Columbia Bottom Conservation Area

If you're up for a bit of an adventure, these Sunflowers are totally worth the effort and are blooming now. The drive there takes you down a long, dusty dirt road that adds a little thrill to the journey. It might feel like you're heading into the middle of nowhere, but once you arrive, the sight of the sunflowers makes the drive completely worth it. This year the field is a tad smaller than the other fields in the past. Although the road getting there is a little rugged, the beauty of the sunflowers makes it all worthwhile especially with the pictures that we took to create great memories.

We went to see the 🌻 🌻 they were beautiful. There are several different areas that are planted and bloom at different times. There are nice trails and a pathed driving path that will take you directly to the sunflowers. A very nice outing for family.

It's always a good visit for pictures. My wife loves sunflowers. So, I take her here every year. It's never really crowded, and there's a cool overlook too.

We went there at sunset today and it was very pretty, although all the sunflowers were already dried out. The park is open 30 mins before sunrise and closed 30 mins after sunset. Some roads are well-paved but some aren’t.

It's an overall nice, large conservation area. The roadway does not go all the way around, so you will have to turn around in your car once you make it all the way to the boat ramps. It does feel like a long drive once you're in the conservation area because there's not much in between each field. The sunflower fields were nice. We went on August 3, 2024 and did not see much 🌻 sunflowers in the lookout area.

The first 4 pictures are from last year the last week of July when the fields were in full bloom, but there had already been many people there. This year I went on July 10th and there were only three fields in bloom, but I could tell the rest are soon to follow. I got there about an hour and 20 minutes before sunset made my way back to a gorgeous field and was all by myself. If you haven’t gone, you owe it to yourself to at least go once.

Check the sunset times and plan your arrival for 20min prior and you will get the most amazing pics! Great crop of sunflowers. The tallest are right at 6 feet, so plan accordingly with your camera stand to get the best shots. Also, you will feel like you're on the gravel road forever, but stay the course. You'll get there 🙂🙂

It’s a great space. I wish they kept the building up for educational and community outreach purposes. But I love the open field, the native wildlife and the serenity of it all. I saw a blue jay here! I don’t think I’ve seen one of those since I was a child. I wouldn’t go alone. I remember hearing this year or last year a body was found on the trail but I also don’t know anything about the details of that.

If you're up for a bit of an adventure, these Sunflowers are totally worth the effort and are blooming now. The drive there takes you down a long, dusty dirt road that adds a little thrill to the journey. It might feel like you're heading into the middle of nowhere, but once you arrive, the sight of the sunflowers makes the drive completely worth it. This year the field is a tad smaller than the other fields in the past. Although the road getting there is a little rugged, the beauty of the sunflowers makes it all worthwhile especially with the pictures that we took to create great memories.

As an avid photographer, this is the place! The conservation is gorgeous during all seasons and the sunsets are spectacular. But summer is everything out here! You'll beautiful indigo bunting bird, and red winged black birds as your drive through. You will spot bunnies on the side of the road, too. You must be very vigilant as the deer to cross in front of you at times, especially in the evenings. I have also experienced hearing and did see coyotes in two packs howling and meeting up in the fields -- never have come close! The sunflower fields are worth the trip. There are about 5-6 all throughout the area, with mowed pathways to walk out to them. Some are closer to the road and two require about a 7min walk out down a dirt road, lined with wild flowers, and beautiful butterflies. It is bumblebee city within the sunflowers! I have been to Columbia Bottom many times and have never been stung, they are completely harmless if you're just respectful and stay calm. :) You must be aware of the wasps though, but they don't seem to bother me either. I would say, to anyone very sensitive to mosquitoes, be smart - use your bug spray, especially in the evenings. Your bet is a morning or afternoon visit to avoid the nuisance. The conservation area also has a beautiful river walk to a dock (right off the boat loading parking lot) and a hidden little spot to sit by the river, just about a 3 min walk on a trail. There is one other mile walk down to the "conjuntion" .. but I have yet to discover that. In all, it truly is a hidden gem for anyone that loves nature and or photography. This place, in all, is good for the soul!

Looking for something to do outside and not a super long drive...this is the place! The Sunflower fields start blooming Mid July thru August. This is a great place for Holiday car pics and selfies!

Beautiful place to visit, take pictures, or just relax. There are tons of mosquitos and beware of the mud. Sunset is around 8pm and it can get a little crowded. The location is just north on Riverview Drive.

Columbia Bottom Conservation Area is THE spot in St. Louis for viewing summer sunflower fields! While some years (like 2019) get flooded out so seeds can't be planted, this year (2020) the staff staggered the planting of the sunflower fields so blooms are available for viewing from July to mid-August! Admission is free, and leashed dogs are allowed. This year the fields have been INCREDIBLE! On weekend nights it can get a bit crowded, so if you'd prefer to have a more intimate sunflower sunset viewing, I recommend going on a week night. The sunsets are simply gorgeous. You'll see a lot of photo sessions going on during the summer, but plenty of people visit with just themselves (and sometimes a selfie stick and a camera phone) to take in the view! Do yourself a favor and make sure to view this spectacular STL summer spot!

If you're down for checking out some nature this is the perfect spot. Just 3 miles north from the Riverview exit off 270, lies this nature place that has a combination of habitats all around. There is a visitors center for anyone who has questions. I would suggest driving along the main road and follow the signs (the area has several marked areas designated by letter - check maps for details). The road ends near the confluence point, where there is a viewing area to see the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers come together. Also, several nature trails are all around. However, some do not allow biking so be on the lookout for that. Please be aware of all your surroundings. It's an open space with beautiful scenery. Use your common sense and look out for poison ivy, unfriendly insects and other forms of nature. And have fun.

The area has some real potential. However, the paths are grown over and abruptly end about 1/4 mile down the path. We went to two different paths at the park, with same result. It is all unkept. The visitor area building is closed and overgrown. No signage indicating paths closed or anything. Very strange!

This is such a lovely area and We love seeing all the pictures of people in the sunflower fields. We got there too late this year but it was still lovely!

I did not know places like this exist in Saint Louis! And so close to the city too. If you're looking for something fun to do, look no further and come out here for a nice walk with an amazing view. I think fall is the best time to see the sunflowers bloom, and the field is huge! It is also a good idea to convince a friend who's good at photography to come along, don't forget to tip him/her ;)!

Sunset or sunrise is the best time! Don't wait too late into the season to go! Great photo opportunities!

Sunflowers everywhere. We stopped at the sunflower plots first. We then when to the visitor center. The guide informed us that this year they planted 5 sunflower plots. Normally they only plant two. The public was so fastened with the plots , they planted more. The plots were built to feed to geese and ducks through the winter. We were encouraged to drive out to the Confluence. This is where the Missouri and Mississippi rivers converge. It is a easy drive, it's tucked away in the Spanish lake area. The sunflowers will be blossoming for the next two weeks. If you are going get there soon.

We drove out here and everything was just dead, no sunflowers or anything. I feel like they should provide that information on here.