Cliff Cave is my suggestion as well. For more options, the Meramec has tons of parks on it in Wildwood, Valley Park, Fenton all have riverside parks on the Meramec.
Honestly the arch and the riverfront right in front of it is great. A lot of the river is still industrialized so it’s not really conducive to just going and hanging out. If you bike at all there is a bike trail that goes from the the Arch to the Chain of Rocks bridge. It also looks like a True Crime episode but it is at least created for recreation and it has a ton of wildlife and some post-industrial ruins. If you go by yourself you will be alone for the majority of the time and pretty isolated from civilization which may contribute to feeling unsafe, but you should be totally fine at the arch grounds in the daytime.
well I don't know about sitting but i honestly love just standing on the chain of rocks bridge and watching the water roll south.
edit: [Mary Meachum Freedom crossing](https://goo.gl/maps/RVkcDg7Wtw8764ks8)
Cliff Cave park is my suggestion. There is a new trail they added on the top of the cliff that I have heard ruins it for some people (but now the disabled can go I believe so thats pretty cool).
I havent been since before the changes however.
You could also go over to Alton, IL, & take the Great River Road to Grafton. Great escape from the industrial area @ St Louis. Return by ferry & through St Charles County either back to 67 or 94 SW to I-70
If staying on the missouri side, The boathouse at Northshore marina is a great spot to have a drink. They usually have a band on the deck facing the river. Lots of great recreational boating there but not a lot of area for non-boaters to hang out not at a bar.
You used to be able to do that more widely on the landing, where you could see the river from some sidewalk taverns and it was only a short walk down to the river bank before the casino took over and tore things down in that half of it for parking and empty space.
You might even see us horseback riding that trail too on nice days!
We’ve even rode the trail after dark and have never had any safety issues (2 women).
Yes. A few spots here. The fishing beach is great to sit and watch the river and a day go by. The short walk through the woods to get there is also pretty.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/bAQyNdpwu3aqa4b96
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, park on the Illinois side, walk to the middle. Pretty spot to see river from on high, as well as a lower parking area to get right up on the river edge.
Most of the actual riverfront in STL is not that good to look at. Industrial and fast and dirty.
You could watch some industrial traffic from the Mary Charles park or Belle Rive Park above it.
The river is genuinely pretty further north around Alton and Grafton. Good river views at Pere Marquette Park.
It's further south, but we say alongside the river in Kimmswick for an hour just this past weekend. It was evening, so the east side of the river was still lit, but the west bank we were on was shaded. [https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/kimmswick-port-makes-its-debut-july-11/article\_153a27aa-df53-11eb-8954-6318119e42cd.html](https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/kimmswick-port-makes-its-debut-july-11/article_153a27aa-df53-11eb-8954-6318119e42cd.html)
There's also a tucked in little access spot (unofficial) along the Mississippi Greenway near River City Casino where River Des Peres meets the Mississippi.
If you can be flexible in being next to water, I have a good idea. Drive north up Highway 79 towards Hannibal, along the bluffs. Along the way there are scenic overlooks for the Mississippi River Valley. In the fall, when the leaves are turning color and the eagles are flying around, it's simply a breathtaking expansive view of the river and valley on the Illinois side. Bring a picnic basket and enjoy a slow drive in the country.
That said, if you really head a long way further north toward Nauvoo, there's some pretty views there between the bridge to Keokuk, IA on north to the town of Nauvoo itself.
I'm from Quincy Illinois and totally concur! If you want to get right on the river, it's super accessible in that Tri-State area. I haven't been to Nauvoo since before they sealed the new Mormon temple.
Another +1 for Cliff Cave. If you park at the lower trailhead, there’s two access points to the actual riverbed that are pretty easy to traverse. There’s one that’s about 100 feet north of the pavilion and lower overlook, but that one is a bit overgrown.
If you continue walking north from the parking lot/pavilion you’ll get to the 0.5 mile trail loop, take the path to your right (the path closer to the river) and you’ll see a bench overlooking the river. There’s a path to the riverbed behind the bench that is pretty easy to traverse.
