8 mile out and back but, it was very hot, very humid, very buggy and muddy. So, cut it short to about 3 miles. I only took a couple of pictures because my phone was running out of battery and needed for the drive to Litchfield.

Tuesday, July 12

Yesterday, after the hike, I drove from Springfield to Litchfield, IL which is about 35 miles from the state park I planned to hike today and the Arch about 45 miles tomorrow.

Beaver Creek SP . I drove most of the way on narrow country roads dodging huge farm tractors along the way. When I got there, the park was closed! I had looked it up on the web and no indication it was closed, I called the park and got a recording but did not say it was closed. So, that was a bust. I headed back to Litchfield.

Hike- Henry Ellers Shoal Creek Preserve - Yeager Lake

A short drive to the Yaeger Lake area I found a nice hike in a preserve. I saw only one other person on this hike. The hike was really nice, the weather had cooled from yesterday, the humidity had dropped and the trail was more open and sunny so, bugs not a problem (also..bug spray). Unfortunately, there were only two loop hikes that were both pretty short. I did them once, had lunch on a bench and did both loops again but, only ~4 miles total. I didn't want to do the same loops a third time so I headed back to the hotel. Despite the shortness of the hike, I really enjoyed it. Even saw a doe on the trail.

Wednesday, July 13

Gateway Arch National Park - Saint Louis, MO

Drove to Saint Louis to visit Gateway Arch National Park (seems more like a monument to me). The arch is very impressive standing 603 feet high and 603 feet wide. I took the ride to the top.

After the trip to the top I spent some time looking at the displays, had lunch and walked around the grounds of this tiny National Park. Maybe 3-4 miles tops for the day.

Instead of staying another night in Litchfield with not a lot planned for Thursday (a stop in Lincoln to see Lincoln's Homestead) I decided to head straight home from Saint Louis (280 miles). A short trip to see a National Park to check off the list!

Home Sweet Home.