Sign-up now for one of our fun and educational classes!

Date:	Class Name:	Time:
1/28/12	Introduction to Herbal Soap Making	9 a.m.–noon
2/4/12	It’s Your Weekend Overnight	Starts @ 9 a.m.
2/10/12	Native Plant School: Book Review I	5–7 p.m.
2/11/12	Valentine’s Night Hike	7–10 p.m.
2/16/12	Native Plant School: Propagation from Seed	1–4 p.m.

Register for one of our classes!

Back to Top

Wilderness Wagon Tour:
Shaw Nature Reserve has an open-air wagon (with a canopy roof) which holds a maximum of 28 people. A van pulls the wilderness wagon on a three mile gravel road as a naturalist/guide describes the Reserve’s history, what’s in bloom, the Pinetum conifer collection, the tallgrass prairie, wildlife and wetlands. The tour takes just under one hour.

Most groups then go directly to the Bascom House, a restored 1879 home which houses “The People of the Land” exhibit, and the adjoining 5-acre Whitmire Wildflower Garden for an additional hour (about ½ hour at each). There are benches on the lawn of the Bascom House and in the wildflower garden for those who want to relax while others are walking around.

For larger groups, we frequently take one group on the wagon while the other half visits the house and the wildflower garden and then the groups switch places.

The wagon has six steps with a handrail, and the chairs are securely bolted to the floor. Senior citizens are frequent users of the wagon.

Bus Tour:
For a group arriving on its own bus, our naturalist/guide can step aboard to give the same tour as the wagon tour described above. It is important that the bus has a microphone. The advantage of the bus tour is that it is not affected by the weather as the wagon tour is, but the wagon tour is an “adventure” and adds a special touch to the tour. As described under the wagon tour, bus tours are encouraged to visit the Bascom House and the Whitmire Wildflower Garden as well.

Cost for guided tours (for a group of 12 or more):
$3: members of the Missouri Botanical Garden
$6: non-members
$5: seniors (over 65)
There is a minimum charge of $75 for either of the guided tours.

Cost for non-guided groups (12 person minimum for admission discount):
$2: adults
$1: seniors (over 65)

Reservations:
Contact Helen McCallie in the Visitor Center
(636) 451-3512 x 6075
helen.mccallie@mobot.org

Important Information: 
Whether a group is to be guided or not guided, a reservation needs to be made. It is very helpful when we know when to expect large groups of any kind. We can help the groups to avoid one another.

Shaw Nature Reserve is located off I-44, about 35 miles west of the Arch in downtown St. Louis. There are numerous side trips in the area of the Reserve that can be combined to your tour: Purina Farms, restaurants in Washington, Labadie, and Pacific, antique shops and the Black Madonna Shrine in Eureka, and Meramec State Park near Sullivan.

Back to Top

A lunch or dinner tour of Shaw Nature Reserve is a truly unique way to spend the afternoon or evening. Gather eight to ten friends and schedule a luncheon or dinner tour. Travel by the Wilderness Wagon for this progressive dinner. Hors d’oeuvres are on the terrace overlooking the Whitmire Wildflower Garden, dinner is by candlelight within strolling distance of the wetland. Luncheons occur in the midst of what’s in bloom. These tours are for adults only.  

Reservations:
Contact Helen McCallie in the Visitor Center
(636) 451-3512 x 6075
helen.mccallie@mobot.org

Back to Top

 

Birding Guide
This guide lists all of the birds that have been sighted at the nature reserve. It also divides the reserve into eight separate “habitat areas” and lists the birds that are most commonly seen in that particular area. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, this guide is a must if you plan on birding at Shaw Nature Reserve.
Cost: $1

---

Native Tree Guide
Designed for use along the Brush Creek Trail, this guide describes 18 native tree species that are commonly found in Missouri. Each tree in the guide is also labeled somewhere alongside the trail, so the guide can be used as an introduction to basic tree identification. For those who are already pretty confident in their ability to identify native trees, the guide also provides bits of interesting information on each tree. 
Cost: $1

---

Prairie Trail Guide
This guide is meant to enhance your experience of the Prairie Trail. It provides key insights into the ecology of tallgrass prairies. It covers topics like the importance of fire to prairies, and also includes drawings to help users identify some of the more common prairie grasses and wildflowers. For those with little, or no knowledge of prairie ecosystems, this guide is an excellent primer on the topic.
Cost: $1

Back to Top

 

Geocaching:
The sport of Geocaching began in 2000 when Dave Ulmer hid the first cache and posted the GPS coordinates on the Internet. Ulmer originally called it the “Great American GPS Stash Hunt.” Today, geocaches can be found almost everywhere, including Shaw Nature Reserve. To find these caches you need a GPS unit and the coordinates where they are hidden. When you find a cache you take an item, leave one in its place and then sign a register contained in the cache. Please keep all geocaches in their original location.

Visit http://www.geocaching.com/ to find the Reserve caches, and others all over the world.

Download Reserve geocache information

GPS Hiking:
Shaw Nature Reserve has created a guide for people familiar with using their GPS unit to explore new areas. We have listed GPS coordinates that lead you to places with unique views, historical significance or interesting ecology. Many of the coordinates lead you off the main trails and into parts of the Reserve that are seldom visited. Some are very obvious landmarks. Others are more difficult to find or may just lead you to a general area, such as to a cypress slough or a glade. We hope you visit as many of these sites as you can and enjoy the destinations as much as the exploring.

Download a brochure with GPS-based hiking opportunities and the first six official geocaches to be hidden at Shaw Nature Reserve!

Back to Top