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Powder Valley Conservation
Nature Center

DESCRIPTION: Powder Valley Nature Center is a 112-acre oasis in an urban area. It includes a center with a variety of exhibits on the botany and wildlife of Missouri including a wildlife viewing area and a 3,000 gallon freshwater aquarium. There are three hiking trails of varying difficulty. A library in the center has books on nature and the geology of the area and is open for public use.

ADDRESS: 11715 Cragwold Road, St. Louis, MO 63122

LOCATION: Southwest St. Louis County in suburban Kirkwood.

PHONE NUMBER: 314-301-1500

WEB SITE: www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/cnc/powder

GETTING THERE: From downtown, take I-44 west to the Lindbergh Road (Highway 67) exit. Turn left (south) onto Lindbergh Road and follow it a half mile to Watson Road (Rte. 366). Turn right (west) onto Watson Road and drive a half-mile to the second light which is Geyer Road. Turn right (north) onto Geyer Road and go approximately 200 yards to Cragwold Road and watch for a Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center sign. Both the road and the sign are on the left.

HOURS: The grounds: Standard Time: daily, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Daylight Savings Time: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. The building: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. all year. The grounds and the building are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.

ADMISSION: Free

ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: 150,000

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • In the Nature Center, exhibits explain the flora and fauna of the area.
  • Follow the "trackways" around the Nature Center to learn more about the animals of Missouri. Pick up a fold-out brochure at the reception desk to help follow track clues and find out who was the predator and who was the prey.
  • Also in the Nature Center is a wildlife viewing area that looks out onto a wooded corner where visitors can observe songbirds, wild turkeys and small mammals in the feeding areas outside.
  • Three miles of paved trails varying in difficulty from easy to strenuous take the visitor into sloping, rocky woods and through towering trees and tangled vines.
  • Sections loaded with colorful wild flowers abound throughout the conservation area.
  • An underwater viewing area allows visitors to view bass, bluegill and catfish in their native habitat.
  • The "St. Louis: Founded With Wildlife" exhibit demonstrates the role of wildlife trade in the development of St. Louis.

ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS:

  • A Discovery Room has puzzles, games and exhibits to explain nature to children.
  • A two-story "tree factory" in the nature center helps visitors understand basic tree structure and physiology as well as how trees manufacture food.
  • Kids enjoy watching real live bees as they bustle about the hive on the upper level.
  • Live and model amphibians and reptiles on the lower level are also a hit with most kids.
  • Parents can pick up activity sheets for their children at the reception desk.
  • Many special events are planned for children throughout the year.

ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENTS: Powder Valley presents a variety of nature programs which are conducted on a regular basis. "Marking Tracks," the Center's monthly newsletter, available at the nature center, has information and dates on special events.

HISTORY: The Missouri Department of Conservation bought the land the Nature Center is located on in 1986. Construction on the building began in 1989 and took 15 months to complete. Trails, exhibits and programs developed over the next four years. Powder Valley opened in October of 1991.

Local residents tell of a nearby cave on the Meramec River that was used to stash a large amount of blasting powder during the Civil War to be used to demolish a bridge should Confederate troops invade the area. In later years, E.I. Dupont de Nemours manufactured and stored explosives near the site during World War I. The name Powder Valley reflects this history.

GIFT SHOP: The gift shop has a variety of books, videos, stuffed animals, caps and nature-related items.

HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: The Nature Center is handicapped accessible and the paths on the trails are paved.

WHERE TO GET LUNCH: There are many fast food shops and restaurants along Watson Road.

WHAT'S NEARBY: Laumeier Sculpture Park is a half-mile away, and Crestwood Plaza Shopping Mall also is nearby.

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Holly Berthold, Metro Media Specialist, 636-300-1953 x325, berthh@mdc.state.mo.us

 

Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com