I always have a great time coming here. Plenty of parking. Sometimes it can be busier but it's…read morenever been an issue. Benches and scenic overlooks galore. You will be going uphill a decent bit but nothing crazy and the top spot is beautiful and worth it.

One of the coolest nature experiences in the St. Louis area (Metro/Illinois side) lies in Valmeyer…read more The trail is about a mile long but plan to walk at least two miles. Starting at the parking lot, I highly recommend the Salt Lick Trail, which ascends to a hill (lots of steepness!). As you walk further on the trail, you get rewarding views. Near the end of it, you'll get a great view in which, on a clear day, you can see the St. Louis skyline. There are two other trails that link to the Salt Lick Trail. One of them starts at some church in Valmeyer.

Absolutely love the Christmas display; loved the light show especially the singing trees. This is a…read moregood set up with different aspects of lights. The American flag that changed from each branch was heartfelt...

A great park. There is a 9 hole disc golf course, good…read moreplaygrounds, picnic shelter, fishing lake and lots of hiking. I love to come out here with the family.

It wasn't until about a month ago, I first heard about this place. I've developed a new interest in…read morehiking and this seemed to be the perfect place. It is somewhat a "hidden gem" and it's not marked on the roads so you gotta use your GPS to get you there. There is a small parking lot (for about 3-4 cars) where the trail starts. From the lot you will be greeted with plenty of signage, including the warnings and history of Homer Stemler. Be sure to take a picture of the map, which is near the trailhead. Pros: the trail, for the most part was moderately flat, with a few hills here and there. Very peaceful, and not many people were on the trails. Not really muddy, except near the start. Some signage throughout the trail. There are three (with different lengths) to choose from. Cons: Trails are poorly marked, as one could easily get lost. (Then again, getting lost is fun, right? lol) Scenery gets old, as you're basically in the woods. Don't expect anything fancy, like an overlook. But you'll find a pond! Also, Internet was sketchy on my phone so if you use Alltrails, you're gonna need it. Be sure to bring bug spray, hat, and try to wear pants instead of shorts no matter how hot it is.

This is a great and convenient trail for all ages! Our group ranged from young children to…read moreretirees. The parking is limited, but we were easily able to park on the side of the road. Overall, it took our group about an hour, but we stopped to talk and take in the scenery. We saw a family using a jogging stroller. However, if you're debating using a stroller vs pack, it would probably be easier to wear younger children in a hiking pack.

This is a great park for just about anything you want from a park. Some moderate trails for a hike…read moreor some friendlier walking on paved areas. Nice shelters and playground area. Easy access from the road. Has open and close

A gem of a park. Scenic, rolling hills, a few hikes to choose from, an old log cabin and an off…read moreleash section all combine for an enjoyable experience for all members of the family. Clean bathrooms and a variety of picnic tables. Lovely place to spend the afternoon.

This is a spectacular park! I wish I knew about it years ago. If you get a chance, check out the…read moreSt. Charles County Parks site and find a Ranger guided bird tour. Bring some water, save a map, note the restrooms. Plenty of trails, tables, trees. Parking is good. Be prepared for a 2-lane winding road to get here.

Great park for pictures. Go to the area with the bathrooms and two swings, walk down pavement to…read morethe sand area beautiful water and views! The bathrooms avoid, very gross and filled with wasps and stink bugs. So we changed in parking lot.

"History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time, it illumines reality, vitalizes…read morememory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquities." Marcus T Cicero Mounds the remains of the past . This site is not as studied as other sites in the United States. We all think "Serpent Mound." Of all the area of the United States, Cahokia Mounds, the past area of the Mississippi people's of the past is the largest. It's the most influential pre Columbian that we have yet to know of in the Americas. Now they believe that early settlers started here in 6th century AD. Early indigenous peoples were burying their dead and they have found personal effects with the ancient burials. The French in the 17th century arrived and found an early settlement of Illinois inhabitants. These are not the first! No written language exists. Just the mounds. It's been preserved for us all to see. It's an hour from Springfield to Colinsville, Illinois. This is one of the top 25 things to see and do in Illinois. You can walk on the actual mounds . Come and see lost history preserved for us all!

