Five of the best places in the metro east to find peace and quiet

Going for a walk in nature only to be met with the honking of horns, the loud music of passers-by and the distant sound of industry can taint the experience.

Regardless of where you stand in wealth, age or the political aisle, the world can get noisy and stressful, so it’s important to find those quiet moments.

Here in the suburban St. Louis metro, there is a wealth of city parks where you can decompress and slow down a little, but they’re mostly within earshot of the busy communities in which they’re housed.

But you don’t need to leave the metro-east to find a quiet place.

Here are five places locally that are as peaceful as they come. All these locations are open from sunrise to sunset, and the addresses are only for navigation purposes, as many of them lie outside city limits.

1. Paul Wightman Subterranean Nature Preserve

3325 G ROAD, FULTS

Paul Wightman Subterranean Nature Preserve in Fults is a prime example of metro-east geography, complete with 535 acres of prairie, forest and subterranean limestone caves.

Opened to the public in 2019, the property is a project of Clifftop, a group seeking to maintain ecosystems in the metro east.

A serene pond greets you as soon as you park, along with a sizable table if you’re looking to enjoy a silent picnic. Wildflowers and wildlife abound at this location, and it’s easy to be jump-scared by a pack of startled quail while admiring the former.

2. White Rock Nature Preserve

6438 BLUFF ROAD, VALMEYER

If you’re going to White Rock Nature Preserve in Valmeyer, you had best wear a good pair of hiking shoes.

The 475-acre preserve is located between privately owned land and managed by Clifftop. To get there, you first must park at the lot located at 6438 Bluff Rd. and walk roughly 1,300 feet to the entrance.

A bubbling brook greets you as you cross an old wooden bridge and soon you’re among a forest of towering trees and rare plants. The walk is all uphill, so if you plan on taking a camera backpack, you might want to leave the heavy lenses behind for this one. The reward for your arduous journey is a serene trek through the woods and a vista from atop a bluff, where you can see eagles circling below.

3. Storment-Hauss Nature Preserve

3326 REED ROAD, PRAIRIE DU ROCHER

Just driving through the forest to Storment-Hauss Nature Preserve will make you realize you’re headed to one of the metro-east’s best-hidden gems. Also owned by Clifftop, this location includes a stream crossing that any child (or inner child) would have a grand time leaping over. The location was opened to the public in 2022, making it one of the newest Clifftop projects.

Lying between limestone and sandstone boundaries, this property is a mixture of glacially-deposited sediment and the limestone karst that makes the metro-east a haven for caves and sinkholes. What does that mean in English? This property is hilled, wooded, and full of streams, waterfalls and flaky rocks that one could spend all day looking at.

4. Fort de Chartes State Historic Site – Prairie Du Rocher

1350 ILLINOIS 155 – PRAIRIE DU ROCHER

Located four miles west of Prairie Du Rocher, the human-built Fort de Chartes may not seem like the best place for a quiet getaway, but with Stringtown Road being the only way to access the location, it will surprise you.

The refurbished stone fort was originally constructed in 1753 by French colonists over the site of old wooden forts built 30 years prior for its strategic location in the Illinois Territory. It even had a 12-year run as the seat of the French government in Upper Louisiana until it was taken over by the British in 1765. The fort sits along the Mississippi River, further isolating it from noise and development.

From the parking lot, you can hear birds singing from the numerous trees surrounding the property. There is a half mile trail you can walk, or you can enjoy a picnic at one of the tables near the parking lot. Inside the fort, which has very few visitors despite its immaculate grounds keeping, is also a good place to reflect on time and history

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5. Silver Creek Preserve

6751 BRICKYARD LANE, MASCOUTAH

Just a few minutes off Illinois 13 and 15 minutes past Eckert’s, you’ll find Silver Creek Preserve, a pristine wetland ecosystem.

The preserve features a gentle 1.1 mile loop, perfect for children, birdwatchers, people with disabilities and runners. Signs of beaver can be seen in gnawed, sharpened stumps and the calls of birds are everywhere.

An overlook of Silver Creek provides a beautifully still place to reflect, and the shallow wetland forming the center of the location offers views of leaping fish, perching birds and swimming muskrats. But those with ophidiophobia be warned – snakes of all varieties call this location home and will often emerge from the water to perch on the trail and nearby banks.

Though the nearby Scott Air Force Base provides the occasional sound of jet noise, it’s still a good place to hike if you’re looking for an easy retreat into nature.

Do you have a favorite quiet place in the metro east? Let us know in the comments.

This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM.