Forest Park

About

Forest Park is the crown jewel of St. Louis, a 1,300-acre green space that's been welcoming visitors since 1876. Larger than Central Park, it hosted the 1904 World's Fair and today draws millions of people each year to its world-class museums, lakes, trails, and open meadows. It's the kind of place where you can spend an entire day and barely scratch the surface.

The park is home to several major attractions, all free to visit. The Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Zoo, the Missouri History Museum, and the Saint Louis Science Center all sit within or along the park's borders. The Muny, America's oldest and largest outdoor musical theater, hosts performances each summer. Whether you're into art, animals, history, or live theater, there's something here for you.

Beyond the big-name destinations, Forest Park rewards a slower pace. Paved paths wind past lakes where you can rent paddleboats, past gardens in full bloom, and through wooded stretches that make you forget you're in the middle of a city. Joggers, cyclists, and families on picnics share the green space in easy coexistence.

Planning a visit is straightforward. The park sits just west of downtown St. Louis and is served by MetroLink light rail, with the Forest Park station providing direct access. An in-park MetroBus shuttle helps visitors cover the park's 2.14 square miles without exhaustion. Multiple parking lots are spread throughout, and a visitor center near the Dennis and Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center can help orient your day.

Forest Park proves that a great city park can be both grand and welcoming. It's a place built for everyone, with free attractions, open space, and the kind of easy charm that keeps people coming back season after season.

Accessibility

Forest Park's 2.14-square-mile footprint is made more manageable by the in-park MetroBus shuttle, which helps wheelchair users and visitors with mobility challenges move between attractions without covering long distances on foot. The shuttle connects major destinations throughout the park.

Many of the park's paths and trails are paved and relatively flat, making them suitable for wheelchair users and those with mobility aids. Designated accessible parking spaces are available at multiple lots throughout the park, including van-accessible spaces with striped access aisles at locations like the Rott Road lot. The park's major museums and attractions maintain their own accessibility accommodations, so it's worth checking individual venue websites before your visit.

MetroLink light rail stations serving the park area use ramps rather than elevators to provide platform access, and connections to MetroBus routes are available at all stations. This makes getting to and from the park by public transit a viable option for wheelchair users.

The park features inclusive play areas, including a wheelchair-accessible tree house at one of its playgrounds. Sensory-friendly features include Braille panels and a 32-foot musical pylon designed for visitors with visual impairments. Talk phones are also available at select locations.

For the most current information on restroom accessibility, specific trail conditions, and any temporary closures affecting accessible routes, contact Forest Park at (314) 367-7275 or visit their official website before planning your trip. Conditions can change with seasons and ongoing improvement projects.

More accessible places in Missouri

• Gateway Arch National Park (St. Louis)
• Missouri Botanical Garden (St. Louis)
• Saint Louis Zoo (St. Louis)
• Saint Louis Art Museum (St. Louis)
• Gateway Arch (St. Louis)
• City Museum (St. Louis)

Photo credits

• An aerial panorama of Forest Park in St. Louis showing green lawns, lakes, and the distant city skyline.: Teeks99, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)