Explore St. Louis

Fall is here and that means it’s hayride season in St. Louis. Discover fabulous fall foliage and enjoy the crisp autumn air on leisurely hay-cushioned rambles throughout the region.

The Wilderness Wagon ambles through the gorgeous Shaw Nature Reserve each Saturday and Sunday through October 30. Rides cost only $1 and depart from the visitor center at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. each day. A nature reserve guide narrates during the three-mile journey through the lush Missouri countryside, pointing out the best color, the tall grass prairie, a pine forest and the creatures that live in the wetlands and throughout the 2,500-acre nature reserve. Located in Grey Summit, Missouri near the Meramec River, the site is operated by the Missouri Botanical Garden.

If you dare, hop aboard the Haunted Hayride that departs from Eckert’s Country Store & Farms in the nearby Illinois towns of Millstadt and Grafton. The kid-friendly, goblinly fun happens Friday and Saturday nights through October 29. The hair-raising trips through Eckert’s Haunted Orchards are a treat for everyone in the family. Note: September 23 and 24 hayrides are available at the Millstadt Farm only. No rides on September 30.

Gather a big group and have a hayloft of a lot of fun by reserving a 20-person wagon for a
Forest Park Hayride. Reservations are required for the popular Friday and Saturday night 45-minute excursion throughout fabulous Forest Park. BYO hot dogs and marshmallows to roast at the roaring bonfire that awaits at the end of the ride. Wagons leave each evening at 7, 7:05, 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, 8, 8:05, 8:10, 8:15 and 8:20 p.m. through December 20. There are no hayrides during Thanksgiving weekend. Cost: $100.00 per 20-person wagon; reservations required. For more information call: (314) 289-5330, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Mon. - Fri.