This park is a hidden gem! I had no idea it existed until I was looking up places to feed ducks at with my toddlers. We came on a Saturday evening around 6 pm and it was not crowded like most parks in EG. It has so much to offer! A huge open area of grass free to let your dogs and/or kids run, fly kites, have a picnic or if you're looking for a peaceful stroll there is also a serene trail to walk. The park is very unique and had my 3 year old so busy running up and down that massive hill, haha! My husband brought up a good point that they didn't have any swings to go on. Not a deal breaker for me but heads up for parents who have kids that love those. We did end up having dinner here to allow more playtime for our 3 year old. They have a few concrete picnic tables by the park and some more underneath their covered space by the water. Unlike EG Park, they had chest height fencing which was a plus because we're always scared for our kids falling in to the water. The fence didn't impede the view for us or our kids. They were all able to see the ducks, turtles, and birds as we fed them. I'd also like to add that these birds and ducks are not as aggressive as EG Park! I'd love to come back here again with a few toys to extend our visit and maximize all the amenities this park has to offer. read more

The Preserve at District 56 - There were so many more ducks than this picture shows. Peep the ducklings and their mama! - Parks Near Me - Elk Grove, California

I stopped here for a little walk. I have my grandkids frequently so I wanted to see if this was a place they'd enjoy. The park is spacious and beautiful. There is a playground for young and older kids, pool, trails, picnic areas. It was hot the day I went so I'd recommend maybe heading out earlier in the day. There were shady areas in the park though for picnics or at the playground. I saw turtles, ducks, birds, and fish. Such a neat park. My grandkids will love it. Plenty of parking and open space. read more

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The Preserve is such a beautiful place! It doesn't feel like you're in Elk Grove; it rivals that of some parks in Walnut Creek. It is so peaceful running around here, plenty of gravel and cement surfaces. This is definitely going to be a place I'd like to visit more frequently! read more

I never even knew this place was behind the Aqua center. I have been going there for years. One of my Yelp friends reviewed it and then I found out and had to come here. Not far from my home. this place is centrally located in Elk Grove. I came late so there were a lot of people in the place. They have a large parking lot so no problem parking. I found a spot right away. I started walking in on the pathway. I first came to a workout area. They had different workout machines right in a certain area for the public to use. It reminded me of the parks in those Asian dramas that have these all around to keep the people in shape. Neat. The Preserve is huge at over 4 acres including a pond, jogging tails, lawn area, playground, picnic area and so much more. This place is really cool and I will be coming back to explore more and do my walking. read more

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Never knew this preserve was here as I've driven by a number of times and attended a few events at District 56. A few friends decided to take a last minute stroll through this beautiful area. Great photo ops and just a great trail to get some steps in. Plenty of parking. I'll be coming here more often since it's so close to where I live. read more

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5 stars! One of my favorite outdoor places in all of Elk Grove. I love the Preserve & District 56 & look forward to going there as much as I can. In our big little city of Elk Grove where there's non-stop new stores & houses sprouting everywhere, it's relief to have a place that feels a world away & shielded from the fast growth hustle & bustle of our city. I've been there to hang out at the park with other kids & parents at the playground, a few times to walk the 4 legged furbabies, for evening walks with my Hunnybooboo, for after-kids-AM-school-drop-off & also just to get the Grandmas legs moving. Every time I go it's refreshing, lovely & I crave going back regularly especially to walk past the man-made lake, see the fish & baby ducklings & even joke with my kids about the realistic fake ducks too. There's many reasons I enjoy this park very much. First off, the parking is plentiful. I usually get parking at the first few stalls no matter what time of the day I've gone. The circular walking trails are not very busy, even on weekends. Also, everything the park offers is within walking distance after you park which is maybe a good thing for people with mobility issues, health issues or time constraints. They have varied options for those with different tastebuds & age ranges: walking trails both shaded & sunny, concrete & gravel, their cafe that serves cafe-type food (salad, sandwich, coffee, tea) & has different treats if you or your kiddo are hungry or thirsty. There's a fun & unique kids hilly play area with that fake green grass, weight bearing exercise, covered concrete benches for hot days, parties & get togethers & 2 unisex bathrooms next to this area for relief. I highly suggest bringing hand sanitizer & wipes just in case because sometimes on busy park days theres no TP. There's a pool for exercise and laps & I've seen swimmers as early as 9am. My kids have went to the waterslide area for a small fee & have loved it. I've seen school proms being held there. Inside their building, there's a long table & chairs designated to be rented for meetings and bathrooms nearby that area too. I've even seen a tea & hat party being held for elderly ladies at the Cafe. I can vouch for the yummy ceasar salad to share & an Americano to sip on and am thankful for the tables outside that we can sit & enjoy conversation & our food at. For more of their special menu items & special events held there (Halloween, Easter, Santa Claus) they have an Instagram page as well you can check out. I highly suggest coming here, touching grass with kids, spouses, with the fur children, or with any child or even by yourself. One of the best nature walking & relaxing areas in Elk Grove in my honest opinion. read more

