52 official trails lie within 25 miles of Columbia — 152 miles in total, 42 rated easy and 3 hard or expert. Every distance and elevation figure below is computed from the agency centerline and a 10 m elevation model, not crowd-sourced.
The biggest climb nearby gains 283 ft; the median trail gains 79 ft.
| Trail | Miles | Climb | Difficulty | Drive from town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Creek - South | 18.9 | 283 ft | Hard | 39 min · 21 mi |
| Gans Creek Wild Area Trail | 8.8 | 193 ft | Hard | 12 min · 6 mi |
| Moniteau Trail | 13.2 | 139 ft | Hard | 41 min · 28 mi |
| Cedar Creek Trail - Smith Cree | 6.0 | 208 ft | Moderate | 35 min · 20 mi |
| Rhett's Run Trail | 5.3 | 132 ft | Moderate | 12 min · 4 mi |
| Spring Brook Trail | 3.4 | 144 ft | Moderate | 11 min · 6 mi |
| Cedar Creek Trail - The Moon | 4.5 | 135 ft | Moderate | 23 min · 14 mi |
| Deer Run Trail | 4.0 | 131 ft | Moderate | 10 min · 5 mi |
| Turkey Creek Interpretive Nature Trail | 3.0 | 146 ft | Moderate | 23 min · 11 mi |
| Kelley Branch Mountain Bike Trail | 4.0 | 80 ft | Easy | 28 min · 11 mi |
| Bear Creek Trail | 4.5 | 147 ft | Easy | 7 min · 2 mi |
| High Ridge Trail | 2.0 | 142 ft | Easy | 11 min · 6 mi |
| Twisted Sister | 3.7 | 97 ft | Easy | 49 min · 37 mi |
| Sinkhole Trail | 2.1 | 136 ft | Easy | 12 min · 6 mi |
| Discovery Ridge Trail | 4.1 | 68 ft | Easy | 12 min · 6 mi |
| Cedar Creek Trail - South | 1.6 | 140 ft | Easy | 33 min · 22 mi |
| Mind the Gap | 2.1 | 62 ft | Easy | 51 min · 38 mi |
| Burkside Trail | 1.8 | 95 ft | Easy | 39 min · 24 mi |
| Stinson Creek Trail | 3.0 | 78 ft | Easy | 39 min · 24 mi |
| Grassland Trail | 2.2 | 61 ft | Easy | 17 min · 9 mi |
| Scott's Branch Trail | 1.3 | 138 ft | Easy | 13 min · 5 mi |
| Problem Child | 1.5 | 88 ft | Easy | 48 min · 37 mi |
| Ridgeline Trail | 1.1 | 128 ft | Easy | 6 min · 2 mi |
| Rock Garden | 1.4 | 81 ft | Easy | 51 min · 38 mi |
Lakes: Twisted Sister to Binder Lake; Perimeter Trail to Stephens Lake; South Providence Trail to Smith Lake; MKT Trail to Brushwood Lake
Rock formations: Spring Brook Trail to Rock Bridge; Sinkhole Trail to Rock Bridge
Nearby towns: Fulton (21 mi) · Boonville (23 mi) · Jefferson City (27 mi) · Washington (76 mi)
All Missouri trail guides · Hiking by city · Dispersed camping rules