St Charles, MO Parks and Recreation - Town Square Publications

St Charles MO Parks and Recreation

Aquatic centers, tracks, BMX, archery, fishing, golf and dog parks are just some of the features at parks in the St. Charles County area. There are a plethora of parks through the county, the city of St. Charles and the city of St. Peters.

Here are some of the highlights in each area:

City of St. Charles Parks

The City of St. Charles has 22 parks covering over 800 acres and 22-plus miles of pedestrian/bike trails. Other amenities include three outdoor aquatic facilities, three rentable community buildings, 27 picnic shelters gazebos and pavilions, 18 playgrounds, 22 baseball/softball fields, 19 soccer fields, 10 tennis courts, 10 fishing lakes, an outdoor fitness area and a free dog park. Parks include the following:

Discovery Playground at Jaycee Park: This popular destination is home to an all-inclusive playground with a water feature. The playground utilizes the natural hillside of the park and includes several play areas, swings and slides.
Katy Depot in Frontier Park: This 1893 historic landmark is restored and located along the Katy Trail is a popular, scenic backdrop for wedding and senior photos.
Wapelhorst, Blanchette and McNair aquatic facilities: Recent updates include a new Blanchette Park aquatic facility as well as a renovations and additions to Wapelhorst Park with amenities that include a lazy river, flume slides and a milti-passenger tube slide called the “Boomerango.”

City of St. Peters Parks

The City of St. Peters has 25 parks covering almost 1,300 acres and more than 20 miles of pedestrian/bike trails. Other amenities include playgrounds, picnic pavilions, athletic fields, a golf course, an archery range, a BMX track, an outdoor fitness area, a bocce ball court, two wedding gazebos, fishing ponds, basketball and tennis courts, an outdoor pool and dog park. Parks include the following:

The St. Peters Rec-Plex has a natatorium for swimming and diving, an NHL-size ice rink, fitness machines and cardio theater and an indoor track. Rec-Plex South includes two more ice rinks, gymnasium and a multipurpose gym. The recently opened Dynamic Training Center offers a track and new exercise equipment.
City Centre Park has a serene pond with lush landscaping, mature trees and decorative waterfall, as well as a gazebo. For recreation, it offers three baseball diamonds, trails, a pavilion and an inclusive playground. The Cove at St. Peters, a brand new outdoor aquatic center, opened in 2018.
The newest and largest park in St. Peters is 370 Lakeside Park. With more than 300 acres, it includes a 140-acre recreational lake with fishing and boating, a walking trail surrounding the lake and a campground with 75 RV sites and group tent camping. It also has a playground, family picnic areas, sprayground, pavilions, sand volleyball an archery range and the St. Peters Rotary Dog Park.
St. Peter Golf Club will soon feature Water’s Edge Banquet Center, a new banquet center overlooking the large lake that can host events for up to 350 people. Also, a new comfort station was added to provide concessions and restrooms near the center of the golf course.

St. Charles County Parks

The St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department offers outstanding parks and facilities and a broad range of programs and special events. The county operates 12 parks, including a youth activity park and The Historic Daniel Boone Home. Noteworthy facilities include:

Quail Ridge Lodge in Wentzville: Voted “Best Wedding Destination” by area brides, the cedar lodge banquet facility and gazebo in the park has become a popular place for many couples to tie the knot.
Quail Ridge Park is 262 acres of rolling pastures, wooded hillsides and rich bottom land near Peruque Creek. At the park’s entrance, be sure to check out the National Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame, or try your hand at a game of horseshoes.
Klondike Park in Augusta was a sand quarry and has been turned into parkland with a lookout bluff that provides views of the Missouri River Valley and the Katy Trail, and features more than 5 miles of trails for hiking and biking.
The Heritage Museum at Heritage Park in St. Peters is a nearly 6,000-square-foot facility that offers free, large displays focusing on local and state history. The current exhibit, “Our Sporting Heritage,” features a Marksman Training simulator, an interactive digital hunting simulator that has the largest video shooting surface in the world and is one of only three of its kind in the United States.
Veteran’s Tribute Park opened to the public in fall 2018. On the property formerly known as Sammelmann Farm in Weldon Spring, the park features a walking and biking trail; a destination playground for children of all abilities that encompasses social/emotional, physical, sensory, cognitive and communication development; an interactive water play area; climbing features; a hill slide; two lakes stocked with fish; an off-leash dog park; picnic shelters and more. Plans for a Memorial Garden with a plaza, monument, and flags to honor all five branches of the armed forces are being finalized at the site.
Broemmelsiek Park near Wentzville is 494 acres of natural beauty, has several large lakes for fishing, specialty shelters to reserve and more than nine miles of multiuse trails for hiking, biking, and equestrian use, plus a 4.7-acre dog park.
The Historic Daniel Boone Home in Defiance represents life in the early 1800s and brings the legacy of Daniel Boone to life. Visitors from across the country can get a glimpse into what life was life for the Boones and others living on the Missouri frontier.
Towne Park near Wentzville features a reconstructed 1800s historical homestead and is home to the only Certified Nature Explore Classroom of its kind in St. Charles County.
Youth Activity Park in Dardenne Prairie features a 33,000-square foot skate course, a 30-foot indoor rock climbing wall and sand volleyball and basketball courts.
College Meadows Park in Cottleville is designed to accommodate citizens of all ages and abilities. It features a nine-hole disc golf course and an outdoor fitness trail that connects with nearby greenways and schools. The three-quarter-mile fitness trail encompasses 10 exercise stations and a fitness machine that’s accessible for wheelchairs. The nine-hole disc golf course features concrete tee pads and professional Mach V Disc Golf Baskets that weave through park scenic meadows.