Forest Park, located in the heart of metropolitan St. Louis, is a popular destination for families, runners, walkers, and cyclists. It has been once again named the best city park in the country in a poll by USA Today. Forest Park is nearly 1,300 acres (about 500 acres larger than New York's Central Park) and attracts around 12 million visitors per year. The more popular attractions at Forest Park are the golf course, the zoo, the Missouri History Museum, the Art Museum, the Science Center, and, along with many other attractions, the running and biking paths.
Forest Park is special because it's a beautiful and peaceful space with so many different routes to run, walk, and bike. The scenery contains ornate bridges, art sculptures, many bodies of water, greenhouses, unique architecture, and, of course, plenty of flowers, trees, and birds.
The challenge is to complete as many laps around the perimeter path of Forest Park as possible from the time the park opens until it closes. Forest Park is open from 6am-10pm. To make sure you aren't starting before the park opens or stopping after it's closed, the official challenge starts at 6:05am and goes until 9:55pm (similar to the Central Park Loop Challenge). The challenge is for whole laps only. The route is the 6-mile paved path around the perimeter of the park.
Going in either direction is allowed. Some athletes completing this challenge may choose to switch direction one or more times throughout the day to keep things interesting. The suggested start/end point is on the north end of the park, closest to the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor & Education Center. The closest intersection to the start/end point is Lindell Blvd & DeBaliviere Cir. The Visitor's Center will provide a good place to rest, get out of the heat/cold, use the bathroom, and refill your water.
https://www.forestparkforever.org
