You know Forest Park, of course, and all of its many wonders: the nature playscape, the golf courses, the cricket field, the Victorian bridge and all the unexpected hidden delights. And you probably known Tower Grove Park, with its collection of brightly colored Victorian pavilions, its beloved Clydesdale, Moonshine and the fake ruins that should be tacky, but somehow aren't. You may also be familiar with Carondelet Park with its stately lake, its impressive boathouse and its beloved rec center.
Pere Marquette State Park has its mighty lodge, along with the famous fried chicken served there. Lone Elk Park has its elk and its bison and its deer that look at you like you're the one who doesn't belong there. But the St.
Louis area has much more than these. The region is home to more than 200 city and county-owned parks, from tiny Hotz Park in Edwardsville (870 feet, the size of a one-bedroom apartment) to, of course, Forest Park (1,326 acres, somewhat smaller than the city of Clayton). Each park has its share of amenities or pleasant views.
Each is lovely in its own way. But we're not interested in the ordinary. We set out to find local parks that are wow-worthy.
And we're not talking about nature's awesome glory, or anything boring like that. Every park features glorious vistas and beautiful nature in one respect or another. We're talking about spectacular amenities that were made by man.
The biggest parks are obvious. We searched for the extraordinary at some of the lesser-kno.