Your Forest Park Winter Guide

The good news: St. Louisans enjoy four distinct seasons. The bad news: one of them is winter!

Not to worry, though — Forest Park offers a myriad of ways to enjoy it. Whether you are seeking solitude or social time; whether you prefer to glide or to slide, you can enjoy it all in Forest Park this winter.

Even before the first snowflake falls, there are lots of activities to beckon you outdoors.

Hiking
You can enjoy hiking in Forest Park year round with winter bringing an added level of enjoyment. Head into Kennedy Forest where the oak and hickory leaves crunch under foot. A squirrel hunting for acorns makes enough commotion to sound like Sasquatch, but be assured, it is just a little bushy-tailed critter. The West Pine Woodland trail is soft underfoot and located in a quiet area of the Park offering pure solitude. Along the waterways, trails wind though the savannas and prairies. There you are sure to see ducks floating on the icy water or congregating on rocks. You might catch the sight of an egret or heron and, if you are really lucky, you might spot a bald eagle. There are two that travel between the Emerson Grand Basin and Jefferson Lake this time of year.

If you find yourself hiking in the depths of winter, be on the lookout for Ozark witch hazel, a Missouri native shrub, which begins to show is orange blossoms in January. The Missouri State Champion witch hazel is located right in front of the Victorian Footbridge. When the snow arrives, slip on your warmest boots or cross-country skis as yet another opportunity unfolds to enjoy Forest Park’s natural areas.

Skating
Steinberg Skating Rink, now in its 62nd year of operations, boasts “27,600 square feet of frozen fun.” And while we are bragging, Steinberg is the largest outdoor skating rink in the Midwest. Beginning skaters — some who learn to skate before they are hardly old enough to walk — slip and slide along the perimeter. The more experienced skaters zip along in the unofficial middle lane, while the most daring practice their spins and turns in the center of the rink. In general, the easier skaters make it look, the better they actually are.  Regardless, Steinberg is truly a place for all this time of year. Don’t miss the large fire pit out front to warm your frozen toes!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow…
Whether you believe the Farmers’ Almanac or not, this winter is predicted to be especially cold and snowy. That is wonderful news for the thousands of folks who flock to the Park to cross-country ski, go sledding or make snow people.

Cross-Country Skiing
Cross-Country skiing brings solitude and sport together for the perfect winter activity. There is an abundance of terrain throughout the Park which can match any skill level. The 5.6-mile bike path around the perimeter of the Park presents a challenging variety of ups and downs. Don’t be surprised if you encounter dedicated cyclists or runners who are not going to let six inches of snow deter them. If its solitude and a gentler topography you seek, head to the Norman K. Probstein Golf Course or the paths through the savanna and prairies. 

Sledding
There are many awesome hills for sledding in Forest Park, but Art Hill is irrefutably the place where most St. Louisans head when the snow starts falling. That is as true today as it was in January 1905, when the first “sleds” made their way down the slippery slope. The sleds were actually folding chairs that World’s Fair workers grabbed and rode on down the hill. The hillside, which had been cleared for the grand exhibition of the World’s Fair, has been known as Art Hill ever since.

Today, at the first sign of snow, sledders bring out their trusty toboggans and flexible flyers. You are not likely to see folding chairs anymore, but don’t be surprised to see sledders zipping by in cardboard boxes, cookie trays, laundry baskets, inner tubes and even the very occasional kayak. Some go feet first, some headfirst and others stacked three on top of each other. Art Hill is nearly as wide as it is long with a nice long run and hay bales at the bottom to keep you from taking a plunge into Emerson Grand Basin (thanks to our friends at the City of St. Louis).

But Art Hill is far more than a place to sled. It is a multi-generational family tradition.  It is also a multi-cultural gathering place for many who are new to St. Louis and who have never even see snow. It is the place to go to burn off some of those holiday calories or to wear out your children, dog or both.

The City of St. Louis Parks Department supplies wood to keep two fire pits glowing at the top of the hill. Here good friends meet up and new friends are made. Sledders swap tall tales of near wipe outs and declare bragging rights for their perfect run.

From the top to the bottom of Art Hill, you will hear giggles and squeals. You will witness tumbles and occasionally the tears of a toddler who has just learned the existential sledding truth: what slides down, must now walk back up.  

For the love of the Park and for your love of the winter, become a Forest Park Forever member today to help sustain these memories … now and forever.