Gray's Lake Park

"The Place to Meet"

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.


Connecting the trail on the south edge of the lake is a 1/4 mile pedestrian bridge, the only one of its kind in the Midwest. The bridge is lit and visible from Fleur Drive... a powerful message that Des Moines is an attractive and welcoming place to live and do business.

News & Info

  • Canoe Lessons


    Lessons Available:

    Canoe Basics
    Advanced Canoe Basics
    Des Moines River Canoe Outing
    Basic Whitewater Canoe Class (with Optional Trip to Minnesota)

    Complete Schedule and Lesson Details


  • Concession Stand


    Open Daily, Weather Permitting
    11:00 A.M. - Sunset
    Rent a canoe, peddle boat or kayak for $4/half hour

    Click here for our food menu

  • Yoga in the Park


    Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.
    June - September
    Classes are free!
    No experience or pre-registration required. Parking available at the north-side beach.

    2009 Instructor Schedule

    Organic Yoga in the Park t-shirts on-sale at the Gray's Lake-South Side concession stand for $15. Men and Ladies sizes available.



  • Sail the High Seas of Gray’s Lake
    Register for Sailing Lessons Today


    Captain your own sailing vessel and earn your sea legs this summer with basic sailing instruction at Gray’s Lake. Classes begin in June 15th and will be held each week through August 10th. Sailboats and lifejackets are provided. Lessons are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 6 – 8 p.m. Cost is $25 per person per three-day session and includes sailboats and lifejackets. Pre-registration is required. Click here for session dates and the registration form. Hurry! Classes fill fast. Email GraysLake@dmgov.org for more information.

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    Gray's Lake on Facebook



  • Map of Gray's Lake



    Basic Map of Gray's Lake Park

    Detailed Map of Gray's Lake Park





  • Plaque Donations


    Along the railing 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.

    Pedestrian Bridge Plaque Form

    To learn more about donating, Click here.

  • Gray's Lake Park History


    Through the centuries, the area that is today’s Gray’s Lake Park was part of the ever-changing course of the Raccoon River. Left behind after one such change in the Raccoon was an oxbow that would become Gray’s Lake Park. Residents of Des Moines in the early 20th century remember this body of water as a small pond. The land was originally owned by T.E. Brown, who sold 79 acres on the eastern edge of the property to Gaylord E. Gray. With concrete just coming of age, Gaylord Gray had the idea of mining sand and gravel out of this lake.

    Click here for more Gray's Lake History


  • Gray's Lake Park Rules


    Alcohol
    Consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages is not allowed.

    Bridge
    Fishing or jumping from the bridge are not allowed.

    Hours
    November through March: 6:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M.
    April through October: 5:00 A.M. - 12:00 Midnight.

    Click here for complete rules




Gray's Lake Map

Gray's Lake is located on Fleur Drive and George Flagg Parkway (formerly Valley Drive).


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City of Des Moines, Iowa
Parks and Recreation