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Adult Tour Options There are several options for groups of adults (church or senior groups, garden clubs, guilds, etc.) who wish to visit Shaw Nature Reserve.
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 desribes SNR's history, what is 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 1/2 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 desribed under the wagon tour, bus tours are encouraged to visit the Bascom House and the Whitmire Wildflower Garden as well.
Cost for either of the above (for a group of 12 or above):
There is a minimum charge of $75.00 for either of the guided tours. Non-guided groups (12 person minimum for admission discount):
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 about 35 miles west on I-44 from the Arch in downtown St. Louis. Side trips in the area of SNR to combine in your tour are numerous: Purina Farms, Gilberg Perennial Farms, restaurants in Washington, Labadie, and Pacific, antique shops and the Black Madonna Shrine in Eureka, and Meramec State Park near Sullivan. To make a reservation you may contact the Visitors Center by phone at (636) 451-3512 ext. 6075 or by email at Helen.McCallie@mobot.org |