Forest Park in St. Louis Named Country’s Best City Park for 2nd Year in a Row

Spring is just around the corner, daffodils are emerging from the soil, and St. Louisans and wildlife alike are enjoying the beauty and recreation in the best city park in the United States.

In a national poll result announced today, Forest Park was again named the country’s #1 city park in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, which polled readers for four weeks in January and February 2023. It’s the second consecutive year that the City of St. Louis’ signature park received the honor. Twenty parks from across the country were nominated for the Best City Park category, selected by a panel of experts that includes editors from USA TODAY; editors from 10Best.com; and expert contributors.

Forest Park taking the top spot reflects a St. Louis success story: the innovative public-private partnership between the nonprofit conservancy Forest Park Forever and the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry, who collaborate to restore, maintain and sustain Forest Park as a treasure for all to enjoy.

Sustaining a top-rated Park that has 1,300 acres and 15 million annual visits is no small task. It requires tens of thousands of labor hours and millions of dollars in upkeep each year – made possible by the support of Forest Park Forever donors and members in their annual and monthly giving.

“We are so grateful to our generous supporters who help us sustain Forest Park, and to everyone who shared their appreciation for this special place by voting it #1,” said Lesley S. Hoffarth, Forest Park Forever President and Executive Director. “Our team loves the Park as much as our donors and visitors, and we work hard every day on its care for today and forever, in partnership with the City.”

“Parks and outdoor recreation activities serve an important role in facilitating connections, health awareness and many other benefits for our entire community,” said Greg Hayes, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry for the City of St. Louis. “Our 110 parks in the City of St. Louis are an important community asset overall and we are extremely proud of the outstanding national recognition of our largest park. This distinguished honor is a reflection of the hard work and collaboration between the Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, which cares for all 110 parks in the City of St. Louis, and Forest Park Forever, who have been excellent partners in restoring and maintaining Forest Park.”

The past year required particular resilience from the teams who care for the Park. Late spring freezes delayed some plantings, and a summer drought required extra attention to watering. July’s record rainfall and flash flooding in the St. Louis area also caused more than a million dollars in damage to the Park’s infrastructure and landscapes. But through careful asset management and close collaboration, the Park’s caretakers were able to address these unexpected needs.

The Oakland Avenue Playground in Forest Park recently received an art and landscape design award for its turtle made of 144 tree stumps.

This public-private partnership isn’t limited to maintaining what’s already in the Park; they also keep an eye on potential improvements and additions that will make the Park a more welcoming, inclusive space. In recent years, three different family-friendly play areas were completed or renovated: the fully accessible Variety Wonderland Playground, the Oakland Avenue Playground – which recently won a landscape award for its popular “stump turtle” – and the 17-acre Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape, which has helped thousands of children explore nature and outdoor play.

Looking ahead over the next few years, Forest Park Forever and the City are partnering on plans to add basketball to the Park’s active recreation amenities, to complete the connection of the Park’s waterways, and to transform the historic Steinberg Pavilion and Rink into a year-round attraction that will draw a broader community of visitors to the Park.

About Forest Park

Dedicated in 1876, Forest Park encompasses 1,300 acres that offer something for everyone. More than 15 million annual visitors enjoy the Park’s cultural institutions and events, 30 miles of trails and paths, a dual path system for leisurely walks and intense exercise, athletic fields and courts, golf courses, family playgrounds, picturesque vistas and nearly 194 acres of conservation area known as the Nature Reserve, which includes woods, prairie, savannah, wetlands and a 2.5 nautical mile river system. 

Forest Park Facts

• 1,300 acres

• More than 15 million annual visitors

• About 47,000 trees, including 16,000 actively managed by Forest Park Forever

• 30 miles of paths and trails, including the nearly 6-mile paved Dual Recreational Path

• Three family playgrounds, including the fully accessible Variety Wonderland Playground, the Oakland Avenue Playground and the 17-acre experiential Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape

• Navigation assistance: on-site kiosks and wayfinding signage, as well as a mobile-friendly, GPS-enabled Forestparkmap.org

• Home to five major cultural institutions, each of which offers free admission: the Missouri History Museum, The Muny outdoor theatre, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center and the Saint Louis Zoo.

About Forest Park Forever

Founded in 1986, Forest Park Forever is a private nonprofit conservancy that works in partnership with the City of St. Louis and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry to restore, maintain and sustain Forest Park, as one of America’s great urban public parks for a diverse community of visitors to enjoy, now and forever. Forest Park Forever has led major fundraising efforts to restore many landmark destinations in Forest Park, including the Emerson Grand Basin, the Boathouse and the Jewel Box.

In 2017, the organization completed a major fundraising campaign securing $139 million for Park restoration projects and an expanded endowment.

Today, Forest Park Forever maintains Forest Park with the City of St. Louis; raises funds for and helps manage capital restoration projects called for in the Forest Park Master Plan; delivers experiential educational opportunities to teachers, students and adults; and provides information and guides for the Park’s 15 million annual visitors. Not part of the Zoo-Museum Tax District, Forest Park Forever is supported by private donations from throughout the community, including its 7,000 members, 1,100 volunteers and many leading community and corporate partners.

Connect with us at facebook.com/forestparkforever, twitter.com/forestpark4ever and instagram.com/forestparkforever.