About Centennial Park

Amenity-rich parks and outdoor spaces can offer us so much in the way of recreation, exercise, and leisure... but sometimes less is more as masterfully demonstrated by Centennial Park in Swansea, IL. Located at the intersection of Route 161 and Richland Creek, this self-described "nature park" offers visitors a taste of unencumbered nature that can be experienced on winding nature trails, beneath covered picnic tables, and along wide, all-season bike trails.

New for 2022 is the "Richard L. Schobert Nature Play Area," a unique playground that pulls from the surrounding woodland scenery in every aspect of its design. Even the play structures, while constructed out of concrete, perfectly imitate the natural environment with log steppers, benches and crawl tunnel, as well as climbing boulders. The playground is also conveniently located near the park's entrance along the nature trail.

It's easy to recommend Centennial Park's well-maintained nature trails to anyone looking for an easy skill-level hike. The trail surface is mostly crushed rock—apart from a few of the offshoot dirt trails—and it is hugged by towering deciduous forest that shades the underlying path. Richland Creek, the landmark attribute of this beautiful slice of the great outdoors, can be heard babbling atop the rocky creek bed as you make your way along the nature trail. And because the creek runs parallel to either side of the trail, you'll encounter several bridges, offering fantastic vantage points for photography and observing wildlife.

But, that's not all! Centennial Park also features a connection to the regional trail system—via the Richland Creek Connector Bike Trail—giving visitors uninterrupted access to the SCCTD MetroBikeLink system of trails, which represents more than 14 miles of asphalt surface bike trails extending from the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station to Scott Air Force Base and Eckert's in Belleville (via the Orchard Loop Trail)! And development is also underway on a future trail connection along the park's eastern boundary. The SCCTD Old Collinsville Road Trail, once finished, will unlock new routes to and from Centennial Park, including residential neighborhoods, local restaurants, and businesses, as well as Clinton Hills Conservation Park.