Simpson Park Lake is my favorite local spot to kayak…read more Unloading: There is a circular dirt drive off of the parking lot where you can load and unload kayaks/paddleboards/canoes right at the boat launch area. The Lake: This is one of the best spots to kayak on the West side of St Louis. You can get about 3,000 meters from one loop around the lake, and there are usually very few people on the water. It is much quieter than Creve Coeur Lake. The water is calm and without motorized boats, other than trolling motors. There are often great blue heron and egrets in the water.

My wife and I like to take our family (4 and 2 year olds) out for a run every weekend. This was our…read morefirst time to Simpson Park. We were impressed. We really enjoyed being able to run along the river. The paths were well paved and easy to run on with our running stroller. We don't tend to be near the Meramec, but it was a very enjoyable run. It was partially in shade, and we saw some eagles. We ran west of the park until the trail hits a parking lot near 141. The best part according to my kids though was the THREE STORY PLAYGROUND. It was the highlight of their week. We didn't do anything on the Lake proper, but noticed you could rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. I may give that a try some time without the kids in tow.

River's Edge Park is an amazing place to get a workout in. This beautiful park has both gravel and…read moremulch paths for walking and running. Dogs seem to love this park. The lake has plenty of benches around the perimeter for viewing the scenery or taking a break. There is even a path to the river which makes for good photos. This Summer and Fall were both beautiful at River's Edge. I am looking forward to getting pictures of all four seasons at this park!

signage could have been better for those of us wanting to see the river. A word of caution though…read moreif you have kids or pets the bank is steep and can be slick and the river is unforgiving. Be careful!

This place is big. Has several like that you could go fishing at. I would recommend catch and…read morerelease the fish since I don't know how safe it would be to consume those fish. For those that like nature, it is quite a nice place to go to in order to enjoy nature.

Beautiful nature area right in St. Charles County! Plenty of lakes in which to fish, and many…read moretrails on which to walk/hike! This is part of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Enjoy the beauty of our area on any day, in any season!

Trout Lodge is great for getting away and making family memories. Our family has twice gone to…read moreTrout Lodge for Thanksgiving. The family rents a cabin, drives in from all directions, spends several days, then departs til next Thanksgiving. This year we mostly rode horses and painted ceramics in the Arts & Crafts studio, but there are plenty more activities for guests to participate in. The All-Inclusive resort's food is okay, it's nourishing and inclusive of a variety of diets. It's cafeteria style so you get to decide for yourself. Our cabin was large, warm and very accommodating for our extended family. Although there are no TV's, the internet access was adequate to stream movies on a projector tv. But we try to get everyone to disconnect during the day.

We celebrated our daughter's wedding at Trout Lodge this past weekend. What a wonderful weekend…read more Ryan Carr-Senior Guest Experience Director and his staff were absolutely fantastic. They took care of everything we needed and were always so gracious and friendly. I would definitely go back for a vacation to experience the activities that are offered and to enjoy the beautiful scenery and lake.

Warrenton's main city park is 35 acres of amenities across a woodsy landscape…read more It has multiple picnic pavilion with tables and BBQ grills--plus tables spread throughout its woods, a gazebo, playgrounds, and a stocked fishing lake. Spector Lake has docks for disabled fishers. A nearly 1-mile paved trail wanders through the woods. Restrooms are open year-round.

BaratHaven Park lies along the Dardenne Greenway Trail in Dardenne Prairie. The 94-acre park has a…read morelake, miles of paved pathways, soccer fields, a cricket pitch, and a small parking lot. The lake is fishable: MO conservation rules apply. The formal address on 1 Academy Drive is misleading. That's the address off Technology Drive (north I-64 service road) for the former Barat Academy. Actual park access is on Henning Road about halfway between Weldon Spring and Bates roads. The parking lot is hidden from the roadway.