Park and Park Land Management

The Park and Recreation department is responsible for the management of 72 parks, 3,225 acres of parkland, 40 miles of trails, and numerous municipal facilities.

Besides the special features found in some of the signature parks enjoy a variety of amenities such as, basketball courts, BMX track, boat and bicycle rentals, disc golf, enclosed and open-air shelters, equipment rental and concessions, horseshoe, ice skating, nature trails, picnic areas with tables and grills, playgrounds, ponds and fishing, sledding hills, soap box derby track, soccer fields, softball fields, tennis courts volleyball courts, wading pools, skateboarding, and more.   

The Park and Recreation department is responsible for managing over 16 different programs in the area of sports, urban conservation, environment education, sport instruction, sports tourism, neighborhood beautification, water recreation, volunteerism and stewardship.

In addition, Parks staff plans special events throughout the year, such as, the Father-Daughter Dance, Free Flicks, Hoopin' at the Dome, Mayor's Annual Ride for Trails, Nitefall on the River concerts, Run for the Egg, Turkey Bowl, Yoga in the Park and many other events.

Complete List of Des Moines Parks

Des Moines Park and Recreation Department Fact Sheet

View City Parks and Trails Map

Gray's Lake Park

With its many opportunities for walking, biking, and other activities, Gray’s Lake Park is the “Place to Meet” in the Des Moines Metro area. The centerpiece of the park’s renewal plan is the two-mile trail encircling the lake. This trail is lit and equipped with emergency phones, providing a beautiful, clean, and safe outdoor experience.  

The 167-acre Gray's lake Park is located in the heart of the City of Des Moines, at the site of a former gravel and sand excavation operation.  The park is located on the southwestern edge of downtown Des Moines, with entrances located on the east side of the major north/south arterial corridor of the City, at 2101 Fleur Drive.  Water for the Park's 100-acre namesake lake is supplied by the adjacent Raccoon River back-up waters and storm water runoff from the City's southwest side.

 Map of Gray's Lake     Download Brochure     History of Gray's Lake     Activities On and Near Gray's Lake   

                        Gray’s Lake Park Bicycle Rental Program    Gray's Lake Trail Distance map

             Fleur Drive connects the City's south side and traffic traveling to and from the Des Moines International Airport with downtown Des Moines and Interstate 235, thus positioning Gray's Lake as a main focal point along the "gateway" to downtown.

The Park, with its 1.9 mile Kruidenier Trail looping the lake, also serves as the hub of the Central Iowa Trails network through the Meredith Trail connection to downtown and all trails to the north and east in and around the City and the Bill Riley Trail, which connects with the park from the western suburbs and joins with trails to the City's south, including the Great Western Trail.

Do More than the Loop at Gray's Lake

This summer and fall venture off of the Kruidenier Trail at Gray’s Lake Park and try out some of the wonderful activities and lessons that the Park and Recreation staff has lined up. Back by popular demand are the March-May guided bird watching sessions at 11:00 a.m. every Wednesday and the 9:00 a.m. Saturday Yoga in the Park sessions on the north shore June through September. Kite flying has been added every fourth Tuesday from 5-7:00 p.m. now through October and, canoe and sailing lessons will get you into the lake weekly throughout May, June, July and August with expanded frequency and age brackets. If you’d rather float than boat, you’ll want to participate in the Moon Float from 9-11:00 p.m. the fourth Saturday of those months.

Also scattered throughout the months are a nature scavenger hunt, native plant sale, rowing and sailing clubs’ open houses, fishing clinic, flower pounding and sand sculpture activities, leaf boat building, insect identification, butterfly tagging, fairy house building, and landscaping how-to and fish printing classes.  You’ll also want to put May 22 on your calendar as the Parks Department and Bass Pro Shops sponsor the first – and free – Gray’s Lake Carp Festival for youth and adults, with registration at 8:00 a.m. and activities from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. that include tournament fishing as well as lessons and carp lake ecology. Prizes will be awarded and you’ll get to nibble on some fish . . . and it won’t be carp. Check out the details of these and other activities at Gray's Lake Park by clicking on the links on the bottom of this page.
  

