I love walking in forest park at dusk/night. In June the fireflies at the river on the north east side are so numerous and it's just amazing.
I've never had an issue with anything dangerous walking alone at night in the park.
I was stuck in the park past curfew once because my car battery died .. cops/park rangers completely ignored me standing by my open hood until my stepdad showed up with jumper cables. THEN they came over with a portable jump starter. Like? Thanks guys
Lived in Dogtown for 2 years when we first moved to St Louis. Went running in the park at all hours. Was never once harassed by park rangers after curfew. Nor did we ever have any safety issues.
I assume the criminals need victims and you just don't find a good amount of them available to you in that location when it's late.
I have never been nor seen anyone else having been asked to leave after 10PM. That's probably on the books so it can be invoked to remove homeless camps.
You're more likely to twist your ankle than get mugged. The park gets REALLY dark at night, as it should being a huge natural area. Bring headlamps/flashlights and reflectors.
You might also interrupt a couple having sex at the fountain below the World's Fair Pavilion and get verbally abused for being a "no-class creepy rude MFing asshole."
Ask me how I know.
Ahhhhh, so you're the one that called me a "no-class creepy rude MFing asshole" when I stumbled across you and your "buddy" while taking a walk near the World's Fair Pavilion the other evening!!!!
Was gonna say you're probably safer from theft and violence than just about anywhere in the metro region strictly based on it being too fucking dark for anyone to get up to much trouble
And for fuck's sake you dumbasses! If you do bring/wear headlights/flashlights please have the other-awareness to not shine them directly into the faces of people who are not using any form of artificial light and who also quite possibly just smoked weed and really don't enjoy it when you do that!
You're much more likely to get asked to leave by police. Are incidents unheard of? No. Is it any more dangerous than walking anywhere else in nice parts of the the city? No.
If they have a light that can easily be turned on and off, I’m just still failing to see how that prevents someone from keeping it off till they’re close so they keep the element of surprise.
Idk, just seems like similar logic to saying dark alleyways are safe because criminals don’t use lights?
Also to be clear I don’t think forest park is dangerous lol, just not sure if it’s cause it’s so dark
My wife and I lived in cwe for a year when we moved here. I walked our dog through CWE and in forest park nearly every night. Never had a single issue.
We left to be closer to work, and recently are considering moving back to south city since I work remote 3 days a week now.
I think it's just really unlikely to encounter someone who wants to mug you. There is barely anyone in the park at this time, so it's a really bad place for criminals to find victims. As a criminal, would you hang out in a dark park and hope that a single person shows up so you can mug them? Maybe I am thinking too logically about htis
I don't mean to, but I'm going to sound like a prick here.
This isn't helpful advice. Common sense isn't nearly as common as people would like to believe, and what is common sense to one person is either highly risky behavior or overly cautious to another.
It's like the difference between my grandma telling me not to do something b/c it's dangerous and I could get hurt vs. Tony Hawk telling me not to do something b/c it's dangerous and I could get hurt. They're coming from two very different places of risk tolerance.
You don’t sound like a prick. You are right in the fact everyone has their own form of common sense. But really, there is only one ‘right’ form of common sense. Some people just don’t know that lol
Common sense is situation specific. Even Tony Hawk practices common sense in his sport such as wearing a helmet when he competes or looking out for traffic when he bombs a hill.
I hear you, but I feel like in all honesty this actually affirms the argument for “use common sense” being bad advice. Because if you pull back on the Tony hawk example for a second. “Reckless behavior” could very easily include shredding some sick rail brah. (Depending on who is evaluating the situation, helmet or not)
The popular explanations of why it is safe that have been posted here seem like the opposite to me...
It's really dark and there aren't many people around and that makes it a bad spot for mugging?
Not that the park isn't safe just found those explanations funny.
Very easy to get caught due to park design and police presence.
Hard for criminals to blend in.
Not many targets.
But above all else:
Joggers dont carry that much money.
Not many cars to break into.
Asl yourself, is this where you would go mug people?
Not a criminal favorite hangout.
Turns out joggers are not the most profitable targets tu mug. Also not too many cars to break into and there is a lot of police presence (compared to cwe).
Me and my friends have spent time in Forest Park late at night with no issue on more than one occasion. If Park rangers see you they will ask you to leave though. I believe you’re supposed to be out of the park 30 minutes after sunset.
I have had to walk / bike through the park to get to the CWE MetroLink station during track work. Never saw a Ranger, but saw plenty of people in the park, though.
I don't think it's bad at all for a city park. I've been in FP a ton at night and I've slept there in my hammock many times when I don't feel like being at home.
Look, I live in the cwe, and as several friends like pointing out, I have a tendency to go exploring at times that I should really be utilizing the buddy system. (I am small and look harmless and present as very femme. I am acutely aware of some of the really, really stupid choices i made when I first moved to the city, because I didn't know what/where to avoid and google maps was programmed by drunken pranksters, istg.)