WOWIE! I visit a lot of parks and this one is definitely one of the best! It's clean, has a huge flat lawn, has a little work out area, and overall looks so well-kept. The playground was so much fun and so big. It's centered on climbing a super big fake-grass hill, and I love climbing things. (But also, if you bring your kids here, be careful bc the hill is definitely steep and a little dangerous lol) But also, the playground is right next to the lake area full of greenery and geese! You can sit at the cute patio and watch your kids play which is super nice. (But again, be careful bc the geese can waddle nearby you and I did see a little girl get bit for trying to feed them so. just watch your kids lol) There are two bathrooms next to the playground which are thankfully quite clean too. Plus, a good amount of tables under the shade. And tons of parking!!! read more

The Preserve at District 56 - View from the playground atop the hill - Parks Near Me - Elk Grove, California

Nice preserve inside District 56 park, or perhaps I should describe describe this area as that they built a park in the preserve. It's a nice little nature preserve with a walking path/trail and you'll see some wildlife such as birds, ducks, geese, other water fowl, and fish in the pond. It's generally clean and well taken care of. The path itself is also quite well maintained as the shrubbery and other plant life along the side of the trail are nicely landscaped and yet are water saving, drought resistant, xeriscape type of plants. My friends and I enjoy walking this trail when we bring our kids here to play and we are able to keep an eye on them while walking around since the trail goes around the play area. Also, this is a great park in that all the kids' play areas have seating for adults to hang out and chat w/each other while their kids play so we can easily supervise them and still have shade over our heads (especially from the tarp/shades put up over the play structures) and sit down as needed. There's also picnic tables nearby with some overhead covers. However, watch out for the dog poop left behind by inconsiderate pet owners, and there are some natural droppings from the wild animals such as the ducks. There's a park here with a couple of play structures and then this big "hill" that's manmade that kids can climb on, which, you have to be careful with if it's even slightly wet as it's easy to break a bone coming down if it's damp. Other than that, this is a great preserve, and I'll write more about the park/playground aspect of it on the District 56 page. read more

I would've given 5 stars, but all of the poop on the trails distracted us from a nice walk. I enjoy looking up at the scenery, not down looking for brown landmines, lol. Dog and bird poop and brown outlines where poop was scooped were all over! If I had a travel power washer, Ghostbuster-style, I would have cleaned the paved trails for free. The big lawn in the center was green, but the grass along the trails were all dry and brown. Maybe there's water conservation, but they needed some love and attention. One side of the pond was foamy and dirty, especially near the bridge. There were so many huge dragonflies near the pond and along the paths. I probably stepped in poop while looking up at them. The fitness court was great but could use some shade. The areas near the Aquatics Center, Senior Center, Community Center, and along Big Horn Blvd were much cleaner. Loved the beautiful mural on the side of the Aquatics center and sculptures/art. read more

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The Park at District 56 is awesome. It has a play area that is interactive, good for learning, motor skills development play equipment for 2-5 year olds. It has a larger hill and climbing structure for older kids, too. There are also hands on musical instruments that kids can play with: drums, xylophone. Lots of grass, trees, benches, gender neutral bathrooms, changing tables for baby, picnic tables. There's also a really cool fitness exercise area. There's a pond, too with real and fake birds. Birds, squirrels and water fowl. Beautiful walking paths. Clean and well taken care of. Dogs are welcome on leashes. There are doggie cleanup stations with bags throughout the walking paths. Not sure if this park is considered part of the Preserve but it's adjacent to it. read more

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The grounds including the Preserve area here at District 56 are impressive! This is a nice place to walk with friends or your favorite pooch for fresh air and exercise. There a lot of area to roam around. Expansive walkways that pass by the children's padded ground play area (complete with tables nearby where moms and others can see and enjoy the water views), a bridge, ramada area with numerous tables and benches for picnicking. (Sorry, no boating/kayaking is allowed in the pond.) It's huge, here. It's nice that the city created this very needed communal space for the public to gather at and enjoy. Here is where friends and family may meet and go for a walk in a safe, lighted space. There are building where meetings and classes can be held. There is a large swimming pool area for water exercise activities (Bigger than the Wackford Center). Way to go, Elk Grove! read more

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It's a cute man made area but with wild life don't was fun to walk around the area. Smaller than we assumed but just enough to get around. It's in the same lot as the rec center so on some weekends they have farmers market going so the parking lot will get full if you don't arrive before 9:30-10. Has a nice little park area for kids play. I like that they had seating areas along the way on the route if you're walking their "trial" read more

The Preserve at District 56 - Cute little pond or creek to walk around with paved trails - Parks Near Me - Elk Grove, California

Highly recommend this park! Plenty of parking which is very convenient. Because I have 2 toddler and having easy accessible parking with no hassle is important. It was our time here for a play date and the kiddos loved it! There are 2 different play grounds one baby and toddles and a bigger one for the older kids. Since my oldest was 4 he liked the bigger play ground which I felt was a little too big for him. And the smaller playground was just not enough. But overall it's a wonderful ground. It also has the cushion base so if the kiddos falls they wouldn't hurt themself. They have nice trail where the kiddos can explore and see the ducks and the view of the pond. The only thing about this trail was there was ALOT of ducky poop. But besides the poop it was a nice little trail. A lot of seating by the play grounds. And restroom are available another great perk about this park! read more