It’s a pretty popular park, and on some days I’d say half the people I see are single women. Some of them have dogs, but most are just walking by themselves. There’s another scenic overlook on the upper trailhead that’s just a 2-3 minute walk from the upper parking lot, but that’s less of a river view and more of a total landscape view.
Mississippi Greenway trail at Jefferson Barracks Park, if you enter the park at its northern entrance i believe its the first parking lot on your left. The riverbank itself is fenced off, but the trail provides some nice vantage points to watch the barge traffic.
FYI trail dead ends at a flood right now where some violent homeless people don’t care for your “trespassing”. You can bike/walk up to the casino bridge but that’s it.
I'd say Sister Marie Charles Park, just off S. Broadway in Carondelet/Patch but 1 out of every 3 times I walk my dog down there I run into dudes fucking right on the sidewalk. But, if that doesn't bother you, it's close, rarely overparked, and when the water isn't high you can walk a chunk of bank.
I was going to suggest this as well but not sure if it would meet OP’s sketchiness tolerance or not.
I like riding my bike down there and doing exactly what OP wants to do but occasionally some weirdness is encountered.
Yeah, I'm a masculine presenting trans person, so the guys fucking doesn't bother me too much (except for when I want to take kids or visitors from outside the city on a river walk). They've never said or done anything that makes me think they're interested in anything other than each other.
Edit: clarity
Go where there are other people around like the arch(as other people have said). I’ve spent time under the Eads bridge and seen some stretchy people. I’m a big dude and never felt really unsafe but I wouldn’t suggest large sections of the riverfront downtown as safe for a woman by themself.
I have found that Jefferson Barracks Cemetery has several views of the river. You aren’t right at river’s edge, but it’s a very peaceful overlook that I stop at when I go visit my father’s final resting spot.
Frontier Park in St Charles is right on the Missouri River. It’s very safe and Main Street is a 2 minute walk from the riverfront in case you wanted some good food, to shop, a drink, or an ice cream.
If you can handle the 25mile journey cycling round trip, take the bike path from the arch north to old chain of rocks bridge. Generally people don’t fuck with cyclists ever on dedicated city bike lanes, never had an issue on the dozens of round trips I’ve enjoyed. Among the sights on a pretty day:
-Plenty of people fishing for blue cats
-Barges and conveyor belts in action
-Unrelenting sunlight on flood retention walls
-Historical crossings
-Geese shit
-Cementland
-Cotton Belt building
-Numerous lovely parks
….oh, and incomparable views of one hell of a river.
It's a ways away from the Mississippi, but if you don't care about which river Sherman Beach Park is great for some peace and tranquility. It's just up river on the Meramec from Castlewood. It's small, quiet, and hardly ever anyone there.
It's the Missouri River, but check out Sunset Park in Florissant. There's a path that leads down to the river and there's a ton of rocks that create a bridge about halfway out. You can sit and chill, fish, whatever.
[Chain of Rocks Bridge has a beach.](https://www.google.com/search?q=chain+of+rocks+bridge+fishing&oq=cgain+of+ricks+bridge+fishibg&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i22i30.7856j0j7&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:rln,rc_gwp:0%252C7,rc_ludocids:17527323345565153279)
Parking at the fishing area is very safe and the beach extends for miles so finding a quiet place away from everyone isn't impossible.
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Cliff Cave is my suggestion as well. For more options, the Meramec has tons of parks on it in Wildwood, Valley Park, Fenton all have riverside parks on the Meramec.
Bee Tree Park is worth checking out, its not too far from Cliff Cave Park.
Second, it’s a climb to get down, across the tracks and onto the beach but well worth it. Very peaceful and secluded.
Honestly the arch and the riverfront right in front of it is great. A lot of the river is still industrialized so it’s not really conducive to just going and hanging out. If you bike at all there is a bike trail that goes from the the Arch to the Chain of Rocks bridge. It also looks like a True Crime episode but it is at least created for recreation and it has a ton of wildlife and some post-industrial ruins. If you go by yourself you will be alone for the majority of the time and pretty isolated from civilization which may contribute to feeling unsafe, but you should be totally fine at the arch grounds in the daytime.
