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Pelican Island is a wild piece of earth. Fifteen miles north of Forest Park and almost twice its size, this state-designated natural area of 2,260 acres at the northernmost tip of St. Louis County holds a raw allure for those adventurous enough to visit—and visiting isn’t always easy. Much of the year, it’s accessible only by boat. But when the Missouri River is low enough, you can walk to the island from an access point next to Sioux Passage Park without even getting your feet wet.
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True, there are precautions to take (see below). And don’t expect any hiking trails, bathrooms, or amenities upon arrival. What you can expect, though, are monster cottonwood trees, dense tangles of brush, clearings that feel haunted, wild animals galore, maybe some edible mushrooms or arrowheads (if you’re lucky), and in general—according to the Missouri Department of Conservation, who owns the island—our state’s “best remaining example of a mature floodplain forest” on the Big Muddy.
History
A century ago, the island was owned by the nature-loving industrialist Joseph Desloge Sr.—the man whose mansion estate, Vouziers, sat on nearby high ground and who ended up donating to the public the land that’s now Johnson Shut Ins State Park. After Desloge’s death in 1971, his family gifted most of Pelican Island to St. Louis County. There were plans to build a footbridge and hiking trails, but the county lacked the funds, and in the ‘80s, as part of a complex transaction, the MDC took possession and designated Pelican Island a natural area. It’s separated from the mainland by the Car of Commerce chute, so named because a packet steamer wrecked there in the 1880s.
Getting there
Sources who often float the river estimate that you can pick your way across the land bridge from Sioux Passage whenever the gauge at St. Charles shows a water level below 12 feet. When the river rises above that, you’ll need a watercraft. And in that case, you have various public options:
- Put in at the access point adjacent to Sioux Passage, hug the inside shore, and cross the chute
- Put in at Blanchette Landing in St. Charles at river mile 27 and paddle downstream a few hours to Pelican Island, which starts at river mile 16.5 and stretches over to 10.5. You can then take out at the access point adjacent to Sioux Passage.
Precautions: Those paddling out into the main channel of the Missouri should have some experience navigating wing dykes and currents, says Matt Green of Big Muddy Adventures. (The outfitter, he says, will rent watercraft for such a trip on a case-by-case basis.) Also bear in mind that the Missouri can rise quickly in a storm, so look at both the weather forecast and the river-level forecast before you go and while you’re out. And obviously, wear a life jacket. For more paddling safety tips, check out the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ safety page here.
Trekking the interior
The interior of the island is totally undeveloped for hiking but offers a variety of raw settings to behold, from impenetrable thickets to room-like clearings to open fields of grass and overgrowth.
Because the island is not actively managed, there are a ton of invasive plant species, such as Japanese hop. Poison ivy proliferates in the warm season, and you’re almost certain to get some cockleburs stuck to your clothes. But it’s permitted to gather morels here in the springtime, and there are also some huge native cottonwoods worth checking out.
Although no humans maintain trails, deer have worn into the land a network of trails that make trekking a bit easier.
Precautions: It’s super easy to get turned around in the interior of the island, especially on a cloudy day, so we recommend bringing the ten essentials (a compass, snacks, water, etc.). Mobile service on the island is not guaranteed. If you go during spring, summer, or fall, apply insect repellent liberally to ward off chiggers, ticks, and mosquitoes. In addition, make sure to watch out for poison ivy; it’s advisable to shower and wash your clothes soon after you get home to avoid a rash. Don’t trek in during the annual managed deer hunt, which in 2024 will take place November 9–11. Regardless of when you go, camping is always prohibited on the island, but you can pitch a tent at one of five campsites in Sioux Passage.
Walking the shore and gravel bars
The shore and gravel bars, particularly along the chute, are superb vantage points for spying all kinds of birds, from great blue herons and hawks to bald eagles and migrant warblers. According to the MDC, the eponymous white pelicans peak in mid-April and mid- to late-September. The shore is also a great place to find animal tracks such as these.
What about arrowheads? It’s perfectly legal—and to some, downright hypnotic—to simply search for ancient projectile points. Taking them off MDC land, however, is illegal because artifacts are considered MDC property and cannot be removed. (Yes, people do it anyway, and enforcement appears to be rare, but we don’t endorse it.)
As for campfires, the MDC prohibits them throughout the natural area, the precise boundaries of which look different depending on the map you’re looking at (for example, notice how this PDF map doesn’t include the eastern third of the chute, while this digital map includes much of it). During times of low water, there’s a fair amount of charred evidence on the bed of the chute to suggest that folks make the occasional campfire regardless, but erring on the side of caution would mean not building one. Besides, in the evening, you can see the stars a little better. (Speaking of which, Sioux Passage Park closes a half hour after official sunset.)
Official Information
See the MDC’s brochure, map, and natural features description.
