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Allenton Access

Nature & parks
In Pacific, Missouri
2.1 mi from Route 66

Allenton Access is a small conservation area in Pacific, MO, about 2.1 miles off the old road. Its 9 acres of woods run down to the Meramec River in western St. Louis County, with a boat ramp and a parking lot. For a Route 66 traveller it offers a simple, low-key break by the water: launch a canoe, cast a line or just watch for birds before driving on.

What is Allenton Access?

This is a pocket of forest on the river, tucked between the towns of Eureka to the northeast and Pacific to the west, with the Meramec forming its southern edge. It is one link in two longer chains of protected land, the Meramec Greenway and the Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor.

The features are practical rather than showy: a launch for small boats and a place to park. Fishing is allowed with the proper permit, and bird watchers have logged 46 different species on this small patch of ground.

History of Allenton Access

The Missouri Department of Conservation bought the land in 1968. The aim was to make the Meramec easier for the public to reach, and that is still the job the site does today.

Visiting Allenton Access: tips

Treat it as a short stop unless you are carrying a boat or a rod. Parking is on site, and the shaded riverbank is a calm place to stretch after time on the highway. For more green space, Young Conservation Area is about 2.5 miles away and the Myron and Sonya Glassberg Family Conservation Area about 2.7 miles.