Facility Overview

The Dougherty Ferry Parking Lot, located at 801 W Essex Avenue in Kirkwood, Missouri, is a spacious open-air surface parking facility situated directly on the campus of Kirkwood High School. Positioned adjacent to key campus sports and arts facilities, this well-maintained lot provides convenient parking for school visitors, event attendees, and the broader Kirkwood suburban community. Because it is an open-air surface parking lot with no overhead barriers or height restrictions, it offers unrestricted vertical clearance, making it exceptionally accommodating for standard passenger vehicles, SUVs, full-size pickup trucks, passenger vans, and school activity buses.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

This parking area serves as a primary access point for major community, cultural, and sporting events in western St. Louis County. Within immediate walking distance are:

• Earle E. Lyons Memorial Stadium & Denver Miller Gymnasium: Located right on campus within a 1-to-3 minute walk, hosting high school football, track, basketball, and regional athletic tournaments.
• Kirkwood High School Keating Performing Arts Center: Just steps away, hosting concerts, theater productions, and school district showcases.
• Kirkwood Park: Situated less than a mile east (approx. 10–12 minute walk), featuring extensive green space, tennis courts, a sprayground, baseball diamonds, and the Kirkwood Community Center and Ice Arena.
• Downtown Kirkwood & Historic Station: Located roughly 1.2 miles east, offering easy access to locally owned boutiques, the historic Kirkwood Train Station (Amtrak), and dining staples such as Billy G's Kirkwood, Sassafras, and Spencer's Grill.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

The facility benefits from strategic positioning near the intersection of Dougherty Ferry Road and West Essex Avenue, offering straightforward ingress and egress through wide curb cuts designed to handle peak-hour traffic. Major thoroughfares including Kirkwood Road (US-67 / Lindbergh Boulevard) and Manchester Road (Route 100) are minutes away, providing seamless links to Interstate 270 and Interstate 44. Public transit riders can connect via MetroBus routes operating along nearby corridors on Essex and Kirkwood Road, while regional travelers can access the Kirkwood Amtrak station nearby for Missouri River Runner connections between St. Louis and Kansas City.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Open-Air Surface Parking: Generous driving lanes and clearly painted stall lines facilitate easy parking and tight turning maneuvers.
• Unrestricted Overhead Clearance: No height clearance barriers, allowing high-profile vehicles, vans, and utility trucks to navigate freely.
• Accessible ADA Parking: Dedicated ADA-compliant parking stalls located closest to stadium gates, gym entrances, and campus crosswalks.
• Security & Illumination: High-mast exterior floodlighting illuminates the parking surface during night games, school board meetings, and evening performances.
• Free Parking: Generally open and complimentary for attendees of campus sports, school functions, and public events (subject to district regulations during regular school session hours).

Ideal For

• High School Athletics & Arts: Parents, students, visiting teams, and sports enthusiasts attending varsity matches, track meets, and theater performances.
• Community & Civic Gatherings: Attendees of regional academic competitions, school district functions, and local civic presentations.
• Park & Trail Recreationists: Visitors heading out for walks, jogs, and recreational outings in surrounding Kirkwood residential neighborhoods and adjacent park facilities.

Visitor & Driver Tips

During normal school operating hours on weekdays (roughly 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM), parking bays are primarily designated for permitted student drivers, faculty, and authorized school visitors. Drivers attending heavily attended events, such as the annual Turkey Day Football Game or major district championships, should arrive at least 30 to 45 minutes prior to game time to secure a spot before nearby residential side streets fill. When departing after major evening games, expect brief traffic delays along West Essex Avenue and follow crossing guards or traffic direction officers where posted.