We visited Simpson Park for Open Space STL's Paddle After Dark July 2026 fundraising event…read more"supporting conservation and clean water initiatives across our region." This included a 1-hour canoe rental for two from Big Muddy Adventures. I should start by saying that I was impressed that this park is so accessible to St. Louis City and County residents (near 141 and 44). It is well-maintained with a playground, walking paths, bathrooms (clean and well-stocked), a large covered shelter with picnic tables and a lovely lake with kayak/canoe rentals. Fishing is allowed. It was a hot day, but we enjoyed sitting in the shade, canoeing around the little lake and later seeing the sun set over the lake. I would like to return again and walk around the lake with our dog and then perhaps have a picnic on one of the covered picnic tables with a view of the lake.

My mom and I have been coming here for years, and wow it has really really grown (literally)…read more There's a great walking path around the lake, but you can't see it with the growth of the trees/ brush. It's a great distance to get some steps in, and if you want to continue your steps, you can head across Marshall near the water. It's clean, lots of wildlife, and a really lovely spot. I believe they also have the option of renting kayaks to go on the lake. If you're the outdoorsy type, it's worth checking out! Great spot to get together with friends and family.

It's a fun time to get some water and paddle or boat around…read more We especially enjoy taking kayaks and/or paddle boards from the beach to the little island. It's not a super busy lake from our experience except maybe on a major holiday.

Nice little hidden park totally accessible from the main Gravois Rd. This park has plenty of…read morebenches, tables, pits, and gazebos. It's perfect for dog walking, water watching & capturing a beautiful sunset. You may see people chillaxing with their feet dangling from the platform over the bank of water (at their own risk), others are fishing, congregating or jet skiing (which I do t personally recommend but whatever). Should you find yourself in the area looking for a "inner peas"...this is your spot. Enjoy, ~Christy

This park has everything you need! Beautiful ponds, paved walking trails, gazebos, large…read moreplayground, and lots of room to run around. I took my 3 year old here to ride her scooter, play on the playground, and explore the paths along the pond. It seems like a wonderful park for all ages. The entrance is a bit steep- something to keep in mind!

Lovely small park next to Twin Oaks Presbyterian church on Big Bend. Enjoyed a musical event and…read morepicnic there and noticed how well the grounds are maintained. Nice walking trails and playground, too. Very fun!

So this is a small park next to the Meremac River with a large, open play field, a picnic shelter…read more(possibly more), a walking path that's part of the Great Rivers Greenway system and a small lake. We enjoyed taking are dogs to run leash-free along the lake. There's a dirt walking path you can walk down to watch to ensure the dog's safety. There's also a large berm between the water and the road, so you don't have to worry about traffic. Looks also like a fun place to go fishing!!

This seemed like a good place to take a walk, so I went about half a mile along the trail by the…read moreMeramec River. It occurred to me that in the summer this would be a great place for sunbathing--although I don't think the river really would be a good place to swim. As another commenter mentioned, it is a hook-up spot where guys park and then go off into the woods. I have only been there once so I don't know if it's much different from other area parks. I did notice trash that might be of interest to one of the groups that periodically cleans up area parks and creeks.

If it were not for me attending a retirement party here, I would have never known or discovered…read morethis park. This is a small and beautiful county park, that is well maintained. It has tennis courts, hiking trails and great play areas for little people. I was impressed with the pavilion that the party I attended, was held in. It had plenty of outlets for the food table and it had huge ceiling fans to circulate the air. Best of all, there were attached restrooms and they were super clean. If you live near Sunset Hills, I recommend this park.

A wonderful place to go to for all ages, plenty to do. You're shrouded with nature and it's…read morebeautiful. I love it so much here. The amount of love they put into this park is wonderful. There is a tennis court, a big green playground for young ones, a trail, and such. There is also a wheelchair accessible swing, so that's really nice. Sitting areas are very clean as well. There are trash cans, a decent sized parking lot and the plants here are breath taking. Please go here, for almost any reason. My favorite place for activity.

I was searching for a new park that we haven't attended and came across Lone Elk Park…read more Who doesn't want to see Elk and possibly Bison too. We came a bit later in the evening, close to closing time. You pretty much drive thru but there are areas you can get out of your car and sit at a picnic table, restroom break or even a little waking to sight see. You cannot get out of your car while driving thru the Bison area and dogs are not allowed at all, not even if they stay in your car. You can leave a small donation too that helps keep the park beautiful and maintained. A beautiful sighting for sure. The Bison were tucked away in the trees but we got a nice glimpse.

One of my favourite places to come to when i want to just go for a drive and have a little relaxing…read moreadventure. This is a free/donation park that houses elk, bison, and other wildlife. Drive your car through and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. You are able to hike the grounds if that's what you enjoy, or have a small picnic at one of the tables they have. Sometimes there can be a little traffic inside due to the bison sitting in the roadway, but eventually a park ranger comes along and tries to get them moving. Roads are narrow and one way only, so there's no turning back! Go out and enjoy the sweet nature views!

St. Louis, we need to talk about Suson Park. Because how is this hidden gem just sitting in South…read moreCounty and people aren't talking about it more? Suson Park is basically a little farm hiding inside a county park AND it's FREE. You can walk around and see cows, horses, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks and other farm animals. St. Louis County actually describes it as a working animal farm, and the barn is open to the public. And there's some seriously good St. Louis history here. The county bought the original property in 1962 from Sidney Salomon Jr., who was a major figure in St. Louis sports history. He owned the original Sportsman's Park and later the St. Louis Arena and became the first owner of the St. Louis Blues. Even better: Suson is a combination of the names of his children, Susan and Sonny. The park opened to the public in 1964, and today you've got the animal farm, fishing lakes, walking paths, playgrounds and picnic areas. So basically, you can spend an afternoon hanging out with a goat, watching a pig do absolutely nothing, saying hello to a cow and pretending you're on a farm vacation, all without leaving St. Louis County. And did I mention FREE? This is exactly the kind of place I mean when I say St. Louis has hidden gems.

Hot but fun taking the grandkids to see and feed the goats and ducks!!!!…read more Always clean and a busy busy park!!! So much to do!!!! Fish, picnic or walk!!!!

Kirkwood Park is a bigger park than it looks. I've visited maybe three times…read more Features: a community pool, a pond (which is a fowl community pool), a couple of baseball fields, tennis, pickleball, and some other sports areas, a couple of playgrounds, and some trails. Kirkwood Park is not flat. It'll be hilly. Not terribly hilly, unless you hit the trails, and then it's moderately hilly.

I love exploring the city parks available to me. My parents visited with their 1ish yo dog, so we…read moretook advantage of a beautiful morning to walk around here. There were a ton of paved and nonpaved walking paths, recreation areas, water features, various sports fields, and a community garden. Bea got to explore it all! Would definitely return either solo or with friends/family (furry members included)