Unger Park

 

 Greetings and salutations.  It's been awhile.

 

The last several weeks were pretty cold and nasty around St. Louis.  To complicate matters, this Photo Ranger started a new day-job early last month, and it's keeping him very busy; but enough excuses - on to the photos!  Fortunately, the skies cleared after some unexpected morning showers.

 

 

 

 This is another hidden gem of a park.  It's maintained by St. Louis County and is tucked back in behind where the Chrysler factory used to be, right where the Meramec River turns its flow from east to south along the Kirkwood bluffs.

 

 

 Many visitors today!

 

 

 A closer view

 

 

 Closer still

 

 

 There are a few going for a swim in the interior lake.

 

 

 Great Blue Heron...YES!  Just amazing and gone a moment later...

 

 

 Looking west across the lake

 

 

 Turning east and looking up and across the river reveals this beautiful home built in the early 20th Century by a member of the beer-baron Lemp family who wanted to live "out in the country."  The architecture follows the tradition of German hunting lodges.

 

 

Approaching the Meramec...that outcropping looks like it's made of loose sand. 

I wonder if it will hold me?

 

 

 Yes, it was fine and a nice view of the river.

 

 

 A little rivulet feeding the Meramec from the Kirkwood side

 

 

 Sandy dirt has washed over the trail in places.

 

 

 Some little creature made a trail of its own.  See it on the right?

Click on the picture to expand it!

 

 

Coming back through the woods to the lake, I met a strong south wind. 

I guess that's why it was 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

 

 

 

The waves were big enough to generate some foam.

 

 

 Here's another view of the lodge from across both the interior lake and the river. 

Once the trees bloom again, only the high tower will be visible!

 

 

A full view of the lake from north to south 

 

 

 Fun in the sun

 

 

 Like stars...or diamonds...

 

 

 Back up in the woods there was a strange abandoned parking lot of sorts.

Looks like it was gated at one time.

 

 

Another piece of junk

 

 

 A crude structure provides the centerpiece of this lot that time forgot.

 

 

 Back on the main trail, challenges come from either side.

 

 

Divided sky

 

 

There's a river access ramp on the far bank. 

I remember inner-tubing from there back in high school.

 

 

Nice moss edging the path

 

 

Then the path suddenly ends in what's left of the industrial court.

 

 

Some tracks to nowhere...

 

 

The black spots on that sign are flies.  Spring is coming.

 

 

Great fungus!

 

 

Looks like that tree had lived through a lot.

 

 

One last view across the river at the eastern bluffs

 

 

Interesting reds and greens

 

 

They were honking even more loudly on my way out!

 

 

Can you see the lost jewelry in this old stump?

 

 

Here's a close-up.  See you in springtime!