Chain of Rocks Bridge Park Is Open Again — and Much Improved

The Chain of Rocks Bridge Park reopened Sunday, April 14, after nearly a year of renovations. Great Rivers Greenway hosted hundreds of cyclists and lovers of the old Route 66 Chain of Rocks Bridge to the grand opening of the 16-acre north St. Louis park. The project was funded by donors of the Great Rivers Greenway, local sales tax dollars and a grant from the National Park Service through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program.

The newly improved park features a new picnic pavilion, gated entrance, rehabilitated tributaries and prairies, drinking fountains and restrooms for park visitors. For Gerald Lyles, member of the Florissant-based Regulators Cycling Club, it's a massive upgrade.

“They did a great job with the landscaping, everything is spruced up and it looks a lot nicer,” Lyles says. “It gives you an opportunity to come out, walk over the bridge, bike over the bridge, and it's safe.”

The project was announced in 2019 but didn’t break ground until early 2023. The Chain of Rocks Bridge Park provides a direct bike bath to the Chouteau Island Trailhead and North Riverfront Park. There are plans for continued renovations, with an unpaved trail running through the 1.5-acre reconstructed prairie. The reconstructed woodlands and wetlands provide shelter and food for migratory species of birds and other native wildlife.

The Chain of Rocks Bridge Park is open from Monday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 30 minutes after sunset. Scroll down to see the highlights from its grand opening.