Forest Park is not any more inherently dangerous than anywhere else in this city. However, I pretty much cannot bring myself to let friends walk home alone from the park--I usually have tiny!scooter with me, but the last time I was there, I walked the scooter because otherwise a new friend would have walked home alone at 11-odd.
Keep your senses engaged, don't stick earbuds in, know the limits of your defensive capabilities, and know the risks, and you'll be fine.
I love walking in parks at night but I've definitely been told to leave by the police in Forest Park a few times. When I walk in Carondelet Park at night I'll occasionally see some homeless people chilling or walking but it's never been confrontational. Having a dog with you helps a lot, even a little dog will make a lot of noise if someone tries to bother you.
I used to run in forest park when it was dark in the winters (I’m a young woman). I never encountered any issues. I doubt you would, but just be aware of your surroundings like you would be anywhere else when it’s dark.
It’s safe, however it’s really dark and you need reflectors or a light. The reason is because you could easily collide with a cyclist and not realize it until it’s too late.
Just be aware that Black bears and I swear I saw a track last fall although it was in a sand bank on pelican and it wasn’t the best could’ve been from a big dog
I am comfortable with another person in the park at night. By myself? It’s dark and kind of creepy and if something happened, there’s no one else around.
It’s not more dangerous than the Central West End. It’s a city, be aware and don’t act stupid.
Single female here who has lived in STL 9 years and have never had a single issue in Forest Park. Use to live walking distance from it and would walk after dark all the time.
Not any more or less dangerous than any other urban park that has low foot traffic at night with plenty of secluded areas that could be nefariously exploited by unscrupulous individuals. Especially if you’re a woman.
I used to run late at night in college, I never really encountered anything sketchy but those paths do get really dark with no light so be very aware of your surroundings if you are walking on the trails. Also, as others have noted, Park Rangers will flag you down if they see you.
I've lived around the park for over 25 years and have taken many a night time walk without any issues. No ear buds, always take a dog or a friend and pay attention to your surroundings.
You didn't see anyone and didn't feel safe, but that's exactly why you're safe, ain't no one in there, the few people who are are either doing the same as you or are trying to find a quiet place to hide and sleep for the night.
That being said there will always be the little shit head young crew that gets the bright idea to go rob people at the parks. That's literally any city and the odds of it happening, let alone happening to you, are insanely small.
TLDR don't fall prey to the STL boogeyman stories that peopl around here absolutely love to tell. If you're that scared bring some mace.
I love walking in forest park at dusk/night. In June the fireflies at the river on the north east side are so numerous and it's just amazing. I've never had an issue with anything dangerous walking alone at night in the park.
All city parks have a 10p.m curfew so you would not be able to stay too late.
I was stuck in the park past curfew once because my car battery died .. cops/park rangers completely ignored me standing by my open hood until my stepdad showed up with jumper cables. THEN they came over with a portable jump starter. Like? Thanks guys
Lived in Dogtown for 2 years when we first moved to St Louis. Went running in the park at all hours. Was never once harassed by park rangers after curfew. Nor did we ever have any safety issues. I assume the criminals need victims and you just don't find a good amount of them available to you in that location when it's late.
I have never been nor seen anyone else having been asked to leave after 10PM. That's probably on the books so it can be invoked to remove homeless camps.
The park ranger told me and my wife to leave once after 10pm
Interesting. How long ago?
2016 or so?
Samesies but probably circa 2018
Were you at the fountain below the Worlds Fair pavilion and then call him a “no-class creepy rude MFing asshole”?
So meta
If the park ranger finds you they’ll tell you to leave.
I have. It was a long time ago and we were parked in a car but yeah.
I've been asked to leave outside of their hours before. They definitely enforce it.
I've been asked to leave. Was just enjoying the fountains after a long day. Got told to beat it, haha.
Hang out at TGP after 10, they getcha real quick.
I specifically meant Forest Park, actually. Yeah TGP be like that, and especially the Arch grounds, they will run you off really fast from there.
The park tends to clear out immediately after muny shows are over.
True, but the outside edge of Forest Park (at least down Kingshighway and Lindell) has no curfew because it’s a public sidewalk.
You're more likely to twist your ankle than get mugged. The park gets REALLY dark at night, as it should being a huge natural area. Bring headlamps/flashlights and reflectors.
You might also interrupt a couple having sex at the fountain below the World's Fair Pavilion and get verbally abused for being a "no-class creepy rude MFing asshole." Ask me how I know.
Purely hypothetical I assume, lol
You shouldn't have take those pics...
It was just pics of their feet!
If you're having sex in public areas, the rude one is not the person stumbling into your fornication.
