Two centuries of coal mining left scars all over southern Illinois, but in O'Fallon — a small city about 20 miles east of St. Louis — one of those scars became a park. St. Ellen Park sits on the site of a mine opened in 1854 by Peabody Coal, the company that would grow into America's biggest coal producer. The mine helped put O'Fallon on the map after the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad reached the town, and it ran until 1960. The land then sat abandoned for three decades before St. Clair County stepped in, buying the 200-acre site in 1990 and turning 85 acres of it into a public park.
The mining past is still visible: a large grassy hill at the centre of the park is a relic of the strip mine, now a viewpoint with farmland stretching out in the distance. Around it, you'll find a handful of small ponds plus a bigger lake on the northwestern edge, along with a picnic pavilion, restrooms and benches. Entry is free.
The main draw is the St. Ellen Mine Trail, a 2.4-mile paved loop that links the park's upper and lower paths. It passes the lake and ponds, winds through honeysuckle, and climbs to the hilltop lookout. It's an easy walk, and wildlife sightings are routine — deer, rabbits, even the occasional ratsnake. Birders have logged more than 170 species here on eBird, which is impressive for a former industrial site.
Anglers have it even better. St. Ellen Mine Lake has a concrete boat ramp and a floating dock, and boats with trolling motors, kayaks and other paddle craft are all permitted. Largemouth bass, crappie and bluegill are the most commonly caught species. Fishing requires an Illinois licence from the state's Department of Natural Resources, but the park itself costs nothing.
Practically speaking, this is an easy add-on to a St. Louis trip. The park is about three miles from downtown O'Fallon, which itself makes a calmer, more affordable base than the city across the Mississippi. The nearest airport is MidAmerica St. Louis (BLV) in Mascoutah, under 10 miles away, while St. Louis Lambert International (STL) offers far more flight options and puts you about 35 minutes from the park by car.
Why bother with a former mine? Because it's the kind of low-key, uncrowded spot that rewards travellers who like their outdoors quiet. Pair a morning hike or a few hours on the lake with an afternoon in St. Louis — the Gateway Arch, the food scene, the neighbourhoods — and you get both a proper city break and a dose of small-town Illinois without much driving. It also works as a stop on a Route 66-adjacent road trip through the region.
