St. Francois state park playground 1

Right off the trails at St. Francois State Park, this little playground punches above its weight for families with younger kids. The forest setting does a lot of the heavy lifting — kids can bounce between the equipment and the tree line, and honestly the natural surroundings are half the draw. It works well for a range of ages, roughly toddlers through early elementary, without feeling overwhelming for the little ones. If you’re already out here hiking, it’s a solid reason to tack on extra time before heading back to the car.