Taking a Hike in Carondelet Park

Carondelet Park is surrounded by Tudor homes and includes a historic boathouse around a lake with a fountain in the middle.

It is the third-largest park in St. Louis with 180-acres and has a two-mile loop walk.

My Time Here

I parked on Holly Hills Drive near the intersection of Holly Hills Boulevard and Grand Drive in the park. I wanted to walk along the biking/walking trail near some Tudor homes.

Pointed roof home triangular entranceway. — Pointed roof home with a triangular entranceway.

Walking here I stopped a few times and took some photos of brick homes with turrets, rounded castle fronts, and looking like they could be in the English countryside.

Many of the houses built around the park were constructed in the 1920s with the elegance of Hollywood, thus the name Holly Hills.

I sometimes forget the wide variety of homes in St. Louis. I’ve also walked around Lafayette Square with its stately Victorian townhomes.

Next, I headed farther into the park passing by a sinkhole.

Startling some ducks and geese. — Scaring some ducks and geese.

By Horseshoe Lake

Along the shoreline of Horseshoe Lake, I startled some wood ducks and black and white geese that honked at me as they rushed into deeper waters.

View of Horseshoe Lake through the trees

Here I passed by some tall evergreens and saw a fountain in the middle.

A stone walkway divides the lake into two parts. Large white and gray rocks form the outside of the bridge with a round opening allowing fish and ducks to go through.

Across from the lake on Leona street is a home with brown bricks, a tall fireplace with a birdbath with a lime green background. A door with rounded windows above gives the thought of an elegant lady from the 1920s looking over at the park from her door above.

Nearby is a small bungalow with a tower. I imagine myself writing on an old typewriter in this tower, alone with my thoughts, as children fish in the lake across the road.

Redbrick home with a rounded entranceway.

I came around the corner to Loughborough Avenue, where traffic whizzes by me, and across the street are red brick Tudor homes. Some have triangular roofs with rounded openings.

I walk towards a large playground. My son has spent warm summer days going down the slides and running between the towers on elevated walkways.

Another sinkhole is found back behind the playground area. The park is filled with these, little pockets of life for turtles and tadpoles to live.

Boathouse Lake

I come down a hill and face the five-acre Boathouse Lake. In the middle, a large fountain shoots out water creating a rainbow of colors that pan out over the lake.

Ducks scurry about once more below me. Across the lake, is the Victorian boathouse with its gables, green arches, a red tile roof, and commanding view.

Down below it along the lake are docks that fishermen hope to catch a catfish or crappie from. When we lived in the city it was nice to sit down by the lake on the dock on hot summer days.

By the Pavilion

An old-fashioned pavilion with decorative railings and a small cupola comes into view as I walk towards Grand Drive.

Across the street is the historic Lyle House with a huge front porch. The park is on land previously held by Alexander Lacey Lyle.

Carondelet Connector

I cross Grand Drive and take a one-mile walk that goes to the lower end of the park by a large mulch heap where St. Louis residents can pick up wood chips and compost for free.

Then the trail here goes by a shopping center where I stopped briefly for a Starbucks coffee.

Carondelet Connectgor — Carondelet Connector

I head down the trail to where it intersects with the River Des Peres Greenway. The greenway trail goes along the river for quite a few miles, so you could easily do a much longer hike.

Along River Des Peres — Along the River Des Peres

After coming to the River Des Peres I walk back again to the park.

Carondelet Bird Sanctuary

Before heading to my car on Holly Hills Drive, I walk down a small path leading to an area that attracts birds with large shrubs and grasses. I wonder if it was a pond at one time with a rock wall with cliffs around it.

After stopping here I am back to my car having walked a few miles exploring St. Louis City.

Final Thoughts

Two lakes, Tudor homes, and a trail that goes up and down some small hills allow for an interesting walk. I will come back here again. Although next time I will walk out of the park up Holly Hills Boulevard. This street has huge sycamores in between its two lanes and a wide variety of home styles.

A Short History of Carondelet

The park is located in Carondelet which was originally a separate town settled in 1767 by a Frenchman named Clement Delor de Treget.

By the time of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, there were about 250 villagers. In 1870, Carondelet merged with the city of St. Louis in 1873.

Susan Blow, a Carondelet native, began the first kindergarten in the United States at Des Peres School located at 6303 Michigan Avenue nearby the park. I have mentioned this to my son who is in elementary school.

Carondelet Park was dedicated on July 4, 1876, the centennial anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

DETAILS

Added Attractions: The park also has a recreation center, sports fields, tennis courts, and horseshoe pits.

Drive: From downtown St. Louis, take Interstate 55 south. If you are coming from West County take Interstate 270 then go north on Interstate 55 to exit 202 for Loughborough Avenue. Turn onto Loughborough Avenue heading west with the park being on the north side of the road. Turn right onto Loughborough Drive to head into the park. I took a left on Holly Hills Drive to park along this street.

Hours: 6 am – 10 pm

Address: 3900 Holly Hills Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63116