It’s been a long time since we’ve orienteered here. Forest 44 Conservation Area is known as the gateway to the Ozarks. One of the closest locations to St. Louis with a typical Ozark type ecology. Once a cattle ranch, it was purchased by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1990. There are spring-fed creeks, a network of trails, and a mix of flat areas and large hills. This time of year will still have great visibility in the woods, but with a splash of color from the early blooming red buds. Come out and play!

Date: Sunday, March 29

Location: Forest 44 Conservation Area. East entrance parking lot. From I-44, exit Hwy 141 south. Turn west on Meramec Station Road, then south on Hillsboro Road to parking lot on right. *Note: There is lots of construction. The last half mile of road is completely torn up (it’s temporary gravel). Hillsboro Road is closed south of the parking lot (so you must come from the north). Easiest navigation directions would be to Kraus Farms Equestrian Center. The conservation area parking lot is right next door.

Time: Courses open at 10:00 am. First start 10:00 am. Last start Noon. Courses close at 2:00 pm.

Courses: The Yellow course is the best option for beginners, families, and those that want to have an easy walk. Some are off-trail, but not far. The orange course has a mix of easy and difficult checkpoints. It may be harder than a typical orange course, but appropriate for adventure racers working on their navigation. The red course is for the more experienced participants.

Meet Notes:

• This area is popular for horse-back riding. Yield to any horses on the trails and/or let the riders know you are there.
  • All courses will require a creek crossing at the beginning and end. There might be dry spots to cross but getting your shoes wet is likely (and the odds will increase depending on the rain in the days before the event).
  • The map is old. The trail network is about 75% accurate. Some trails have been re-routed and some retired. The only update to the map was to clarify trails for the Yellow course.
  • The mapped vegetation has matured, but vegetation boundaries are still fairly close. The western half of the area has open woods with great visibility and good running.
  • There are numerous “watering holes” for cattle across the area. These are mapped as small ponds. You’ll visit several of them.

Meet Director: Mark Geldmeier mgeldmeier@earthlink.net

Jefferson Barracks County Park isn’t really back in the woods, but it’ll have more woods than our summer events. Note: this event is on Sunday. If you show up on Saturday, you’ll encounter 200 cross-country runners!

Registration Open

Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025

Time: Courses open 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.  You can start at any time.

Location: Jefferson Barracks County Park. General Atkinson Shelter at the southeastern corner of the park. Use navigation software to follow directions to the shelter or look for orienteering signs along Grant road near Hancock Ave.

Meet Director: Mark Geldmeier

Courses: There will be three “point-to-point” courses. You have to go in order. -Yellow Course (Beginner) – 2.1 km, 7 CPs -Orange Course (Intermediate) – 3.4 km, 10 CPs -Green Course (Advanced) – 5.9 km, 17 CPs

About: Jefferson Barracks has a bit of everything.  Open grassy fields, wooded depressions, a small but challenging open woods section, a paved trail, prairie, and some sections of thick green.  Plus museums, monuments, and lots of military history.

With the late summer drought, the vegetation has dried out. Some of the green areas are more runnable than usual (mainly where there is bush honeysuckle).

Questions: Contact Mark Geldmeier (mgeldmeier@earthlink.net)

Registration Open

*** Update 11/30/2025 7:32 AM – Start location is the Equestrian Campground. Along Frenchman Bluff Road. 39.003904, -90.943841 Red triangle & double circle on map below. See you there! ***

*** Update 11/29/2025 2:00 PM — Rescheduled for Sunday, November 30th ***

Winter time in St. Louis can bring all kinds of surprises. Normally a little snow can make for a lot of fun in the woods. But with 8″ of accumulation at the park, the Winter Storm Warning being expanded to Lincoln County, and the park closing the roadways…Saturday morning was a bust. However, let’s try again for Sunday morning. Courses will be open from 9:00 am – 2:30 pm. There is no “mass start”, just show up and go anytime but be back before the course closes. *If the road to the Stone Shelter is still closed (we don’t know yet), the alternative start location will be at the Equestrian Campground along Frenchman Bluff road (39.003904, -90.943841)

*** Update 11/29/2025 8:29 AM. EVENT CANCELLED! The park has closed all park roads. ***

*** Update 11/29/2025 7:52 AM. In addition to no mass start. The courses will remain open until 4:00 pm. ***

*** Update 11/29/2025 7:23 AM. There will NOT be a “mass start”. Show up whenever you want and start whenever you want. Traffic conditions are slow. Take your time and use caution. ***

