Photos by Dan Schunks
St. Francois County celebrated the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of its first public park, Wednesday, May 21. Perfect weather cooperated with the occasion since the original ribbon cutting was rained out in November. However, a cloudless sky provided a perfect setting for the large crowd that came to the event.
Owl Creek Park is on the property formerly known as Bone Hole. The park has approximately 1.3 miles of paved asphalt trails that loop through the area and over 3 miles of wilderness trails, with access to Big River. In phase 2, which is projected to be completed by this fall, an additional 1.1 miles of paved trails will be added. Trails are ADA compliant with benches and trash receptacles located along the paths.
Future plans include a playground, pavilion, picnic area, and restrooms. Approximately 230 people visit the park daily since its opening in the fall of 2024. Park hours are from dawn to dusk daily.
The address of the park is 198 Landfill Rd. To get there, travel west on Mo. 8 from Desloge-Park Hills and turn right on Route P, traveling north. Go .25 miles and turn left on Landfill Rd. Follow Landfill Rd. .33 miles and turn left into the entrance of the park.
Dan Schunks is a staff writer for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at dschunks@dailyjournalonline.com.
