Meramec State Park Canoe Trip

I'm catching up on my blog posts and I'm super excited to share the experience I had on the Meramec River with my mom and dogs. Meramec Caverns are approximately an hour outside of St. Louis, MO, and was the location where we reserved our canoe. There were also options to kayak or raft, but with two dogs, we opted for the more reliable of the three choices! We were dropped off at Meramec State Park and finished the trip back at the Meramec Caverns.

The river was extremely clear and no more than 5-10 feet deep for the majority of our downriver float. The day was overcast but the newly bloomed green trees contrasted beautifully against the sky. The canoe rental cost about $40 and our stretch of the river took close to two hours to complete. Although you could easily let the current take you, we ended up paddling for the fun of it. There were multiple embankments where you could dock to stretch or snack. 

We saw a myriad of turtles on every log we passed, as well as birds, fish, ducks, and even a dog accompanying a nearby hiker. Because of the overcast sky, we had the entire river to ourselves. It was peaceful and serene.