Forest Park is the green lung of Springfield — 735 acres of parkland on the southern edge of the city, with walking trails, a small zoo (the Forest Park Zoo, claimed to be one of the oldest in the country), picnic areas, and a pond. The Barney Mausoleum, an imposing structure visible from the main park road, marks the resting place of the land's original donor.
In autumn the park's hardwood canopy turns brilliant colours, and it is popular with families year-round for its combination of nature, the zoo, and open space. The Omiskanoagwiah sculpture — a 15-foot aluminium figure in the style of a Native American spirit — stands at the park's eastern entrance and is worth seeking out.