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.

This is a moderately challenging trail with lookout points and views in otherwise relatively flat…read morefarming country. The trail is well-marked once you get on the trail. The most challenging and interesting route is to hike up Salt Lick Trail, take a brief left on Newman Trail, and return to your car via the Johnson Trail. The loop is a lot simpler than it sounds (see my Garmin map pic). This resulted in a 3-mile loop with 551 feet of elevation gain, up to a max elevation of 858 ft near the outlook. There are occasional viewpoints with benches all of the way up, with a flat limestone outlook at the point. There are steep areas (and steps with a cable). I would argue that the woods and limestone bluff are more interesting than the surrounding farmland. On your return via the Johnson trail, look up and left at the bluffs to see caves emerging from the historic salt mine. If you take this route, the abandoned salt mine building will be at the end of the Johnson trail, near the parking lot return. It was moderately advanced, and I recommend good hiking boots. Enjoy!

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.

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

We enjoyed a visit to the largest archaeological site in the U.S…read more Quick visit advice: Park at the visitor center or across the street at Monk's Mound (if there are any spots in this smaller lot). Walk to and up Monk's Mound, which is the largest. I recommend reading the signs about the history of the mounds. Background: I visited just after finishing a book called "America Before" by Graham Hancock. He extensively covers the geoglyphs (mounds) across the Americas and describes their site-line survey complexity. They are basically dirt mound versions of Stonehenge, and line up with solar events during the equinoxes. The amount of precision from an ancient hunter-gatherer society is absolutely fascinating. I highly recommend a read before visiting.

We were in the area so we had to go check this place out, right? The history along should garner…read moreinterest. Pulling up, my kids were not amused. "What's with the big hill dad?" Oh kids... I mean it does look like just a big hill but... As a history buff, I thought it was kind of cool. We climbed the stairs to the top (great work out, a couple folks were doing just that) to get a view of the area. Not much at all is built up around this area, the small town that it is located in is barely a blip before you enter the St. Louis metropolitan area. It is actually pretty remarkable how rural this area is being only miles outside of St. Louis. Anyways, I tried to get my kids to understand that the people that built these mounds did not have Bobcats, dump trucks, or any huge equipment. We are talking woven baskets and such. Still not impressed. At least we stood on the top and say we have been there. I suggest you do the same. Check it off the list and say you once stood on one of the tallest pre-Columbian structures in North America. Can't say that every day!

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.

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.

Private trail…read more.. Yes, I know it sounds strange but it really is a semi-private trail for residents only. Nonetheless, many nonresidents make great use of this beautiful trail (including yours truly). Gorgeous, tranquil path. Perfect for walking, running, chilling, people watching, sky gazing, meditating, picture taking & whatnot. Short trail but excellent segway to Chesterfield Central Park. #iWillwhatiWant, ~Christy

I just recently discovered this little gem of a trail after walking the trail around Chesterfield…read moreCentral Park. It's a beautiful 1.5 mile walk!

Nice short trail to stretch your legs. They have a disc golf course in the park. This is around a…read moreone mile loop. Two different playgrounds.

I am thankful for the resource and the city is clearly trying to make a nice "green space" for…read morepeople to enjoy. I have been in a lot of places in the world and seen better, but also much worse attempts to give the citizenry a taste of nature. The park is actually much larger than it seems at first glance. There are three ponds and some drainage streams. I primarily come to fish (in reality stand near water and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, as I rarely catch anything of significance). I would guess that in 25 trips I have caught and released 10 fish (bass, sunfish, catfish). I have enjoyed every single minute doing so. -On another note- I have jokingly called this place "divorce park". There are a few playground pieces that I see the occasional over wrought dad or mom leverage to entertain (or wear out) the little ones. I see them [I have been them], sitting there contemplating the choices that put them there. Of course these days they are furiously engrossed in their phone more often than not. There is also the phenomena of secret "assignations", you see cars arrive and one person hops into the other. It is both sad and funny, considering that choice is likely to have them end up back at this park...with the aforementioned kids and the regrets. I also see the signs of drug use/ drug buys (I've travelled the world, and lived in Baltimore for years). This place is no worse than anywhere else, I am not saying it is dangerous...it is just a reality. I guarantee there is drug activity at the bright and shiny O'Fallon sports megaplex. I have come to the conclusion that if you are at this park and not fishing, hiking, frisbee golfing, walking a dog - you are "crime-ing" or sinning...LOL