Castlewood State Park St. Louis in February
February 22, 2018
A lot of fellow St. Louisans have been to Castlewood State Park to play at the playground with their kids, for the beautiful display of foliage during the fall, or a hike in the long days of summer. I had the opportunity to witness the beauty of this park in February when my friend Emily from Emily Rose Studios invited me to assist her on a marriage proposal photo shoot.
It had rained through the night. I took a deep breath in after I stepped out of my car and I felt transported to a different world. I smelled the rain, the ground, the earth. It made me think of the “Chronicles of Narnia” where the kids step through the closet and into something magical. I walked up the path covered with rocks and fallen tree branches. As I walked, I saw trees laying dormant and waiting to be awakened by the spring sun. I also saw the leaves they had shed covering the ground like a rug of past beauty. I noticed little drops of water adorning the tips of branches and leaves like jewelry made of the purest crystals. Once I reached the plateau, I was in awe of the view. The was a sense of mysticism and the unknown in the distance. The fog was thick across the valley and the Meramec River below had receded to a shallow level. I listened to the birds and the sound the wind made when it rustled through the trees. It was February 14th on this day. Valentine’s Day! In this moment however, it didn’t matter what day it was. I soaked it all up and imagined coming back again and again. The kids would love this spot and the feeling of being on top of the world.
I met up with Emily, who was already situated for the perfect shot of the proposal. It was a success and the couple was overjoyed. Emily and I imagined doing another photo shoot here in the near future. We pictured a woman in a bright colored dress standing on one of the cliffs admiring the vastness of this place.
If you haven’t already visited Castlewood State Park, I highly recommend that you do and pick a day in the winter. You will be amazed at the forces and changes that take place in nature during the winter season.