Gray's Lake Plaque Donations

Along the railing of the of the pedestrian bridge, individual bridge plaque sponsors are recognized with a plaque bearing their name, company name, friends’, or loved ones’ names. A minimum $100 donation entitles you to a plaque.  Each plaque is a brushed-aluminum rectangle measuring 4 x 2 1/3 inches. Sponsors may include up to two lines of text with 17 characters each, including spaces, for a total of 34 characters per plaque. An additional line at the top of a plaque, reading “In Memory of,” may be added upon request at no charge.  Visit the Gray's Lake Park Pedestrian Bridge Plaque page to learn more about bridge plaque sponsorship and how to obtain a Bridge Plaque Form.  
 

Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater

The Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater is located downtown just south of City Hall at East First between Locust and Walnut. This beautiful location has been used for fun runs and walks, bike rides, political campaigns, concerts, class reunions, and weddings. It is the perfect place for any outdoor activity!  Plan your next event at Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater just make sure you obtain all necessary permits.  The City of Des Moines has a licensed vendor to dispense alcoholic beverages.  User must work through this vendor if alcoholic beverages are to be available either for sale or at no cost to the guests.

Pappajohn Sculpture Park

John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park (13th – 15th St Grand to Locust) The City of Des Moines has an agreement with the Edmondson Art Center for this area. 

The interior of the park landscaping, benches, lights, sidewalks, signage, railings, and snow removal of interior sidewalks are taken care of by the Park and Recreation Department.  All art work is owned and maintained by Des Moines Art Center.  Des Moines Register article on Pappajohn Sculpture Park

Principal Riverwalk

Principal Park

Principal Park, formerly Sec Taylor Stadium, is a minor league baseball stadium located in Des Moines, Iowa.  It is the home field of the Pacific Coast League's Iowa Cubs.

Principal Park is located at the confluence of the Des Moines River and the Raccoon River in downtown Des Moines. The stadium seats 11,000 fans and has 45 luxury suites, 12 of which are in a building in left field that also houses the Cub Club restaurant. The Iowa State Capitol building is visible from beyond the center field fence, while some seats also provide views of the Des Moines skyline.

Asian Gardens

The Chinese Cultural Center of America built the beautiful Asian Garden.  This specifically designed garden includes a Chinese pagoda, a large pond, landscaped gardens, handcrafted lights and many granite sculptures.  The water for the pond comes from the Botanical Center; the large pumping system is maintained by the Park and Recreation department.  Visit the Chinese Cultural Center of America for more information. 

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

 
The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, formerly known as the Des Moines Botanical Center, is an urban oasis dedicated to, “Exploring, explaining, and celebrating the world of plants.”  There are many different outdoor gardens on the nearly 14 acres and inside the geodesic dome visitors are able to experience the tropics in all seasons.
 
The Botanical Garden is located at 909 Robert D Ray Drive and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For more information visit the Botanical Garden's website 

Brenton Skating Plaza

Brenton Skating Plaza is a unique outdoor ice skating facility and family entertainment venue. Gifted by the Brenton Foundation, the facility is the first of its kind in the state of Iowa. Brenton Skating Plaza is located conveniently along The Principal Riverwalk on the Des Moines River waterfront. Stationed at 520 Robert D Ray Drive, it’s an integral part of the campaign to continue the reinvigoration of downtown Des Moines.

Brenton Skating Plaza is pleased to announce that it will be opening on November 19, 2010.   The venue offers people of all ages the chance to ice skate in the open air, amid the snowflakes and under the stars. In the summer, the Brenton Skating Plaza transforms into an outdoor event center, playing host to community events, concerts, and other gatherings.  Click here for additional information or call (515) 284-1000.