In Alton visiting a friend and we wanted to get outside and enjoy the day. She took me to this park…read morefor the amazing view. This park is located in a higher altitude to the places around and that affords an amazing view over the river. There is a steep set of stairs on one side or gradual slope to walk up on the other (also making it more accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, etc). There is a nice Gazebo with benches for weddings and events. My friend advised that the Alton Orchestra plays at the gazebo in the summertime. There was also a walking trail and nice views on the lower side of the park. I give it a 4/5 as there is no equipment or play area for the youngsters. Also there was a large construction area where it appears there was a landslide type situation. The city is addressing it and has the whole area sectioned off for the protection of guests. Overall I would recommend this area for a stroll, a view and maybe a picnic. Would also be a great wedding/event spot with the gazebo.

I came here today to check out a new park with my friend along the way to the state park, and I…read morefound this quaint city park with a great view of the Mississippi River overlooking St. Charles, MO. I played catch and fetch with my dog, and he got to run around the upper part of the park off-leash. (I recommend not doing the off-leash with your dog if they are not trained for recalls). I sat at the bench overlooking the river for 30-40 minutes, just enjoying the view and how the weather was also perfect for the park. This park will be one of my go-to whenever I revisit Alton, IL.

This park is still awesome, clean and has great scenery. Plentiful parking. Upgrades in parking,…read morebetter restrooms and playground upgrades. This park also has music in the park I want to try soon. Park patrol exists here as well. I will always come here to get my daily walk in !

This is such a beautiful park. I lived in this area previously and never realized that this gem…read moreexisted in my neighborhood! It wasn't until I moved back! Even then, I didn't realized how huge it is! I think I counted 6 Pavillions and 2 restrooms and 1 porter potty. There's also multiple playareas located next to a pavilion. Huge fields and multiple courts. I would definitely host a kids birthday party here. Whether you are looking for walking trail, getting married or any event, this place should definitely be considered!

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.

This park is great for walking, or having any kind outdoors outings. The park is very well…read moremaintained with several picnic grounds to choose from. Safety & Security this park is very large and leads alongside the Missouri River. Some area do not have cellular service. This park also has a horse riding trail. This is a great park!

Restroom: yes Playground: yes…read moreCellular signal : Barely to none Shelters: yes Camp ground: yes Shades: medium Entertainment: frisbee golf, dog fetching area and river fishing

Be prepared for a 5+ mile drive off Highway 67 to find this state park literally at the end of the…read moreroad. Also, over 4 miles of the road is on gravel. Once at Jones Confluence Point SP you have a 10-minute walk on dirt and concrete paths to the point where the Mississippi and Missouri rivers meet. The feature here is the meeting of the waters: When the Mississippi is clear you can easily see the much muddier Missouri pushing its way far into the Mississippi's current. At the point three placards describe the rivers and the Native Americans who once lived nearby. Signs in the small pavilion (which lacks a table or seating) describe related area history. Outhouses are the only other amenities.

I visited here a couple of weeks ago and am still thinking about it. We stood on a point of land…read moreand watched the huge Missouri and Mississippi Rivers ripple together a few feet away. If you visit the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower on the Illinois side of the Mississippi do circle around and visit Jones Confluence Point State Park in St. Charles County, Missouri, too. One of the things I appreciated about the park was that it had been cared for but not overdeveloped. We drove a winding gravel road through flat bottomlands and fields, ending at a small parking area, interpretive kiosk and restrooms. Then we leashed up our dog and hiked about a third of a mile through the woods to the confluence point. The first bit of trail is paved; the rest is well-marked dirt/gravel. At the end of the path is a *very tall* pole marking the high point of the 1993 flood - we couldn't believe there could have been that much water. A low monument explains how the two rivers come together. It was all very low key, and *awesome*. We thought about the history of the area and how many travelers through the centuries had stood there. On the drive back to the highway we saw a bald eagle circling overhead.