Visiting the historical Cahokia Mound. This was a advertise of learning…read more Upon entering a wonderful lady asked was it my first time visiting. Then she proceeded to give a history lesson on the Cahokia Mounds. I learned a lot. The staff were excellent. There was a huge canoe that was hollowed out from a huge tree. There were many artifacts. I went an one of the trails and discovered many things in the process. If you haven't been you must go. It's a great experience.

A 40 acre wetland in Edwardsville, IL, the Watershed Nature Center was transformed from a city…read morelagoon to a city park in 1995. Our friends from Edwardsville took me and my wife there on a hot Monday afternoon. It was great to see collaboration between residents and city government to transform and maintain land used by both wildlife and people. This land was a sewage lagoon until 1984, when it was filled and stopped being used. In 1990, a proposal was made to transform it into a nature preserve, and a non-profit was formed to coordinate. Over the next five years, both public and private money was used to slowly terraform, until the center was officially opened to the public in 1995. The center features paved hiking trails, a raised marsh walk, and an air conditioned welcome center with educational classrooms. The Nature Preserve Foundation maintains the trails and native habitats. We saw quite a few animals during our stroll, with various birds (our friends are birders) and even a large snapping turtle close to the concrete marsh walk. We realized later that there was a female turtle underneath. There was also an area where bamboo was growing, with it being pretty clear how fast it can spread and grow if not intentionally controlled.

Located in Edwardsville Illinois,this is a nice 40 acre park with wetlands,woodlands and…read moregrasslands. Paved and gravel trails are well marked . Most trails circle the small lagoon. Pets are welcome. Plenty of parking.

(AUGUST 2025) I'd never seen the sunflower fields that my friends post about with their children…read moreand families until recently. It almost seemed unbelievable some of the imagery stemming from these 7,000 acres of natural beauty and outdoor recreation in the heart of scenic Missouri wine county. Once you are off highway 40, it's 50-55mph WINE-dy back roads to get there. Once you get into the turn in, it's a graveled road with a trailhead to the Katy Trail. Do not even think about having a clean car upon entering this place. It will get dirty and dusty. There are also (surprisingly) random humans running in the middle of the narrow driveway leading up to the sunflower field and ending at a boat ramp. I never understood why people never stick to one side of the road while on foot amongst VEHICLES. I find my friend and we exit our vehicles to begin our mini photoshoot in the sunflower fields. I felt like Candy(wo)man as the bees tended to the sunflowers while I freaked out thinking they'd sting me with my bright yellow shirt on and black skirt. It was so blissful to see sooo many beautiful BIG butterflies fly around us. The caterpillars were on like every leaf just hanging out like the Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. It was nature at its finest. Sunflowers for as far as the eye can see. The sounds of bees (and flies) buzzing about. I tried to relax, and we got a few non-frantic pictures of me. I will wear pants next time and try to relax more. I was invading THEIR space, not the opposite.

Great hiking and bike riding location. Lots of trees and near Katy trail! Love this place!read more

We just had our wedding here and it was absolutely amazing and beautiful! We used the outdoor fire…read morepit for our ceremony and then the nature center for our reception and it was perfect for our small intimate wedding (we had about 48 people). It was such a great value too, we rented the lodge and fire pit area for the entire day for less than $300 (not including the deposit which we got back after cleaning and turning in the keys.) The natural greenery made for such gorgeous outdoor photos and also reduced the need for extra outdoor decor aside from our arbor and chair sashes. Highly recommend for small events, it was a life and budget saver for us when our original venue booking fell through and I'm actually grateful that it worked out this way because the Nature Center hands down made our wedding unforgettable.

Easy walking trail. Not remote but feel a nice secluded hike. Has a dog park. Accessible,…read moreparking near trail. Park like setting before you begin trails. Friendly walking area