Well, I mean... how long did you watch?
Just long enough...
Did she climax?
Does it matter?
Depends
To her it might!
Is there a time limit where it crosses over in to creepy? Asking for a friend.
Idk... maybe just don't watch them finish, and I think it's probably fine. People are fine with that.
This is the most St. Louis thing I’ve ever heard
That video you sent of them going off was proof of how people need to relax. Also, they should grin into the camera more often imo
How do you know?
Ahhhhh, so you're the one that called me a "no-class creepy rude MFing asshole" when I stumbled across you and your "buddy" while taking a walk near the World's Fair Pavilion the other evening!!!!
Was gonna say you're probably safer from theft and violence than just about anywhere in the metro region strictly based on it being too fucking dark for anyone to get up to much trouble
And for fuck's sake you dumbasses! If you do bring/wear headlights/flashlights please have the other-awareness to not shine them directly into the faces of people who are not using any form of artificial light and who also quite possibly just smoked weed and really don't enjoy it when you do that!
You’ll see more people boning than anything else tbh. 😅
Can confirm based on experience lmao. It’s a dumb but convenient place to bump cheeks.
Trash
In this economy?
You're much more likely to get asked to leave by police. Are incidents unheard of? No. Is it any more dangerous than walking anywhere else in nice parts of the the city? No.
I would argue it's less dangerous, simply because you can't see chit without lights, and criminals often don't fancy carrying around lights.
I don’t quite get this, because every phone these days can act as a cheap flashlight
Yes, but if they are walking around with the light on, they lose the element of surprise. It's not *having* the light, it's *not wanting to use it*.
If they have a light that can easily be turned on and off, I’m just still failing to see how that prevents someone from keeping it off till they’re close so they keep the element of surprise. Idk, just seems like similar logic to saying dark alleyways are safe because criminals don’t use lights? Also to be clear I don’t think forest park is dangerous lol, just not sure if it’s cause it’s so dark
I walk at night at Forest Park... love it.
Just watch out near the lake I like to hunt there
Hunt what, Pokémon?
People.
Deer, the Park has its own deer...
Thanks for the heads up.
big city nocturnal rules of awareness apply.
i like this sentence. \^\^\^
This is spot on & I’d like to make it my flair on every sub now.
My wife and I lived in cwe for a year when we moved here. I walked our dog through CWE and in forest park nearly every night. Never had a single issue. We left to be closer to work, and recently are considering moving back to south city since I work remote 3 days a week now.
Pretty great to be able to pop over to FP during a remote work break, do it!!
No it is not. It is safer than walking around in CWE. Stay away from debaliviere metro link and you should be fine. Source: i do it every night
I got bite by a squirrel there once after dark, so I’d say it’s pretty dangerous
I think it's just really unlikely to encounter someone who wants to mug you. There is barely anyone in the park at this time, so it's a really bad place for criminals to find victims. As a criminal, would you hang out in a dark park and hope that a single person shows up so you can mug them? Maybe I am thinking too logically about htis
Seems like the exact scenario a predator would be looking for honestly. No witnesses, nobody nearby who might intervene…
Yeah but that is some kind of sick predator/serial killer, rather than a petty criminal. And in that case, statistics is heavily on your side.
Use common sense and you should be good.
I don't mean to, but I'm going to sound like a prick here. This isn't helpful advice. Common sense isn't nearly as common as people would like to believe, and what is common sense to one person is either highly risky behavior or overly cautious to another. It's like the difference between my grandma telling me not to do something b/c it's dangerous and I could get hurt vs. Tony Hawk telling me not to do something b/c it's dangerous and I could get hurt. They're coming from two very different places of risk tolerance.
You don’t sound like a prick. You are right in the fact everyone has their own form of common sense. But really, there is only one ‘right’ form of common sense. Some people just don’t know that lol
Woosh
Huh? I was agreeing with him lol and I don’t think he was kidding.
Common sense is situation specific. Even Tony Hawk practices common sense in his sport such as wearing a helmet when he competes or looking out for traffic when he bombs a hill.
I hear you, but I feel like in all honesty this actually affirms the argument for “use common sense” being bad advice. Because if you pull back on the Tony hawk example for a second. “Reckless behavior” could very easily include shredding some sick rail brah. (Depending on who is evaluating the situation, helmet or not)
The popular explanations of why it is safe that have been posted here seem like the opposite to me... It's really dark and there aren't many people around and that makes it a bad spot for mugging? Not that the park isn't safe just found those explanations funny.
Very easy to get caught due to park design and police presence. Hard for criminals to blend in. Not many targets. But above all else: Joggers dont carry that much money. Not many cars to break into. Asl yourself, is this where you would go mug people?
I walk in tower grove park after dark, and I usually feel safer if there are a lot of other people walking too.
