This hidden gem in Springfield is a personal favorite of ours!
The main entrance into Forest Park is found on Sumner Ave. There are many available lots for parking; one-day parking is $3.00 for in-state license plates and $5.00 for out of state. Entering through the Sumner Ave entrance, just continue to follow the road and you’ll start to see parking spots along the side. Alternatively, you can turn down the roads to your right and you’ll find parking spots further in the park itself.
There are two long stretches of road running parallel on either side of the Walker Grandstand Baseball Stadium, which showcase the massive white pines that are part of the arboretum. These roads take you deeper into the park. Next to the baseball field is the Forest Park Rose Garden, which has a variety of beautiful flowers, bushes, and rare trees such as the prehistoric Ginkgo biloba. If you keep following the road, there are many bodies of water and wooded areas full of wildlife. Forest Park is a great place for bird sightings- you can expect to see ducks and geese every time you go, and if you arrive in the quiet early mornings, you may see swans, herons, egrets, and other types of bird. In the wooded trails, you may even see a herd of white-tailed deer or raccoon paw prints.
Explore the park at your own pace, there are several trails you can take which are easily accessible from the park’s main road. The trails are all pretty relaxed yet surprisingly quiet and peaceful, allowing an immersion in nature that is otherwise hard to find in Springfield. If exploring the areas close to the road is more your pace, some of the things you can look forward to seeing are the JFK Eternal Flame Memorial, dinosaur prints, the Forest Park Zoo, and the Barney Carriage House. Every time we go, we find something new to appreciate, whether it’s the wildlife, a rare tree, or a new trail.
