Large park with trails in/near DM? (Des Moines, Iowa City: camping, safe)

[swlmc2]

Good morning everyone,
I am looking for a large park that has walking trails in the DM area. For those of you who know Iowa City, I am looking for a situation similar to Hickory Hill Park which has several pretty unpaved walking trails.

We do go up to Saylorville Lake, but their "trail" is the bike trail, which isn't always safe for walkers with dogs. We also go down to the WaterWorks park, but again, it isn't really a park with a trail system. We do of course walk the park areas of these parks, but it is also nice to walk on an extensive trail system.

Someone at work suggested Ledges State Park, but we haven't made it up there yet.

I am in Beaverdale and am hoping to find somewhere within a 30 minute drive. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[DMRyan]

Try Browns Woods State Park in West Des Moines. There's some unpaved trails there and it's pretty tranquil.

Ledges is beautiful and uncharacteristic of the surrounding countryside.

[swlmc2]

Thanks for suggesting Brown's Woods Park! We will head over to check it out this weekend! Ledges sounds perfect for us, even if it is a little further out. All we need now is some perfect spring weather to go exploring!

[mrs_moby73]

Here is a list of state parks in Iowa.

IA DNR: State Parks and Recreation Areas Directory

I don't see a Browns Wood Park, but there is a Walnut Woods Park in Des Moines. I'm new to the area, so I'm not sure how close the rest of these are to DM. Thanks for asking though, it inspired me to take a look to see what there is out there.

[DMRyan]

Sorry, Walnut Woods is the State Park adjacent to the County Park of Brown's Woods.
Polk County Conservation

[mofford]

Originally Posted by mrs_moby73

Here is a list of state parks in Iowa.

IA DNR: State Parks and Recreation Areas Directory

I don't see a Browns Wood Park, but there is a Walnut Woods Park in Des Moines. I'm new to the area, so I'm not sure how close the rest of these are to DM. Thanks for asking though, it inspired me to take a look to see what there is out there.

Browns Woods is not far away from you in WDM, if you head south on 63rd/Hy28....take a right at the first light past Park Ave, which is for McKinley/Browns Woods Drive. Go west a couple blocks and the parking lot for BW is on your right. There is a short wooded loop to walk, then further back there is a longer one that connects to it. Go Left when you enter the back loop, and there is a spot that provides an stunning overlook view of the marshy racoon river basin, lots of trees. Very nice trail, in all about 2 miles or so but only takes an hour to walk it.

Also, if you follow that road it will curve south, take the right fork and follow west past the soccer park to Walnut Woods, there's RV camping there and plenty of trails in back that run along the racoon river.

If you follow that same road further west, it will curve south, follow it over the Hy65 bypass and take a right at the stop sign. Follow a mile and go over I35 then look to your left, there is the first entrance to Maffit Lake Park, plenty of trail to explore there, and in the second entrance further west past the lake a mile down.

[swlmc2]

We are off to our Saturday morning walkies at Walnut Woods and/or Brown's Woods parks!
We are going to take a closer look at the Polk county parks system. We loved the trail system at F.W. Kent park just north of Iowa City. It would be great to find something similar here!
Thanks for all the great info!

[mrs_moby73]

I'd love to hear what you thought about the park!

[mofford]

Might be a bit early in the season to fully appreciate the wooded areas. I would wait until may or june when everything is green to get the most out of the view. If we get rain a few days before you walk it, put your old shoes on. It can get muddy as not much sun makes it to ground level, especially after the leaves fill in. Spray yourselves down with deep woods off if your going in june thru september, or the skeeters will not leave you alone.

[swlmc2]

The back loop is a gorgeous wooded walk. We went first thing in the morning and ran into a few people out walking even that early.

Next week we are going to head up to Ledges.