dog friendly park

Raccoon River Park

Overview: Raccoon River Park is rated 4.7/5 from 2595 Google reviews. This park offers a beautiful lake, trails, a playground, fishing, and a dog park. Amenities: Reviewers often mention poop bags, seating, and other park extras and shade and tree cover. Crowd: Reviews describe regular visitors and active use and steady activity with other dogs to meet.

4.7Google rating
2,595reviews
6photos
Overview

What stands out here

Open now
4.7(2,595 reviews)

Overview: Raccoon River Park is rated 4.7/5 from 2595 Google reviews. This park offers a beautiful lake, trails, a playground, fishing, and a dog park. Amenities: Reviewers often mention poop bags, seating, and other park extras and shade and tree cover. Crowd: Reviews describe regular visitors and active use and steady activity with other dogs to meet.

People say this park offers a beautiful lake, trails, a playground, fishing, and a dog park. They highlight the park is clean, safe, and has an open feeling, with well-maintained facilities and covered picnic areas. They also like the friendly atmosphere and the variety of activities suitable for all ages.

Best for

dogs that need room to runsocial dogs and owners who enjoy a regular crowdowners who want shade, seating, and water access

Quick facts

Address2500 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50265, USA
Phone(515) 222-3444
City pageDes Moines
Imported fromDes Moines, IA

Useful details

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dogs that need room to runsocial dogs and owners who enjoy a regular crowdowners who want shade, seating, and water accessparktourist attraction6 Google photos2595 reviewsOpen now

Park photos

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Recent Google review highlights

Showing the actual texture of owner feedback makes the park page much more useful than a bare directory card.

Terence Mayers8 months ago

Took my daughter there to compete in here first USA Triathlon. The park is excellent. Clean with an open feeling, yet safe. The lakeside is beautiful. Peaceful. Clean bathroom facilities and covered areas by the picnic areas.

Keaton Kmetta month ago

Great bike trail, even when it’s busy you have plenty of room to get around others.

Brent Millera year ago

This park is excellent! We were here during the Raccoon River festival, which was awesome for kids. The new playground has a healthy mix of equipment and the rubber ground. My kids especially enjoyed the myriad of climbing ropes along with the big slides. There is ample parking, a nice swimming beach, and plenty of trails around the water.

Carlise Carr2 years ago

Absolutely beautiful and brilliant park. The equipment is all ability inclusive. My 10 month old and 2 year old had a blast. So much for them to do and to climb on. Had a great time. The restrooms are closed for the winter but there is a portable potty there if you need it.

Britney Wilson2 years ago

Playground! The new all inclusive playground is finished! I love that there’s an area that’s geared towards crawlers! My 12mo isn’t walking yet and he had so much fun. They used a fake grass for the little area and then that bouncy flat surface for the other areas. There’s a lot to do! I like and don’t like how spread out it is. I like that you don’t feel like you’re on top of people because it’s spread out but that does make it difficult to keep an eye on your kids. There is the best rope climbing center I’ve ever seen, the slide is big enough to be fun but not so big like other parks that get almost too high for little kids comfort. The bathrooms are still there and the shelters with lots of picnic tables. Regular swings in the swing area and 2 bucket swings over in the little kid area. It’s a really pretty view with so many trees and being raccoon River beachside. Cons making this 4 stars that I understand are relative. Bigger kids kept coming to play in the little kid area, I had to have my head on swivel and quick reflexes to make sure my little ones fingers aren’t stepped on or that he was knocked over. It’s spread out in a way that I can’t see all areas from a single point, I just told my kids to keep checking in with me as they played or I went and found them to check in. It was busy, I know as the newness wears off it will be more “normal”. My kids had a lot of fun! It was just a little more stressful than I was anticipating because of how busy it was. Make sure you check it out and if crowds stress you out plan your visit during slow times if you can. (Early morning / during school hours)

Opening hours

When Google exported structured hours, they’re surfaced here instead of being buried in the raw payload.

  • Monday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Thursday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Friday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Saturday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Sunday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM

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