The Preserve at District 56 - Parks Near Me - Elk Grove, California

We have visited The Preserve a few times in the last couple of months and it's quite nice. Our first visit back in June we we spent a few hours walking around and enjoying the area. We were able to get a great picture of our dog while on a walk. They have a nice little path and depending on when we have gone it can be peaceful. However, there is not very much shade so we typically get hot very quickly. There is an exercise area and green grassy area, which is great for a picnic lunch. There are benches and and area with tables but not a lot of table seating if you want to spread out and, for some reason, the noise carries so when there is a large group, it can get quite loud. There is ample parking and the restrooms are clean. I really enjoy the pond area and watching the wildlife. It's a great place to stop and enjoy the afternoon outside or take a stroll with a friend. read more

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The fifth star is always reserved for how happy I feel after I leave, and if I can't stop talking about it. We ate at a really yummy Cambodian restaurant and I wanted to walk a little bit of it off as we had time before our next appointment. Normally I'd go for Bartholomew park because I'm familiar with it but I found District 56 on Yelp and I truly enjoyed checking it out. What drew me in was the pictures of the pond. At the time that we went it was cold out so not a lot of people. I love that it was not crowded so it made the place seem bigger. Don't get me wrong, the preserves is spacious. Easy walking trails, big and flat enough for wheelchairs. Great place to bring dogs and kids. I'm sure it's beautiful in spring and summer when the trees aren't bare and would provide shade. Twin and I enjoyed the workout area. Fun equipments to try and not the usual outdated stuff you find at parks. Theres a lot of focus on core strength but I saw agility and box jumps too. The playground is so fun looking! Bright colors and giant (turf) hills to slide down on. Bring cardboards! I enjoyed their musical section and I can imagine my son having fun climbing up the nets. There's A covered seating area to have lunch. Nice restrooms. Tons of benches along the paths to rest or observe wildlife. The walk along the pond is cute. I enjoyed the big signs about the wildlife you might see. I just had a great time walking here. Now if it's summer time and in the 90s and I'm hot and uncomfortable and dodging screaming kids and I can't find a place to sit, or a place to park,I may not have left feeling that happy and at peace. But for today when I visited, I can't stop thinking about it and can't stop thinking that Elk Grove is so lucky to have this here. Take care of it! read more

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Nice newer location to get out for a stroll. Well maintained with still keeping it a preserve. read more

Great park to host a hang out. Sometimes this park also has events. I haven't explored the whole park since it is so massive but there is tons to do here. The playground lets you be adventurous regardless of age. When I first saw it I thought of the Shire from the Hobbit mixed with some battle elements if they were to defend themselves against prey. There is also a playground for the younger kids! Next to the playground there was an area that provided lots of shade. Great for holding birthday parties or having a picnic. The tables were clean for the most part, I didn't have to worry about sitting on some chewed gum. Also next to this area is an exercise area. There was a large open field in front. I played some catch and volleyball here. I didn't see any soccer goals though. Maybe they only appear during the peak of soccer season which is usually in Summer? read more

Great spot to spend an afternoon. With plenty to do for kids of all ages and parents alike.

Came to check out the new park with the family and was a blast for the kids! The huge hill they have with different ways to get to it is awesome. Plenty of nice seating areas if you want to throw a birthday party and have a man made lake that has a walking trail around it. They have fake grass everywhere which is good if your kids have allergies! read more

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I finally got the chance to check out The Preserve and I did some research online beforehand to prep myself. I even kept the map from the website on my phone! It was definitely smaller than I expected because of the scale of the images on the website and how it is described, but it was beautiful nonetheless. You will not get lost and it feels very safe! There are cameras along all the walking trails and the children's park is so well done. I was thankful I brought water, snacks, and sunscreen because there is definitely NO shade, which is why I gave 4 stars. I would bring my younger relatives and pets here for a nice walk. Loved the cute geese and ducks as well! There were a lot of great views here. The veterans center and the senior center are super well done and add a lot to the district. Can't wait to come back and try out the aquatic center! read more

The Preserve at District 56 - Duck lake - Parks Near Me - Elk Grove, California

great park and bathrooms are always clean. Great walking trail. And great playground for the kids ..

I attended the food truck events they have every summer on Thursdays for the first time this summer, we have gone twice and it's always a good time! Lots of different food trucks to pick from. Bring a blanket or chairs if you go so you can sit and eat in the shade for those hotter days read more

Beautiful brand new park with a pond view. But parents BEWARE. My first time there with my 3 year old and towards the end of our first hour there, I found THREE RAZOR BLADES (looks unused with some dirt and no blood) in the same area where kids are sliding down the green hill. I already informed the center and they said they will take care of it. I didn't see any broken skin on my child when she came home for a bath, but I can't say the same for the other kids. read more

An ADA compliant walking trail. It is safe surrounding center of the city with a free adult outside equipment near by. Plenty of parking.