So fun-check it out!! My boyfriend and I found Castlewood State Park in our search for mountain biking in the St. Louis area. Needless to say we fell in love! Castlewood State Park features 13 miles of trails divided into four loops of 2 to 3 miles each. There's something for everyone here. I was a beginner the first time we went, and I kept coming back for more!

The 3 mile Grotpeter Trail is hilly and technical as it winds through the park's wooded uplands. It can be accessed near the first picnic shelter.

The River Scene Trail is a 1.5 mile loop that begins opposite the entrance road to the first picnic shelter. It ascends to the bluffs along the Meramec River, goes down along the river's edge and back to the starting point. The River Scene Trail is mostly dirt, fairly flat, with several short technical sections.

The Stinging Nettle Trail, is 3 miles long primarily flat with several hills. There's also a new trail called the Lone Wolf Trail that recently opened.

We've done all the trails (other than Lone Wolf), and there's definitely a nice variety of terrains. I would say that most of them are pretty easy going with a few mildly technical spots.

The trails can get pretty crowded on nice weekend days, so I would be prepared for that. But we thought it was so awesome to see so many people in the area into mountain biking. Everyone we met was really friendly and polite. There we a couple of hardcore bikers that would occasionally speed past, but overall it's a pretty chill group out there!

*Tip: Keep an eye out for walkers and hikers-these are shared use trails! It can also get pretty muddy during the spring, so try to avoid heavy use of the trails during this time.