Carondelet Park
4.5(3.3K)google
4.5(35)yelp
FamilyOutdoorFreeNature
Overview
Carondelet Park, established in 1875, is the third largest park in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. The park contains nearly 180 acres (0.73 km2) and is located in the southeastern portion of the city, just west of Interstate 55, and is accessible at the Loughborough Avenue exit.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration1-2 hours
Best TimeClear spring or autumn weekends from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM are stellar. As St. Louis' third-oldest public park, golden hour lights up the historic Victorian-era stone boathouse and sunken sinkhole lakes beautifully, providing a peaceful window for watching local waterfowl slide across the water as long oak shadows stretch.
Getting ThereSuperbly positioned in south St. Louis at 3900 Loughborough Avenue. Via transit, catch the local Metrobus Route 73 or 90 to the northern gate platforms. For car travel, take I-55 S to the Loughborough Ave exit and head west; the entire scenic parkway loop provides extensive, free public parallel street parking.
Travel Tips
- The historic waterfront stone basins host heavy seasonal swarms of biting flies and wild wasps at dawn; the path layout lacks tall handrails, requiring continuous active child supervision.
- The main paved loop experiences severe multi-use congestion from regional speed cyclists on clear Sundays; non-motorized speed limits are strictly capped at 15 mph to protect pedestrian lanes.
- Curb parking bays saturate instantly during high-density summer lawn concert nights; transferring tires onto neighboring residential sod margins or fire fire lane lines triggers swift vehicle impoundment.
Reviews
Positive
- The majestic historic Greek Revival boathouse, picturesque twin fishing lakes, and centuries-old tree canopies deliver immense classical visual romance.
- The municipal infrastructure is flawless, featuring wide flat paved stone brick paths, crisp trail directory maps, and full accessible ramp integrations.
- The city parks maintenance team keeps the property pristine, and property management handles massive cycling races and lawn concerts with elite discipline.
- This is a completely free-to-explore public historic urban park; walking around the lakes or using the multi-use trails costs zero admission, maximizing value.
Heads up
- As an open municipal park, it lacks absolute wilderness quietness; heavy commuter traffic on adjacent lanes fills the air with constant engine noise.
- The public restroom count is minimal and heavily localized around the primary recreation centers, forcing long walks across the vast greenery for facilities.
- On sunny holiday weekends, the central lawns get packed with dense crowds, causing rowdy picnic bottleneck groups that disrupt quiet relaxation.
- After dusk, certain unshaded woods and remote bench paths are poorly illuminated, raising minor security concerns for solo joggers.