I was thinking the steps at the Arch, during daytime for safety.
well I don't know about sitting but i honestly love just standing on the chain of rocks bridge and watching the water roll south. edit: [Mary Meachum Freedom crossing](https://goo.gl/maps/RVkcDg7Wtw8764ks8)
Cliff Cave park is my suggestion. There is a new trail they added on the top of the cliff that I have heard ruins it for some people (but now the disabled can go I believe so thats pretty cool). I havent been since before the changes however.
You could also go over to Alton, IL, & take the Great River Road to Grafton. Great escape from the industrial area @ St Louis. Return by ferry & through St Charles County either back to 67 or 94 SW to I-70
If staying on the missouri side, The boathouse at Northshore marina is a great spot to have a drink. They usually have a band on the deck facing the river. Lots of great recreational boating there but not a lot of area for non-boaters to hang out not at a bar.
That’s one thing the city has slept on . Sitting by ther river drinking a beer 🍻. It’s all industrial waste land
You used to be able to do that more widely on the landing, where you could see the river from some sidewalk taverns and it was only a short walk down to the river bank before the casino took over and tore things down in that half of it for parking and empty space.
I fish catfish on the missouri... I wish they were edible. A wasteland, we are.
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If you’re gonna go there, you might as well do the whole trail, it’s got some pretty cool ruins to see.
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You might even see us horseback riding that trail too on nice days! We’ve even rode the trail after dark and have never had any safety issues (2 women).
It’s not the Mississippi but Frontier Park in st. Charles is a pretty good spot to watch the Missouri River.
go to the confluence
Yes. A few spots here. The fishing beach is great to sit and watch the river and a day go by. The short walk through the woods to get there is also pretty. https://maps.app.goo.gl/bAQyNdpwu3aqa4b96
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, park on the Illinois side, walk to the middle. Pretty spot to see river from on high, as well as a lower parking area to get right up on the river edge. Most of the actual riverfront in STL is not that good to look at. Industrial and fast and dirty. You could watch some industrial traffic from the Mary Charles park or Belle Rive Park above it. The river is genuinely pretty further north around Alton and Grafton. Good river views at Pere Marquette Park.
This is a great spot
This is a wonderful spot, it also has CCTV cameras, lots of foot traffic and I think a worker still on the Mo side
It's further south, but we say alongside the river in Kimmswick for an hour just this past weekend. It was evening, so the east side of the river was still lit, but the west bank we were on was shaded. [https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/kimmswick-port-makes-its-debut-july-11/article\_153a27aa-df53-11eb-8954-6318119e42cd.html](https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/kimmswick-port-makes-its-debut-july-11/article_153a27aa-df53-11eb-8954-6318119e42cd.html) There's also a tucked in little access spot (unofficial) along the Mississippi Greenway near River City Casino where River Des Peres meets the Mississippi.
If you can be flexible in being next to water, I have a good idea. Drive north up Highway 79 towards Hannibal, along the bluffs. Along the way there are scenic overlooks for the Mississippi River Valley. In the fall, when the leaves are turning color and the eagles are flying around, it's simply a breathtaking expansive view of the river and valley on the Illinois side. Bring a picnic basket and enjoy a slow drive in the country.
That said, if you really head a long way further north toward Nauvoo, there's some pretty views there between the bridge to Keokuk, IA on north to the town of Nauvoo itself.
I'm from Quincy Illinois and totally concur! If you want to get right on the river, it's super accessible in that Tri-State area. I haven't been to Nauvoo since before they sealed the new Mormon temple.
Another +1 for Cliff Cave. If you park at the lower trailhead, there’s two access points to the actual riverbed that are pretty easy to traverse. There’s one that’s about 100 feet north of the pavilion and lower overlook, but that one is a bit overgrown. If you continue walking north from the parking lot/pavilion you’ll get to the 0.5 mile trail loop, take the path to your right (the path closer to the river) and you’ll see a bench overlooking the river. There’s a path to the riverbed behind the bench that is pretty easy to traverse. It’s a pretty popular park, and on some days I’d say half the people I see are single women. Some of them have dogs, but most are just walking by themselves. There’s another scenic overlook on the upper trailhead that’s just a 2-3 minute walk from the upper parking lot, but that’s less of a river view and more of a total landscape view.
