With spring quickly approaching, you're probably itching to get outside and enjoy nature. The best places to go to see the new flowers and work off some of that winter fatigue are area parks. If you're in Ellisville, Missouri, or planning to travel there, check out these area parks for your nature fix. Bluebird Park The largest park in Ellisville is Bluebird Park. This 167-acre facility is the Cadillac of parks and has everything you can imagine: bike paths, picnic pavilions, tennis courts, playground, disc golf course, aquatic center, amphitheater, and softball/baseball fields. With all of these possible activities, you would think that's enough. Not quite. Bluebird Park is also the location for summer camps, youth sports, and fitness programs. The pavilions and ballfields are available to rent for residents and non-residents alike, with availability depending on residency. The park also hosts special events throughout the year, including an Independence Day celebration, a chili cook-off, movies in the park, and a Red Cross blood drive. You can enroll your kids in swim lessons at the aquatic center or do some laps for your own personal fitness. more Mockingbird Park A smaller, shaded neighborhood park, Mockingbird Park is located at the end of Bridgeport Drive, just off Cherry Hill Drive. With large trees surrounding the park on three sides, the shade will protect you and your little ones from the sun's harsh rays. The play area features slides with multiple ladders to climb, baby swings, sling swings, a balance beam, and a bouncy car. With nearby picnic tables and benches as well as a grill and a water fountain, this is a perfect location for a family barbecue lunch or picnic. There are even cement trails and large grassy areas where you can kick a soccer ball around or take a nice walk after lunch. Bobwhite Park Bobwhite Park is another great neighborhood park in the Ellisville area. The playground has baby swings, sling swings, slides, a balance beam and more balance toys. It has a play structure as well, great for improving climbing skills and dexterity. Without a lot of shade, the park can get pretty warm during the summer but is great for spring and fall outings. Bobwhite Park is located on Parkdale Circle and features a basketball court as well as additional picnic areas and open grassy spaces. Owl Hollow Park Ellisville is rich with neighborhood parks, and Owl Hollow Park does not disappoint. With swings, slides, spring toys, and dexterity games, your kids will have a great time playing here. This park covers over 3.16 acres with plenty of grassy areas as well. You can bring your basketball for some one-on-one or ride your bike around the neighborhood and park it in the bike rack while you enjoy your family lunch. After a long, harsh winter, the idea of getting your family outside to the parks and enjoying the sunshine is intoxicating. Flowers are blooming, leaves are growing back on the trees, and most importantly, the weather is getting warmer. Make the time to pack up the family and enjoy some of the great parks in Ellisville. Images via Pixabay
There are plenty of places within easy reach of Ellisville where you can see our native animal species in the wild. You can also see more unusual or endangered animals at centers where the staff work hard to protect and, where possible, reintroduce them into their natural habitat. Here are four of the best locations to check out the wildlife. Castlewood State Park Less than five miles from Ellisville lies the Castlewood State Park, once a popular party resort for people escaping the city of St. Louis in the early 1900s. The park is now a natural haven of almost 2,000 acres, where you can follow the 26-miles of trails which take in the park's ridges and valleys and the banks of the Meramec River. The park is a great place for bird watching with 191 species recorded, including many waterfowl, vultures, hawks, kingfishers, great blue herons, wild turkeys, and bald eagles. You may also be fortunate enough to spot mink, river otters, beavers, skunks, and white-tailed deer, among others. more Lone Elk Park During WWII, this area was used for the storage and testing of ammunition. After the war, it became a county park and herds of bison and elk were established. However, during the Korean War, the park was taken back by the government and the herds were destroyed. A single bull elk survived and the park's name was later changed to Lone Elk Park. In the 1960s, the herds were re-established and still thrive. Designated as a wildlife management area, the park is home to elk, deer, bison, wild turkey and many bird species. The best time to see the herd animals is before 8 a.m. when the staff feeds them. World Bird Sanctuary Next door to Lone Elk Park is the World Bird Sanctuary set up in 305 acres of forest. The mission of the sanctuary is a combination of rescue, rehabilitation, research, and education. There are large enclosures for non-releasable birds, and you'll see bald eagles, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, pelicans, a variety of owls, and more. Other animals at the sanctuary include snakes and bats. The sanctuary runs free family-friendly seasonal shows where you can meet some of the animals close up. Endangered Wolf Center Around 14 miles from Ellisville is one of St. Louis' best-kept secrets, the Endangered Wolf Center, which was set up more than 40 years ago. The dedicated staff at the nonprofit wildlife facility want to see a world in which endangered wolves can exist and thrive in their natural habitat. At the center, you'll find Mexican wolves, red wolves, and maned wolves, as well as other canid species, such as African painted dogs, swift foxes, and fennec foxes. You can symbolically adopt individual animals or an entire pack in return for membership of the Endangered Wolf Center and additional benefits. A visit to these parks and animal sanctuaries enables you to enjoy Missouri's native animals in their natural habitat and contribute to the conservation of endangered species. Image via Flickr by pasa47 | CC BY 2.0.
There are plenty of places within easy reach of Ellisville where you can see our native animal species in the wild. You can also see more unusual or endangered animals at centers where the staff work hard to protect and, where possible, reintroduce them into their natural habitat. Here are four of the best locations to check out the wildlife. Castlewood State Park Less than five miles from Ellisville lies the Castlewood State Park, once a popular party resort for people escaping the city of St. Louis in the early 1900s. The park is now a natural haven of almost 2,000 acres, where you can follow the 26-miles of trails which take in the park's ridges and valleys and the banks of the Meramec River. The park is a great place for bird watching with 191 species recorded, including many waterfowl, vultures, hawks, kingfishers, great blue herons, wild turkeys, and bald eagles. You may also be fortunate enough to spot mink, river otters, beavers, skunks, and white-tailed deer, among others. more Lone Elk Park During WWII, this area was used for the storage and testing of ammunition. After the war, it became a county park and herds of bison and elk were established. However, during the Korean War, the park was taken back by the government and the herds were destroyed. A single bull elk survived and the park's name was later changed to Lone Elk Park. In the 1960s, the herds were re-established and still thrive. Designated as a wildlife management area, the park is home to elk, deer, bison, wild turkey and many bird species. The best time to see the herd animals is before 8 a.m. when the staff feeds them. World Bird Sanctuary Next door to Lone Elk Park is the World Bird Sanctuary set up in 305 acres of forest. The mission of the sanctuary is a combination of rescue, rehabilitation, research, and education. There are large enclosures for non-releasable birds, and you'll see bald eagles, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, pelicans, a variety of owls, and more. Other animals at the sanctuary include snakes and bats. The sanctuary runs free family-friendly seasonal shows where you can meet some of the animals close up. Endangered Wolf Center Around 14 miles from Ellisville is one of St. Louis' best-kept secrets, the Endangered Wolf Center, which was set up more than 40 years ago. The dedicated staff at the nonprofit wildlife facility want to see a world in which endangered wolves can exist and thrive in their natural habitat. At the center, you'll find Mexican wolves, red wolves, and maned wolves, as well as other canid species, such as African painted dogs, swift foxes, and fennec foxes. You can symbolically adopt individual animals or an entire pack in return for membership of the Endangered Wolf Center and additional benefits. A visit to these parks and animal sanctuaries enables you to enjoy Missouri's native animals in their natural habitat and contribute to the conservation of endangered species. Image via Flickr by pasa47 | CC BY 2.0.
