Nice park with great scenery. Been up here for Eagle Watching while a kid. They had a giant human…read moresized chess board in the lodge, not sure if it still exists.

Pere Marquette is the place to experience the beauty of fall foliage. The rich colors of; orange,…read moreyellow and red on all the trees makes it a sight to behold. Enjoy the colors by walking/hiking the many trails. You can get real adventurous and go horseback riding. Or be like me and sit on the deck at the lodge and enjoy a bottle of wine while enjoying the beauty of nature. No matter the season, you cannot go wrong exploring the 8000 acres of Pere Marquette State Park.

Very nice path my dog loved it there are some steep hills I'm glad it was a loop the path was clean…read moreand clear it wasn't too busy on a Sunday afternoon

Came here because I saw a Facebook post about it. I love old ruin like places so wanted to come…read morehere. Super easy to find the ruins and get cool photos. Super cool place. Would love to come back and explore more. I bet it looks super cool when it snows here.

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.

Another beautiful St. Louis County "park"/trail. There are a couple of picnic tables near the…read moreparking lot along with portable toilets. Otherwise, this "park" is really just a trail head and parking lot. The trail is open to bikes, horses, & pedestrians. Take the gradually descending path a half mile from the parking lot to the scenic overlook. From there, the terrain changes from a steep bluff into a gradual slope resulting in a leisurely hike through the woods. Two miles from the scenic overview, the Bluff View trail ties into the Al Foster trail. It was a great family hike and I can see this trail becoming one of our family's favorites.

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.

I always have a great time coming here. Plenty of parking. Sometimes it can be busier but it's…read morenever been an issue. Benches and scenic overlooks galore. You will be going uphill a decent bit but nothing crazy and the top spot is beautiful and worth it.

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.

"History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time, it illumines reality, vitalizes…read morememory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquities." Marcus T Cicero Mounds the remains of the past . This site is not as studied as other sites in the United States. We all think "Serpent Mound." Of all the area of the United States, Cahokia Mounds, the past area of the Mississippi people's of the past is the largest. It's the most influential pre Columbian that we have yet to know of in the Americas. Now they believe that early settlers started here in 6th century AD. Early indigenous peoples were burying their dead and they have found personal effects with the ancient burials. The French in the 17th century arrived and found an early settlement of Illinois inhabitants. These are not the first! No written language exists. Just the mounds. It's been preserved for us all to see. It's an hour from Springfield to Colinsville, Illinois. This is one of the top 25 things to see and do in Illinois. You can walk on the actual mounds . Come and see lost history preserved for us all!

Visiting the historical Cahokia Mound. This was a advertise of learning…read more Upon entering a wonderful lady asked was it my first time visiting. Then she proceeded to give a history lesson on the Cahokia Mounds. I learned a lot. The staff were excellent. There was a huge canoe that was hollowed out from a huge tree. There were many artifacts. I went an one of the trails and discovered many things in the process. If you haven't been you must go. It's a great experience.

I am an avid walker, especially when the weather is nice. St Charles County boasts a large number…read moreof well maintained parks. This park is especially a favorite for me. The park has a walking loop throughout the entire park. The path is paved and easy to navigate. There is also a man made pond with path and bridges. There are three small jetty's if you are interested in catch and release fishing. I've brought my yoga mat on several occasions and enjoyed the peace of the water. The playground area is perfect for kids of all sizes. The restrooms are clean and well maintained. If disc golf is your thing, the course loops throughout the park.

When I lived in North O'Fallon I walked around the small lake in the late afternoons for health…read morereasons. I chose a different morning time when bikers came zooming along preparing for serious rides. There were plenty of trees, shade, birds, fish, frogs, picnic areas and I was never approached by criminals. I saw some children practicing "catch and release" in the large pond / small lake. It was serene, peaceful and beautiful.

Busy park and trails. Hiking for all levels. We make several trips a year from the Western burbs.read more

I mean. You can never go wrong when you visit this place…read more You think there's nothing more to life? Come here. You can think clearly up here just looking at that view. I had visited 5/18 with a few girlfriends. It had rained a day prior so there definitely were some muddy patches. We also encountered a black snake (too scared to take a picture- I ran away), a dead baby snake, a ton of cicada shells, spider webs in the way of our path, and some bees. We went around 11am and though the high was 84, it wasn't so bad since most of the trail is in the woods. I hadn't been here in a while but it seemed shorter than I remember. If you're looking for an hour-ish long hike, swing on by.

Just not of animals out and I know it's most likely due to the heat, but I just did not enjoy the…read moretrip because of the animals not being out in my grandchildren, we're looking forward to seeing a lot of animals

Beautiful experience. I've been going here since a kid. The roads are a bit narrow, so a bigger car…read moreor truck may have trouble. We were lucky to see deer and elk, some geese and raccoons. Even a bear of some sorts. Sadly no Bison. Maybe next time. Enjoyable drive overall.