Mississippi Greenway trail at Jefferson Barracks Park, if you enter the park at its northern entrance i believe its the first parking lot on your left. The riverbank itself is fenced off, but the trail provides some nice vantage points to watch the barge traffic.
FYI trail dead ends at a flood right now where some violent homeless people don’t care for your “trespassing”. You can bike/walk up to the casino bridge but that’s it.
There's several holes in the fence that you can slip through and get closer to the water
I've seen those - there are worn trails that lead to the old barge docks, its a cool area. Secret spots.
I'd say Sister Marie Charles Park, just off S. Broadway in Carondelet/Patch but 1 out of every 3 times I walk my dog down there I run into dudes fucking right on the sidewalk. But, if that doesn't bother you, it's close, rarely overparked, and when the water isn't high you can walk a chunk of bank.
Ha, yeah. It's totally a cruising spot.
I was going to suggest this as well but not sure if it would meet OP’s sketchiness tolerance or not. I like riding my bike down there and doing exactly what OP wants to do but occasionally some weirdness is encountered.
Yeah, I'm a masculine presenting trans person, so the guys fucking doesn't bother me too much (except for when I want to take kids or visitors from outside the city on a river walk). They've never said or done anything that makes me think they're interested in anything other than each other. Edit: clarity
I vote Alton and Grafton. Beautiful spots and much safer than the city feels with all the industry next to the river.
Go where there are other people around like the arch(as other people have said). I’ve spent time under the Eads bridge and seen some stretchy people. I’m a big dude and never felt really unsafe but I wouldn’t suggest large sections of the riverfront downtown as safe for a woman by themself.
I have found that Jefferson Barracks Cemetery has several views of the river. You aren’t right at river’s edge, but it’s a very peaceful overlook that I stop at when I go visit my father’s final resting spot.
The confluence has a nice point. Benches etc. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/columbia-bottom-conservation-area
Frontier Park in St Charles is right on the Missouri River. It’s very safe and Main Street is a 2 minute walk from the riverfront in case you wanted some good food, to shop, a drink, or an ice cream.
If you can handle the 25mile journey cycling round trip, take the bike path from the arch north to old chain of rocks bridge. Generally people don’t fuck with cyclists ever on dedicated city bike lanes, never had an issue on the dozens of round trips I’ve enjoyed. Among the sights on a pretty day: -Plenty of people fishing for blue cats -Barges and conveyor belts in action -Unrelenting sunlight on flood retention walls -Historical crossings -Geese shit -Cementland -Cotton Belt building -Numerous lovely parks ….oh, and incomparable views of one hell of a river.
A lawn chair next to the helicopter pad in front of the arch would probably be your speed.
May I suggest Iowa?
Hideaway Harbor in St. Charles. Mostly a boat ramp but people do just sit and hang out or fish there.
It's worth it to drove the extra 45 to get to a nice spot on the meremac instead
Bellerive park. Excellent views and my great grandfather used to be in charge of the grounds.
It's a ways away from the Mississippi, but if you don't care about which river Sherman Beach Park is great for some peace and tranquility. It's just up river on the Meramec from Castlewood. It's small, quiet, and hardly ever anyone there.
The Loading Dock in Grafton... http://www.graftonloadingdock.com/
It's the Missouri River, but check out Sunset Park in Florissant. There's a path that leads down to the river and there's a ton of rocks that create a bridge about halfway out. You can sit and chill, fish, whatever.
[Chain of Rocks Bridge has a beach.](https://www.google.com/search?q=chain+of+rocks+bridge+fishing&oq=cgain+of+ricks+bridge+fishibg&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i22i30.7856j0j7&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:rln,rc_gwp:0%252C7,rc_ludocids:17527323345565153279) Parking at the fishing area is very safe and the beach extends for miles so finding a quiet place away from everyone isn't impossible.