Community of Spanish Lake

Visit the Fort Belle Fontaine County Park Facebook page for current events and pictures.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Belle-Fontaine-historic-site/16198336...

Photo Slideshow
History of the Site
Friends of Fort Belle Fontaine Park
Lewis & Clark Trail
Works Progress Administration Structures
Interpretive Signs along the Trail
Beautiful Spring at Fort Belle Fontaine
Coldwater Creek
Photos
Activities for kids
Events at the Park
Reenactors at Fort Belle Fontaine Park
The Prairie Burn

Fort Belle Fontaine County Park Trail
BY HARRY JACKSON JR. • harry.jackson@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8234 | Posted: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

A place to watch eagles with minimal effort is from the promenade in Fort Belle Fontaine County Park. Bring a chair to sit and watch the eagles or walk one of two trails along the Missouri River.

Where • 13002 Bellefontaine Road. Interstate 270, Bellefontaine Road north, to the road's end.

How long • The bigger loop trail is 2.9 miles; the 1.7-mile inner loop is part of the 30/30 Trails program — hikes that take about 30 minutes.

Surface • The 30/30 trail is a combination of asphalt and natural; the other is gravel and dirt.

Difficulty • Moderate. Hilly away from the river.

Can be used for • Hiking, bicycling.

User's notes • For history buffs, it's the first military outpost west of the Mississippi River, after the Louisiana Purchase in 1804. It was also a stop-off site for the Lewis and Clark Expedition heading up the Missouri River. Along with the stone ruins and staircase, the park has structures from Depression-era public works programs. Eagles are sparse currently, but along the west side of the trails are an abundance of multi-colored forest birds, including blues and cardinals.

Wheelchair accessible • Neither the paved nor natural surfaces are friendly to wheelchairs, especially in this muddy season.

Facilities • Portable restrooms in the park; no playgrounds; bring your own water.

Parking • Trail parking is about halfway from the park entrance to the river on the west side of the park. A small space is adjacent to the promenade.

Dogs • On leash.

Information • 314-615-4386 or http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/FortBelleFontaine . You might want to call ahead; the park closes from time to time for military re-enactments.