St. Louis Riverfront Trail

Near the Arch, the route has an upper sidewalk beside Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard and a lower sidewalk along Levee Road. A ramp and railed stairs connect them, but conditions vary. The lower bank can be cobbled and uneven underfoot. Some levee sections are shared with authorized vehicles. The floodwall hides the river in places; when the path drops to the lower level, you get closer to the water and passing barges. Much of the longer walk is open to the sun.

This is an urban greenway, with river commerce, rail lines, warehouses and industrial buildings in the view. The riverfront became a transport and industrial corridor after the steamboat era, so the scenery is a mix of working infrastructure and open water rather than a continuous park landscape. Around the Arch, look for Eads Bridge and the barges moving along the Mississippi.

The levee wall at Mural Mile is painted with changing local graffiti; the art is part of the walk, but no one mural is a permanent target. Farther north, Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing marks a more solemn piece of local history. On May 21, 1855, Meachum tried to help enslaved people cross the river to Illinois. At least five were caught, and she was arrested. The site is now part of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

The route ends at the approach to Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, a mile-long steel crossing more than 60 feet above the Mississippi with a 30-degree bend midway. It carried Route 66 from 1936 until it closed to cars in 1968, then reopened for walking and biking in 1999. The full route turns around here; walking across the bridge into Illinois adds distance beyond the 23-mile return.

Dogs are welcome on the greenway on a fixed leash no longer than six feet; clean up after them. The Arch riverfront walk is free and listed for year-round use. The full trail is exposed, and low riverfront sections can be affected by flooding, so check current access notices before setting out. Parking is shown at the Biddle Street Trailhead, but lot capacity and fees are not specified.

Start at Biddle Street Trailhead, 1 Biddle Street, and head north to the bridge approach before turning back along the same corridor. The older greenway map marks shorter returns of about three miles to the Mural Mile and six miles to Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing. Those make better choices if you want a taste of the riverfront without committing to an all-day walk.