Forest Park, a large 1370-acre urban park was four miles from the city center when it opened on June 24, 1876 - the day before Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Designed by Maximillian G. Kern, Forest Park superintendent and landscape gardener, the landscape is decorated with several lakes and Kennedy Forest.

The park hosted the 1904 World's Fair and in 1912 tennis was introduced to the Forest Park by Parks Commissioner Dwight Davis, donor of the sport's most famous trophy. A multi-use 7.5-mile asphalt path tours the historic park, bounded by Lindell, Skinker and Kings boulevards and Oakland Avenue.

A half-hour to the south of Saint Louis is dog-friendly Route 66 State Park. At one time Route 66, "America's Main Street,” ran through the wooded bluffs of the Meramec River valley. Designed in 1926, the federal road helped link vast stretches of remote lands between Chicago and Los Angeles.

The resort community of Times Beach once welcomed visitors here. The town was abandoned in 1980 after waste oil sprayed on the streets to keep dust down proved to be toxic. When the clean-up was complete the 409-acre park was created in 1999 to showcase the beauty of the valley and preserve some of the history of John Steinbeck's "Mother Road.”

The canine hiking is light and easy on the seven-plus miles of trails that circle the park. The trail system links with surrounding systems for extended outings along the Meramec River. Expect to share the trails with bikes and horses on these wide, level paths.

The country park abounds in wildlife such as deer and turkey and you can even walk the dog along a stretch of historic Route 66 that remains in the park. To reach Route 66 State Park, take I-55 South to I-44 West and exit at Lewis Road (Exit 266). Go past West Tyson County Park entrance to a stop sign on Lewis Road. Cross Lewis Road to the Visitor Center.

copyright 2006