Swansea has 153 acres of parks, 10 for every 1,000 residents
The biggest trail networks: Centenial Park (0.9 mi), Schranz Memorial Park (0.5 mi). 69% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 2.3 miles of mapped trail cross Swansea, 0.4 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 52% of U.S. towns · #491 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
How much outdoors does Swansea have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Swansea is ahead of 52% of U.S. towns, #491 of 768 in Illinois. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Centenial Park, with 0.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Schranz Memorial Park
Melvin Price Memorial City Park
Wolf Branch St. Clair Township Park
All 5 parks & preserves
132 conserved acres
3% of Swansea’s land. Who manages Swansea’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Clair Township Park Local Park | Town or city | 34 | Open |
| Centennial Park Local Park | County | 28 | Open |
| Melvin Price Park Local Park | Town or city | 18 | Open |
| Belleville Bike Trail/Richland Creek Greenway Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 15 | Open |
| Village Open Space Local Conservation Area | County | 12 | Open |
| Huntwood Road Park Acquisition Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 10 | Open |
| Moose Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
| Price Memorial Park Acquisition Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Open |
| Temple Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
5 places to go in Swansea
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Plus 3 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
3 lakes & rivers
6.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
The walking year in Swansea
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.8 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.8 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 40 | 45 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 85 | 88 | 87 | 80 | 69 | 55 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 2.6 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 2.7 |
February is the driest month (2.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 5.1 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Swansea →
Swansea and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swansea | 3% | 0.4 | 10 | 69% | B− |
| St. Clair Township | 3% | 0.3 | 9 | 41% | C+ |
| Belleville | 2% | 0.2 | 9 | 62% | C+ |
| Fairview Heights | 3% | 0.6 | 12 | 73% | B |
| Shiloh | 7% | 0.4 | 18 | 38% | B |
| O'Fallon | 5% | 0.2 | 17 | 71% | B |
| Caseyville Township | 3% | 0.3 | 16 | 65% | B− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Swansea
Where can I hike in Swansea?
The longest trail networks: Centenial Park, 0.9 miles; Schranz Memorial Park, 0.5 miles; Melvin Price Memorial City Park, 0.4 miles; Wolf Branch St. Clair Township Park, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Swansea is conserved land?
3% of its land, against a typical 4% for an Illinois town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Swansea’s trails?
Centenial Park and Schranz Memorial Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Swansea?
6.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 6.6 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Swansea?
10,514 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Swansea or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 153 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Swansea have?
Ahead of 52% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #491 of 768 in Illinois. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Swansea neighbors.
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →