A hidden gem in Des Moines?…read more We think so. We have ridden by here a lot on our bikes following the Neal Smith bike trail, which is another gem of the Des Moines area! It goes right by on the levy and you can see this park just off to the northwest. We have also been here for several concerts as part of the river view concert series that are hosted by the City of Des Moines and parks and recreation systems. They host a fantastic and safe party. Please keep doing this!!! They bring in vendors and food trucks to provide food and refreshments for the attendees. They are parked right of the sidewalk and easily accessible without being in the way! Whether or not there is something happening on the stage, the place is perfect to enjoy with kids of all ages. The park equipment is all newly installed, Ada compliant and have historical themes, based on the rides that used to be here when this was an amusement park. The place is great, check it out and check out my pictures!

Came here during 4th of July and it was so much fun! Two very cool bands played on the stage which…read morewas such a cool experience. Plenty of food trucks and beer options too. Parking was right across the bridge and there were outhouses available as well

I love it and it's the best place you could be it's very good and it's just the best because you…read morecan do all sorts of stuff good for kids I forgot what this the rules of the park separation I'm pretty sure it said to 2 12-year-olds

Memorable park with the famous ROCKET SLIDE!…read more It's a fun playground because it has a unique structure that is considered vintage. Made of metal. The slides are plastic. During COVID19 review: Came out here with some moms for a play date. Rocket playground was open as well as the north playground. Wading pool was NOT operating. Didn't see anyone using the restrooms or the drinking fountain. A few park benches around to sit and picnic at. Grass was very tall but landscapers were working on mowing. Well maintained with no tree debris. We've been to this park before and it's a popular place to come. But during COVID19 there is way less people around. 3 other families and 1 small day care of 4 kids were there with our group. Made for around 20-25 children playing around each other. Would recommend if you're in the neighborhood.

Wow! Beautiful lake and grounds, covered with grass and highly established trees. Walking and…read morebiking paths, along with a cool concession area, bathrooms and a park with swing set! I sat here and soaked up the warm air under a shade tree, drinking my coffee. No better way to end this work trip.

I was fortunate enough to be able to be at Gray's Lake Park here in Des Moines, IA. The park itself…read morewas flat and featured a long bridge among many basic and lush amenities here. Definitely a place I'd want to come back to. One full circumference around Gray's Lake Park was approximately 2 miles and the fact that I was here doing more than just one of these loops around was proof positive that I was certified crazy. I was here for the annual Equilizer Endurance run event that featured a 24, 12, or 6 hr timed run. The park itself was beautiful and scenic. The lake was tranquil and quiet as i rounded the park with some reckless abandon and full crazy mode on. The bridge had some neon lighting installed on it. Initially thought it was something odd, but when night fell, the bridge illuminated itself and we could see it at all points around the park itself. I noticed that Gray's Lake Park has at least one centralized restroom facility on site, which is awesome for those who need them on any particular day. For my experience here at Gray's Lake Park, I didn't need to use it, which was surprising. I enjoyed the aspect that the park itself was accessible and lush at the same time. There are 2 main parking lots at the public's disposal. We parked at the main one that's close to Fleur Drive. There's also another one next to the restroom facilities. To be honest, October 29, 2022 was a great day to be here at Gray's Lake Park. I'm sure any other day would be as sweet, but I was here on that day doing what I do best: attempting to run a marathon or ultra in Des Moines, IA. The overall experience here at Gray's Lake Park in Des Moines, IA was as peaceful as grueling since I was here doing a stupid stupid thing. There were passerby's as well as families walking around and people choosing to do a picnic on a fine Saturday afternoon. Some people were wondering if there was a race going on, until they saw my race number. "Oh" they said. It was nice to see other peoples using the park on a Saturday afternoon, other than being active like how I was. Anyone and everyone can use the park for legitimate activities. Best thing is the restroom facilities on site, so you don't have to leave and go elsewhere and then return to the park for additional added fun. A friend of mine pointed out the city of Des Moines skyline when we were near the restrooms and it was nice to see that, hidden amongst the trees that lined the canal just beyond the walking path. Gray's Lake Park is suitable for all ages as well as pets, but keep them on a leash so they don't wander off unexpectedly. If you enjoy the peaceful calm and want stress to leave you temporarily, consider coming to Gray's Lake Park in Des Moines, IA. It is pretty cool if you are either in the area or just passing thru. Gray' Lake Park is located at 2101 Fleur Drive in Des Moines, IA. It's a few miles from the Des Moines regional airport, also on Fleur Drive. It's a place where you can go to chill before your flight if you need to and enjoy mother nature in her glory before leaving. Everything is wide open spaces, except for the restroom facilities. Best thing to do is bring your own stuff like chairs and tables, to enjoy a day here outside. Best bet would be to come here early to secure a good prime parking spot. I arrived here in a private vehicle and had a fun time here at Gray's Lake Park. If you are familiar with the DART bus system, consider the routes you need to come here. And as always, there's Uber and Lyft at your disposal. For the most part though, the experience here is immeasurable, especially because I ran a marathon here at Gray's Lake Park. Hope to be back soon, if travels and races allow me to do so. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

This is a great multi-use park located near Valley Junction. They have a family friendly beach…read morearea, a newly installed accessible playground, dog park (permit required), walking/bike path, and boat house where you can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards. There are also soccer fields and baseball/softball diamonds close by. Lots of parking lots near various areas.

I am an Arizona Desert Rat who grew up in Iowa. I am visiting the beautiful small town of Norwalk,…read moreIowa and we have been fishing at Blue Heron Lake in Raccoon River Park. What an incredible job you've done West Des Moines! This place has it all! Swimming beach, boat launch, kayak and canoe rentals and a very nice wheelchair accessible fishing pier! We have been enjoying this place so much! Ok the kids and the girls are catching all the fish (I am Worm Boy and take the fish off the hook haha) Catch and release! I cannot say enough nice things about Raccoon River Park!

Serves free summer lunch on weekdays and has a good playground with a little jungle gym of ropes…read morenear.

Really great park. Nice baseball field, Tennis courts, lots of green space, shaded picnic areas,…read moreplayground equipment for all ages and yes here it comes the ultimate... A splash pad for hours of summer fun! I dig that you can be far enough away from any roads here, so as a parent you are less stressed about your child running off or something. Big parking lot and it's super clean.. Really one of the best parks in town and also hidden secrets it's never too busy!

We spent a few days in the Des Moines area recently and there are definitely a lot of beautiful…read morespaces in the area. One of my favorites was the Robert Ray Asian gardens. We spent about an hour here walking through the gardens and appreciating the quiet, calm, and beauty of the area. There were lots of people walking and hiking and multiple people that stopped to take photos in front of the bridge at the end of the park. We also saw people fishing as it is located right next to the Des Moines River. This is a gorgeous spot to get out and be in nature, listen to the water and feel the sun on your skin. You can tell it's truly loved and cared for by the community and there were lots of other little pups for our dog to meet while we were there. My only regret is that I didn't grab some food before we stopped here so that we could have enjoyed a nice little picnic. If you are in the area it is definitely worth the stop.

What a gem in the middle of the city! Nestled along the river, this garden is easy to visit yet…read morefeels tucked away. The path winds through various areas of the garden and also offers a few seating options. It felt organic and not so pre-planned. The views of the water, bridge and city make this spot even more enjoyable. Parking is very plentiful.

This is a great park, situated around a small lake. There is a playground on the premises and a…read moreshelter. There are also modern toilet facilities. Clean. Well kept. Family friendly. Plenty of parking. Great walk around the lake. Good for dog walking. Marcydiner tantrum scale of 5/5-no screaming kids. We have also seen people fishing here, although we haven't tried it yet. We used to come here frequently, not so much now that the kids are older.

This is a fun park to take my 3 kiddos to, they have several swings and although it looks like a…read moresmaller playground, there's lots to do on it! We also walk/ bike around the lake. Shady areas and picnic tables are around as well.

Spacious park with nature in mind…read more Huge park with 3 playground sets to play on! What kid WOULDN'T like this park? During COVID19 review: Came out on a week day 9:00am-11:00am with a friend with her two kids and it was pretty busy. 5 other families with at least 3-5 kids in each family were out here. They were not affiliated with each other. Social distancing is challenging with kids. Families tried to keep their kids together but many wanted to play with each other. No one was wearing masks but adults were keeping distance. BEAUTIFUL park with great scenery (if you don't mind the construction by the IPTV station) Soft trail for walking near the playgrounds and lake and a hard trail for walking/biking into the woods. Fishing is allowed at the lake! Picnic shelters and amphitheater near by. There is also a community center up the hill. Playgrounds are very fun and unique with 1 structured as a tree house. It's a fully equipped park! We enjoy coming here since it's close to our home. Highly recommend exploring this beautiful Johnston park. Might be the best one in Johnston yet!