I grew up coming here and it's one of my favorite places to bring people from out of town. The…read moretrails are super well kept, there is lots of different pad options for longer shorter walks, and you get a fabulous view of the Mississippi river from not very far into a walk The parking is pretty easy. They have a large gravel lot you can park in. I mostly come here for hiking trails, but when I was a kid, I came here for summer camps and it was always blast. I know they do fun events for kids, like a Halloween event, and those are super cute. If you're looking for a great hike, I would recommend coming here

This place is great for kids. They have summer camp each year for young kids. My daughter did the…read morepre-k week long day camp two years in a row. They also have a lot of weekend group hikes and camps for kids.

Whether you are an experienced bird watcher or just beginning,this is definitely a place you want…read moreto visit . This huge nature preserve with visitors center offers bird exhibits as well as educational programs. We spoke to one of the employees who told us where to go to see various birds. You can walk the trails or drive around as there are numerous pull offs for picture taking. Plenty of parking as well as public restrooms and picnic tables. There is no admission fee but a small donation is suggested.

Do you love bird watching? If not, after a visit to Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, it may be…read moreyour new interest and hobby. There's 3,700 acres of diverse conversation land and 1,200 of wetlands, making it perfect for all types of birds. 60% of North American migrating bird species use the Mississippi River Flyway and they do it with no TSA or Flight Controllers. On any given day, you'll have a chance to see a variety of waterfowls including; Pelicans, Swans, Geese and Ducks. You'll also get a glimpse of, Herons, Egrets and Ring Necked Gulls. During the colder months, like January and February, you will definitely get to see an American Bald Eagle. In addition of bird watching, you can enjoy one of the many trails for hiking and biking. The staff from Audubon Center and the US Army Corps of Engineers are on site and can ask any questions you may have. I recommend that you get out and not only explore nature, but enjoy it too.

Best Public park! Located behind the Public Safety building. Has a splash pad and concession stand…read morealong with plenty of spots to picnic.

This Park & Splash pad just opened this summer and I finally got around to taking my little guy up…read morethere to play. What a fantastic place! It has the most awesome splash pad! I love the design and colors! Its very whimsical and fun! He had a great time playing in the water. There are plenty of pavilions for picnics or to just stay out of the sun. Across from the pad is a play area with wonderful equipment for the kiddies to play on. This place also has a concession stand so you can get something to snack on or drink. This park also has restrooms by the concession stand. We used the family one to get him changed into his swim trunks. Everything is well thought out and perfectly executed! What a great addition to Edwardsville. I know we will be going back many times to enjoy this wonderful place.

Township Park is a wonderful park to take kids and family to for a beautiful day out! There is…read moreplenty of space to run and place plus they have lots of play ground equipment to keep everyone busy! I don't like you can't bring pets, but I do understand to a point also. It's a great community park!

The best park for kids I've ever seen. Someone posted a bad review saying there weren't any…read moreswings, but I saw lots of swings! My little guy loves going to this park! It's a true gem for this area. Also, there is lots of area to play ball, throw a frisbee or fly a kite! It's fun to take a blanket and have a picnic in the grass, but there are lots of picnic tables too.

Gorgeous place to come on the Missouri side of the Mississippi river. You'll see people hang…read morebirthday parties at the pavilion or fishing for catfish when the weather is nice. It's fun to stop by and see where the water levels are at, when they're low you can go out a bit further on the rocks. Really gorgeous at sunset, fun place to do a photoshoot. No hiking at this exact location but close by some other hiking spots and bird watching spots.

This is a spot to chill. There's not much to do here but relax. It's on a finger of land poking…read moreinto the Mississippi River and nature is its biggest amenity. This spot, which is administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers, is on the migratory routes for hundreds of bird varieties. It's one of the best birdwatching places in the St. Louis area during migration times. There is a boat slip, picnic tables, a short walking path, and a memorial to area Civil War Confederate soldiers who died of smallpox. (An adjacent island--now submerged--housed facilities to treat those infected with the disease.) Just on the other side of the Mississippi is downtown Alton, IL with boutiques, restaurants, and the Great River Road hiking/biking path.