Review Detail
4.5 1 0.5
Parks, Beaches, Nature Preserves
Large floodplain park at the confluence of the rivers
(Updated: October 25, 2021)
Rating
4.5
At over 4,300 acres and with 6.5 miles of river frontage, Columbia Bottom Conservation Area is one of the largest nature parks in Saint Louis County. It is located at the confluence of the Missouri River and the Mississippi River. So if you always wanted to get a view of this point of geography visible from low earth orbit, here is your chance.
We visited Columbia Bottom Conservation Area at about 4 PM on a Wednesday afternoon in early September. The area is very flat and serves as a flood plain for the two rivers. There are wooded areas near the rivers but most of the land looks like farmland that is in the process of returning to prairie. Throughout the area, we saw the vehicles of many hunters parked. It appears that the hunters were mostly in those fields hunting game birds. You would hear the occasional pop of a shotgun.
We first stopped in at the visitor center right near the entrance of Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. There isn't much to see there but you can get an overview of the park plus a map. A nice lady answered all of our questions and advised us that due to flooding earlier this year that the main paved road to the confluence viewpoint was closed. So we instead had to use a macadam road detour which was actually in very good shape without hardly a pothole.
On our way to the confluence viewpoint, we saw a sign for a kayak/canoe access point on the Mississippi River. We drove to the parking lot but didn't see the river. So I guess you need to walk your boat a little distance from there to get to the water.
The confluence viewing area has a parking lot with a small pavilion and several hole-in-the-ground toilets. You must walk about 2-3 minutes to get to the river. It is a paved walkway so it is doable in a wheelchair. Once at the concrete viewing area, there are some benches but no shade. It isn't a spectacular scene, but it is an important geological point in defining the nation.
Afterwards, we continued counter-clockwise around the park to see the Missouri River boat ramp. It has parking for over 100 vehicles, a pavilion, and hole-in-the-ground toilets. The boat ramp looked to be in very good condition. Our return drive back to the entrance of the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area took us about 15 minutes due to the detour. By the way, if you do not like hole-in-the-ground toilets, the Welcome Center has nice public toilets. But note that the center is not open as long as the park.
Hunting seemed to be the main activity during our visit to the area. We were the only people at the confluence viewing area. But we also saw signs for horseback, hiking, and biking trails. Overall, we enjoyed our drive through Columbia Bottom Conservation Area and I'm sure that it will be much better once the paved road is restored.
You access Columbia Bottom Conservation Area from the last exit of I-270 on the Missouri State side of the Mississippi River. From there you head north on Riverview Drive a few miles to the park entrance. There are signs marking the way.
Also, right after you get off the highway, on the north side there is a Missouri Welcome Center tucked away on the small road intersecting at the Moto-Mart gas/convenience center which I noted has a Subway plus one other fast-food restaurant. We stopped in at the Welcome Center which I'll review next.
We visited Columbia Bottom Conservation Area at about 4 PM on a Wednesday afternoon in early September. The area is very flat and serves as a flood plain for the two rivers. There are wooded areas near the rivers but most of the land looks like farmland that is in the process of returning to prairie. Throughout the area, we saw the vehicles of many hunters parked. It appears that the hunters were mostly in those fields hunting game birds. You would hear the occasional pop of a shotgun.
We first stopped in at the visitor center right near the entrance of Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. There isn't much to see there but you can get an overview of the park plus a map. A nice lady answered all of our questions and advised us that due to flooding earlier this year that the main paved road to the confluence viewpoint was closed. So we instead had to use a macadam road detour which was actually in very good shape without hardly a pothole.
On our way to the confluence viewpoint, we saw a sign for a kayak/canoe access point on the Mississippi River. We drove to the parking lot but didn't see the river. So I guess you need to walk your boat a little distance from there to get to the water.
The confluence viewing area has a parking lot with a small pavilion and several hole-in-the-ground toilets. You must walk about 2-3 minutes to get to the river. It is a paved walkway so it is doable in a wheelchair. Once at the concrete viewing area, there are some benches but no shade. It isn't a spectacular scene, but it is an important geological point in defining the nation.
Afterwards, we continued counter-clockwise around the park to see the Missouri River boat ramp. It has parking for over 100 vehicles, a pavilion, and hole-in-the-ground toilets. The boat ramp looked to be in very good condition. Our return drive back to the entrance of the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area took us about 15 minutes due to the detour. By the way, if you do not like hole-in-the-ground toilets, the Welcome Center has nice public toilets. But note that the center is not open as long as the park.
Hunting seemed to be the main activity during our visit to the area. We were the only people at the confluence viewing area. But we also saw signs for horseback, hiking, and biking trails. Overall, we enjoyed our drive through Columbia Bottom Conservation Area and I'm sure that it will be much better once the paved road is restored.
You access Columbia Bottom Conservation Area from the last exit of I-270 on the Missouri State side of the Mississippi River. From there you head north on Riverview Drive a few miles to the park entrance. There are signs marking the way.
Also, right after you get off the highway, on the north side there is a Missouri Welcome Center tucked away on the small road intersecting at the Moto-Mart gas/convenience center which I noted has a Subway plus one other fast-food restaurant. We stopped in at the Welcome Center which I'll review next.
