The hiking trails in and around St. Louis transports hikers to gorgeous lakes, alluring river views, serene shaded forest paths, and astonishing views from above of the sweeping valley. These beautiful hiking trails attract a lot of local hikers. A few hikers have created St. Louis hiking clubs and organizations to help foster a stronger local hiking community.
This is a list of the top 8 St. Louis hiking groups you should start with. Each one of these groups will provide fun and exciting hiking adventures. The group organizers will have unique perspectives and a variety of outdoor experiences under their belt. The vibe and hikers you meet from each group will be an exciting adventure in itself!
- St Louis Adventure Group – 6,900+ members
- Sierra Club Eastern Missouri Group Outings and Activities – 3,490+ members
- Hiking and backpacking with kids near St Louis, MO – 2,790+ members
- Explorer Chicks of Saint Louis – 2,690+ members
- SWAGS-Singles Wanting Adventure Group and Social activities – 2,090+ members
- Outdoor Afro St. Louis – 1,800+ members
- Comfort Camping Club – 890+ members
- Midwest Backpackers – 480+ members
St Louis Adventure Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: St. Louis, MO
Link: https://www.meetup.com/StLAdventurers/
Description: St Louis Adventure Group is a group that is ready for anything. They like to do activities such as hiking, biking, camping, kayaking, geocaching, backpacking, climbing, and more. They welcome all skill levels for their events. This group has hosted over 4,840+ events in the past and typically has multiple events throughout the week.
Sierra Club Eastern Missouri Group Outings and Activities
Cost to Join: Free
Location: St. Louis, MO
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Sierra-Club-Eastern-Missouri-Group-Outings-and-Activities/
Description: Sierra Club Eastern Missouri Group Outings and Activities conducts outings to explore and enjoy the outdoors. This group is open to anyone who wants to work to ensure a clean and healthy environment. Their outings include day hikes, camping, biking, canoeing, kayaking, trail maintenance, stream cleanups, and more. This group has hosted over 140+ events in the past and typically has one event each month.
Hiking and backpacking with kids near St Louis, MO
Cost to Join: Free
Location: St. Louis, MO
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-and-backpacking-with-kids-near-St-Louis-MO/
Description: Hiking and backpacking with kids near St Louis, MO is for parents and guardians of kids from newborns through teens who want to go on group hikes and backpacking with their kids. This group has hosted over 180+ events in the past and typically has one or two events each month.
Explorer Chicks of Saint Louis
Cost to Join: Free
Location: St. Louis, MO
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Explorer-Chicks-of-Saint-Louis/
Description: Explorer Chicks of Saint Louis is for chicks that dig the outdoor adventurous life and love to travel. This group hosts many outdoor events out of state and even international backpacking trips. They also do some in the city and in nearby states. This group has hosted over 250+ events in the past and typically has one event each week.
SWAGS-Singles Wanting Adventure Group and Social activities
Cost to Join: Free
Location: St. Louis, MO
Link: https://www.meetup.com/SWAGS-Singles-Wanting-Adventure-Group-and-Social-activities/
Description: SWAGS-Singles Wanting Adventure Group and Social activities is a singles group that will go hiking, kayaking, social networking (happy hours), game nights, small group dinners, and more. This group has hosted over 750+ events in the past and typically has multiple events throughout the week.
Outdoor Afro St. Louis
Cost to Join: Free
Location: St. Louis, MO
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Outdoor-Afro-Saint-Louis/
Description: Outdoor Afro St. Louis is a community of outdoor enthusiasts committed to reconnecting black people with natural spaces and one another through recreational activities such as hiking, camping, biking, birding, fishing, and more. This group has hosted over 150+ events in the past and typically hosts one or two events each month.
Comfort Camping Club
Cost to Join: Free
Location: St. Louis, MO
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Comfort-Camping-Club/
Description: Comfort Camping Club is a group for the tent camper who wants a fan or heater and for the luxury RV owner who would like to bake them a cake when camping. They host events for camping, floating, hiking, games, and more. This group has hosted over 160+ events in the past and typically has two events each month.
Midwest Backpackers
Cost to Join: Free
Location: St. Louis, MO
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Midwest-Backpackers/
Description: Midwest Backpackers is for those that enjoy the outdoors, backpacking, day hikes, kayaking, and more. This is a group of outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy nature and all of its beauty. They welcome backpackers of all skill levels. This group has hosted over 265+ events in the past and typically has one event each month.
Why should you join a St. Louis hiking group?
No Research Needed
The number one reason most people join a local hiking group is to meet other hikers, but there are many additional benefits too. The first additional benefit is that there is no research needed on your behalf. The group organizers will research the trail description, trailhead, distance, elevation, and difficulty. This means all you need to do is show up. If you are used to doing all of the research and logistics planning then this is a great time to take a break and just go hiking.
Push Your Pace
Another great benefit of joining a local hiking group is that you can intentionally join a group that hikes at a fast pace to be able to push your own pace. There are groups that focus specifically on stamina and speed when it comes to hiking. This is a great way to train your body to get used to hiking at faster paces so you can tackle longer hiking trails at a quicker rate. On the flip side, there are also groups that enjoy a more leisurely pace, so check those groups out too when you need a break.
Explore New Areas
The third added benefit of joining a St. Louis hiking group is that you will explore new hiking areas. There are groups that hike all over the place from local trails near the city and some out of state. This means you can expand your hiking areas and discover trails that you might not have ever heard of.
3 things to consider when joining a St. Louis hiking group
Required Experience
You may be very excited to join a local hiking group, but there are three things you should consider before you join. The first thing you should think about is the group’s expectations for past hiking experiences. There are groups that welcome beginners and there are groups that only want t to hike with more advanced hikers so they can focus on training or tackling more strenuous trails. Find a group that matches your current experience level so you can hike at a more comfortable pace.
Hike Locations
Another key thing to think about is where the group prefers to organize its hikes. There are groups ranging from local urban hikes all the way to out-of-state national parks. Look at the group’s past events to determine where they choose to do their hikes. You can join multiple groups so that you can change it up and hike local trails and some out-of-town trails too. This is a great way to expand your hiking areas.
Frequency
The third major thing you should think about is how often the group organizes hiking events. There are groups that have events every single week, some that have only monthly events, and some that only have one event every few months. If you are looking to build a hiking habit or hike more often then find a group that meets more frequently. You can look at a group’s past events to determine when they meet and how often they meet up.
Summary
The alluring hiking trails in St. Louis will take you to amazing sights. However, these beautiful trails leading to lovely river views, astonishing lakes, tranquil forests, and amazing panoramic views are made better when shared with the local hikers you will meet from these groups.
The list above is only just eight of the many hiking groups available for you to check out in St. Louis. As you go on more hiking adventures over the years, your hiking interests will likely change. As your interests evolve you can start to explore other groups that align more with your current interests. Enjoy all of your time out on the trails with these local St. Louis hiking clubs and organizations!