*** Update 11/28/2025. There is snow in the forecast. Yes, we still go orienteering in the winter weather. The exception would be if it’s particularly bad or if the park roads are closed. That is not expected at this time. Dress for the weather, drive safely, and we’ll see you there! ***

Are you ready for a Turkey-R. This year’s Thanksgiving event will be a 2hr/4hr Rogaine event. Test your navigation skills in the stunning landscape of Cuivre River State Park on Saturday, November 29th Sunday, November 30th. The event kicks off from the Stone Shelter (N 39’0″36 W 90’56″21) with a mass start at 10:00 AM, so be sure to arrive by 9:00 AM to get checked in, grab your maps, and prepare for a day of outdoor excitement. The course will close at 2:30 PM, so plan your route carefully and beat the clock to the finish! So grab your compass, lace up your shoes, and come join us for a memorable day of exploration and adventure!

Date: Saturday, November 29th. Arrive by 9:00 am. Sunday, November 30th, courses open 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Location: Cuivre River State Park. Stone Shelter (or Equestrian Campground)

Meet Director: Manoj Sood

Schedule

Course and Park Notes

• Expect 30 – 35 checkpoints across across 2500+ acres = many route options.
• Out-of-bounds areas are clearly marked—entering them results in disqualification.
• Bonus points awarded for trash collected and returned to the finish line.
• There are a few picnic tables are available at the Start area shelter, but not enough for everyone to spread out their maps. If you need a flat surface for route planning, please Bring Your Own Table (BYOT).
• Water is shut off for the season at the Stone Shelter. No potable water is available at the shelter or bathrooms.
  • A designated water drop station will be set up near the midpoint of the course, accessible from multiple trail routes. Racers should still carry sufficient hydration, as no potable water is available at park facilities.
• Restrooms:
  • Pit toilet: ~½ mile South of the Stone Shelter via trail at the equestrian camp.
  • Porta potty: ~¾ mile by car.
  • Visitor Center: Closed on the weekend.
• It’s fall in Missouri—high visibility clothing is recommended.

Required Gear

• Compass (backup recommended)
• Cell phone (no GPS/maps allowed)
• Food & hydration for race duration
• Whistle

Recommended Gear

• Backup compass
• First aid kit
• Waterproof jacket
• Emergency blanket
• Long pants

Yes, the Green Rock Orienteering Master (GROM) is back but has taken new form. Armed with an updated (Fall 2025) orienteering map by cartographer Jon Torrence, that will include a tract to the West of Scenic Loop Dr., and inspired by Gary Thompson’s upcoming seventh edition of the Tame the Dragon on February 28, 2026, we introduce the Green Dragon.

This “rogaine” style event will borrow the scoring system from previous Tame the Dragon meets. In a Score-O format, there will be 18 controls on the course. You will earn between 10-60 points for each control and also earn bonus points for completing sets of similarly valued controls. This format creates a unique strategic blend of endurance and planning as competitors seek to maximize the 4-hour window allotted to them. For visual learners, see table below.

For those who have been hesitant to head to Lake the Ozarks and commit to a full 8-hour rogaine, this one is right here in St. Louis and only half the time. Beginners are always welcome and will have the chance to go out and obtain controls at their skill level with the knowledge that you are right here in St. Louis County with good cell reception and all within the well-marked Greensfelder Park if you get a bit turned around. Take as much time out there as you like (course closes at 2pm).

For the mid-pack racers, the strategy of the meet opens up an opportunity to level up in the standings if you can plan and execute a strong route. And of course, for our most competitive folks…, well, expect me to run you up and down some hills and find as many parallel errors to bait you as I can. You’ll need all 4 hours to attempt the sweep.

Divisions: Solos and teams are welcome as seperate divisions. Based on registration, we will open up juniors (under 18), family (mix under/over 18), and masters (over 55) divisions.

Date: Sunday, February 15th, 2026

Map Distribution: 9am

Mass Start: 10am; (so you have to be there before 10am)

Time Cutoff: 2pm followed by stories and awards

HQ Location: Wyman Campus at the Enterprise Center Building, 600 Kiwanis Dr, Eureka, MO

Meet Director: Nathan Graves, questions to contourline@stlouisorienteering.org