Leif Erikson Trail

Loved it! It was so peaceful. Just walking the trial, taking in nature. The trial I did was the Wild Cherry. I'm recovering from knee surgery, so it was great exercise. I'll be back to do the other trial. So much to see!

Runners, walkers, hikers and all kinds of bikers love this fire road in Forest Park. It gently climbs 500 feet in the first 5 miles, which is the half-way point of this out-and-back trail. There's also access to several hiking trails that climb up and down the steep ridge. You will find more shade than views in summer. Very popular weekends with pleasant weather, when parking can be an issue and the going is busy within a couple of miles of the trailhead. In winter, quite the opposite when gloomy dampness lends a Grimm-like foreboding to the surrounding forests.

If you’re a trail runner or just enjoy a nice walk/ride in the forest, this is the place to go! It does get busy on the weekends (street parking is still available, it just may be further from the trailhead) but once your a mile or so into the path, the crowds thin out. The trail does get muddy, especially after a big rain.

I’m a fan of this road for running. You can be in the midst of Forrest Park and run without stopping the extreme elevation gains and losses. The path is almost always dry enough to run without getting inundated with mud or breaking an ankle on tree roots and rocks.

Very popular trail with both hikers and trail runners, so expect to share the trail and the parking spaces. There's no parking lot, you just park on the side of the street, so keep that in mind. But definitely one of our favorites for a starting point for Forest Park trail running. You can either keep on Leif Erickson trail the whole way for an easy run (or hike), or you can go off on other trails for a little more challenge/hills.