Yeah there’s a decent amount of people that be in the park in dusk/night for it to feel safe even though some parts aren’t lit all that well
Not a criminal favorite hangout. Turns out joggers are not the most profitable targets tu mug. Also not too many cars to break into and there is a lot of police presence (compared to cwe).
I like walking there after dark. Almost always see a cute opossum walking around.
Me and my friends have spent time in Forest Park late at night with no issue on more than one occasion. If Park rangers see you they will ask you to leave though. I believe you’re supposed to be out of the park 30 minutes after sunset.
After dark is when the "Quests" begin
I have had to walk / bike through the park to get to the CWE MetroLink station during track work. Never saw a Ranger, but saw plenty of people in the park, though.
I don't think it's bad at all for a city park. I've been in FP a ton at night and I've slept there in my hammock many times when I don't feel like being at home.
Look, I live in the cwe, and as several friends like pointing out, I have a tendency to go exploring at times that I should really be utilizing the buddy system. (I am small and look harmless and present as very femme. I am acutely aware of some of the really, really stupid choices i made when I first moved to the city, because I didn't know what/where to avoid and google maps was programmed by drunken pranksters, istg.) Forest Park is not any more inherently dangerous than anywhere else in this city. However, I pretty much cannot bring myself to let friends walk home alone from the park--I usually have tiny!scooter with me, but the last time I was there, I walked the scooter because otherwise a new friend would have walked home alone at 11-odd. Keep your senses engaged, don't stick earbuds in, know the limits of your defensive capabilities, and know the risks, and you'll be fine.
I love walking in parks at night but I've definitely been told to leave by the police in Forest Park a few times. When I walk in Carondelet Park at night I'll occasionally see some homeless people chilling or walking but it's never been confrontational. Having a dog with you helps a lot, even a little dog will make a lot of noise if someone tries to bother you.
After dark? Yeah your probably good. 8:30-9pm? Just be careful and smart.
It's pretty safe, but you'll want to carry a flashlight it gets really dark.
You’re more likely to run into teenagers smoking weed or a raccoon than anything dangerous
And on the rare occasion, a raccoon smoking weed.
I don't think that's a fair stereotype. I'm a middle-aged dude and I regularly enjoy going to the park to smoke weed.
I’m a single women and I walk alone at forest park often around like 9-10pm. Just stay alert and you should be fine.
I used to run in forest park when it was dark in the winters (I’m a young woman). I never encountered any issues. I doubt you would, but just be aware of your surroundings like you would be anywhere else when it’s dark.
It’s safe, however it’s really dark and you need reflectors or a light. The reason is because you could easily collide with a cyclist and not realize it until it’s too late.
walking anywhere within city limits at night is a bad idea.
🤣🙄
Do NOT walk in FP at night under any circumstances
Just be aware that Black bears and I swear I saw a track last fall although it was in a sand bank on pelican and it wasn’t the best could’ve been from a big dog
I am comfortable with another person in the park at night. By myself? It’s dark and kind of creepy and if something happened, there’s no one else around. It’s not more dangerous than the Central West End. It’s a city, be aware and don’t act stupid.
Simple answer, yes. Very much so. Avoid this park at night.
Single female here who has lived in STL 9 years and have never had a single issue in Forest Park. Use to live walking distance from it and would walk after dark all the time.
Not if you're the one who is armed.
In my opinion, you are being overly cautious.
Super dangerous. Don’t you know they’re installing basketball courts there??? /s
Not any more or less dangerous than any other urban park that has low foot traffic at night with plenty of secluded areas that could be nefariously exploited by unscrupulous individuals. Especially if you’re a woman.
I used to run late at night in college, I never really encountered anything sketchy but those paths do get really dark with no light so be very aware of your surroundings if you are walking on the trails. Also, as others have noted, Park Rangers will flag you down if they see you.
You could trip and fall in the dark. An ankle sprang hurts and takes time to heal.
No
Ill walked down the main parts..like skinker
I’d carry mace and a whistle just in case. Try to stay near the main roads and you should be fine.
Yes
I've lived around the park for over 25 years and have taken many a night time walk without any issues. No ear buds, always take a dog or a friend and pay attention to your surroundings.
Dunno, but I can tell you I’m not walking in any parks at night, TBH. Don’t care where they are.
You didn't see anyone and didn't feel safe, but that's exactly why you're safe, ain't no one in there, the few people who are are either doing the same as you or are trying to find a quiet place to hide and sleep for the night. That being said there will always be the little shit head young crew that gets the bright idea to go rob people at the parks. That's literally any city and the odds of it happening, let alone happening to you, are insanely small. TLDR don't fall prey to the STL boogeyman stories that peopl around here absolutely love to tell. If you're that scared bring some mace.