I've been to powder valley a few times and I love that they offer scenic hiking trails that are not…read moretoo far from the city. The trails themselves are completely paved and easily accessible. The trails are 1/5 in difficulty and generally takes about an hour and a half if you walk through all 3 trails, so if you're a hiking enthusiast and looking for a more intermediate/advanced trail you won't find it here. But the trail does offer nice scenery and it's beautiful to walk through during the Fall to see the changing of the leaves.

Need a place to take the kids so they can get their zoomies out? Come here it's amazing. Two floors…read moreof all nature themed rooms with activities all over. Mom approved!

We wanted an interesting, shaded, dog-friendly hike on a hot sunny day. This park was a great…read morechoice. Plenty of free parking in their lots and lots of space, including a picnic area. For hiking, there are elevation changes and lots of trees. You can hike up the bluffs or just do a short down-and-around in the valley. Trails are well marked. Watch out for snakes on the rocks!

This is a beautiful, convenient park right off 44. It can be a little confusing to get there from…read morethe city, but it's the same exit as Laumeier Sculpture Park. There's an easy to get to parking lot which is next to the restrooms, tables, and the river. We have a senior dog who loves the water so it was perfect since the river was so close, we didn't have to go on a long hike to get him down there. The park is green and seems huge. It's not the prettiest park in the area, but definitely convenient.

We enjoyed a moderately strenuous (to strenuous by Midwest standards) hike on the Green Rock Trail…read moreat Rockwoods. Note that the trail is listed as 8.4 miles out and back on AllTrails, and does not loop back to the office. Near the beginning of the trail, you will see a sign that says "short loop". If you stay on the regular Green Rock Trail (for about 2 miles or so) you will see the other end of the "short loop", which is also marked "to office". This will bring you back to the short loop marking near the entrance, and can make for a 3-4 miles total trip. We hiked beyond this point, then backtracked and returned via the short loop for a total trip distance of 4.38 miles and 807 ft of total ascent. This is some good elevation gain for Missouri. Early Spring was a nice time to hike as it was cool and dry. It was not as pretty, though, as it was still brown from Winter. We look forward to exploring more trails at this location, and seeing what the rest of the park has to offer.

Went here for a nice 3.2 mile loop hike here with the dogs. We passed maybe 4 people on the trail,…read moreit was pretty sparse which was great. It was also convenient because the trail was right inside the park entrance. The hills and valleys were cool to walk though, neat for Missouri lol. The trail was well maintained and easy to follow, not too muddy or buggy early spring. Wish this place was closer, we will be back!

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

Great little park in Town and Country. It has a picnic shelter, a Paved hiking trail, a old log…read morecabin with outbuilding and a playground.

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!

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.

This is one of 7 or 8 parks minutes from home. Its off…read moreManchester & Mason, a busy road, but far enough back that its isolated in the woods. It has all the nice little things like a covered picnic table area, bathrooms, etc. about the only thing missing are BBQ grills, I don't know if they allow you to bring little charcoal grills into the park. It has a play area for the kids and a creek with a walking bridge.

I had a birthday party at Mary's Shelter, right next to the playground. It was perfect! The…read morestructure had power, water access, was close to restrooms and had great shade with about 10 tables. There was a big field next to it as well. The playground is hidden away so it felt like a private event!

We love Lafayette Park. The perfect size for a nice walk, huge pond with ducks you can watch for…read morehours, walking trails and free concerts. A gorgeous bridge and plenty of beautiful things to see. We took our engagement photos here and also enjoyed coffee together the morning of our wedding, so it has so much meaning to us. We love walking around, especially in the spring and fall, and enjoying this beautiful city!

Lafayette Park: where the grass is lush, the bandstand is iconic, and the summer concert series is…read morethe closest thing St. Louis has to Coachella--if Coachella had lawn chairs, wine tumblers, and that one guy who insists on dancing solo in front of the stage like he's possessed by jazz itself. The music? Surprisingly awesome. Local bands bring the heat, the horns, and sometimes even a keytar. The crowd? A delightful mix of retirees, toddlers, dogs in bandanas, and millennials who wandered in after hearing drums while walking their compost bins. It's BYO everything--chairs, snacks, wine, existential joy. The energy is peak Midwest wholesome with just enough chaos to keep it interesting (watch out for rogue frisbees and unsupervised toddlers with glow sticks). Truly, if you haven't awkwardly clapped along to a Stevie Wonder cover while holding a sweaty brie wedge and dodging bubbles... are you even living?