Des Peres Park, Des Peres

Location: 12325 Manchester Rd., Des Peres, MO 63131

Amenities: 

• 3 Baseball / Softball Fields (April - July)
• Bike / Jogging Trail (one mile, half mile, and quarter mile tracks)
• Reservable Gazebo
• Lake / Fishing (2 acres, lake stocked with blue gill, bass, and catfish)
• 6 Lighted Tennis Courts
• 3 Lighted Pickleball Courts
• 1 Multi-Purpose Court
• Nature Area
• Parcourse Fitness Trail
• Reservable Picnic Pavilion with Grill (Reservable April - November)
• Picnic Sites
• Play Fountain (Memorial Day-Labor Day, controls by bathroom entrance)
• 2 Playgrounds (tot playground and 5-12 year-old playground)
• Rest Rooms (year-round)
• Shuffleboard Courts
• 2 Soccer Fields (Second week in August - Second week in November)

Website: http://www.desperesmo.org/87/Des-Peres-Park

Playground ground cover: Rubber mats, poured rubber, and astroturf

Des Peres Park has 2 very nice playgrounds fairly close to each other. One is designed for younger children, and the other is for kids 5 and up.  The larger playground has several slides, a climbing wall, a zip line, a pretend window, maze boards, ramps, and a splash pad (seasonal).  The button to turn on the splash pad is by the restrooms - there is no sign to direct you to the button. There's also a great little trail that goes around a lake, with a wooden boardwalk. There are usually ducks and geese to watch in the lake.

The tot playground was replaced in 2024. It has many wonderful features including a we-go-round (modified merry-go-round for kids of all abilities), a roller slide, astroturf hills, and more!

These astroturf bumps are fun!

This webbed structure is cool with lots of options for climbing.

There are 2 sling swings, an ADA swing, and 2 baby swings.

The play structure has a gear board, a bubble window, slides, a small rock wall, a steering wheel, a tic-tac-toe board, and lots of bars and poles. 

The larger playground for kids over 5 has a large play structure with slides, tunnels, maze boards, ramps, drums, and lots of bars and poles for climbing. 

Overhead photos from their website 

Watson Trail Park, Sunset Hills

Location: 12450 West Watson Rd, Sunset Hills, MO 63127

Amenities: 2 playgrounds, tennis/pickleball courts, disc golf, basketball court, sand volleyball, picnic shelter, swimming pool, & trails

Website: https://www.sunset-hills.com/453/Watson-Trail-Park

Playground ground cover: Poured rubber, astroturf, and wood chips

Watson Trail Park has 2 great playgrounds. The main "upper" one by the parking lot was redone in 2021. It's huge with something for everyone. It's close to the parking lot and has several covered pavilions and restrooms. They added a zipline in 2024. 

                              

The play structures are tall with tons of slides, climbers, a bridge, stepping stones, bars, and poles. 

There is a misting pole in the center that feels good on a hot day.

Boulder and Web Climber

Modified merry-go-round

There are 2 sling swings, 2 adaptive swings, and an expression swing for 2 people.

Behind the swings is the zipline

A liberty swing! There are only a few of these in town. The other 2 are at 

Campbell-Chapman Sports Complex in Sullivan and Union City Park in Union. 

You can find drums and several xylophones over by the astroturf area.

This smaller structure is perfect for toddlers with a little slide, climber, tunnel, drums, and manipulatives.

Stand up spinner

There is a second "lower" playground which you reach by taking the trail down through the woods, around the lake. This playground was replaced in late 2016, it is shaded and has an incredible zip line you can stand or sit on. 

So many ducks are here and they are fun to watch. They even have a little house in the middle of the lake. 

Lots of nice paved trails through the park

There is a drinking fountain down here but no restrooms. They are up the hill in the pavilion at the main playground. 

 The playground has a natural theme of rocks and logs made into a balance beam and stepping stones. 

 There are several picnic tables and a rope climber

My daughter was obsessed with the zip line! 

 The main play structure has a slide, a pole, a speaker, and a log tunnel. 

 This wood climbing structure is different, I've never seen it before. 

Amazing park! Def one of the best in St. Louis