Wildwood combines a unique Route 66 history with a variety of trails and historic sites. Early settlements can be found using historical markers, and there is also a restored one-room schoolhouse dating from 1914. For trip planning, one simple question can help: Are you mainly interested in local history, or are specific trail lengths and surfaces your priority?
Route 66 and Local History
Historic Route 66 runs through the center of Wildwood and is now called Manchester Road. This section follows the road’s original route from the early 1930s. This makes it easy to distinguish the historic route name from the road’s current name: both refer to this section of road in Wildwood.
Wildwood’s early settlements can still be found using historical markers. The city’s Historic Markers Program places descriptions of historic areas at historic sites throughout the city. These markers offer another way to explore local history, beyond the history of Route 66.
One specific historic building is the Old Pond School. This restored one-room schoolhouse dates from 1914 and stands on a one-acre property in Wildwood. It is considered one of the finest examples of a one-room schoolhouse in Saint Louis County. Alongside the markers, a single schoolhouse and its architectural style are also central to local history.
Trails and Different Distance Measures
The Wildwood Greenway includes about 18 miles of paved trails. This approximate length differs from the distance of a single loop: the Bluff View Trail System round trip from Bluff View Park is about 12.7 miles. The Bluff View Trail System is a natural-surface singletrack trail for hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. The system also includes the rock formation Sperm Whale Rock.
The Rock Hollow Trail offers another combination of trail type and a specific feature: it is paved and open to pedestrians and cyclists. Thirteen wooden bridges are located along the trail.
The Al Foster Memorial Trail generally follows the Meramec River and begins at the Al Foster Trailhead in Glencoe. The paved Hamilton Carr is 1.7 miles long and connects the Wabash, Frisco and Pacific Miniature Railroad in Glencoe with Rockwoods Reservation. It leads to a flat, shaded limestone-gravel route along the Meramec River, passing tall limestone bluffs.
The mileage figures therefore describe different things: an approximate length of paved Greenway trails, a round trip, and a connecting trail. The Greenway length may change due to construction; trail routes, connections, and conditions may also change. If you are planning a specific outing, check the latest trail information.
Landscape and Parkland
Wildwood’s natural surroundings include dense forests, rolling hills, scenic valleys, lush meadows, and clear streams. State, county, and city parks cover 11 of the 68 square miles within the city limits. This figure describes parkland across the entire city; it is a different measure from the length of an individual trail.
Practical Information for Your Stay
Membership is required for Buddy's Place Dog Park. The park is located at Community Park in Wildwood, Missouri 63038, at 17155 Pond Grover Parkway. Keep this requirement in mind when planning a visit.
When looking for a hotel in Wildwood, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: Route 66 history, local history, or a specific trail each offer a different focus for planning your trip.
Explore more destinations: Earth City, Kirkwood, Chesterfield, Sunset Hills, Green Park, St Ann, Hazelwood, Edmundson
For the broader travel overview: St Louis.
