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    Holliwell Covered Bridge

    4.9 (7 reviews)

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    Entrance
    John K E.

    This timber town lattice truss span, which was built in 1879-1880 by Benton Jones and George K. Foster to cross the Middle River, is the longest of the bridges surviving in Madison County. It was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1976. It can be approached via a gravel road in good condition from either St. Charles or Winterset. Parking is easy. The entire area offers wonderful fall foliage.

    Matt U.

    Another beautiful covered bridge in the series of 6 that make up the county bridges! It's located roughly midway between the Imes and Cedar bridges and boast being the longest one in the world. It's no longer in use, but you can walk over it and we found it was the easiest one to photograph over the water as the uncovered bridge near it provides a great photo-op. Well worth the drive from Des Moines to see this piece of history.

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    3 months ago

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    Northview Park - Playground entry

    Northview Park

    5.0(2 reviews)
    25.7 mi

    A tucked away playground that isn't so secret…read more.. Found this playground through a friend who lives in the neighborhood. It's tucked away in suburbia and a collection of baseball diamonds. You wouldn't know it was here unless you live close by. Wonderful place to play! Must be new to the baseball diamonds. During COVID19 review: A playground that isn't so secret...Many visitors were here while we came out during the middle of a work day. There were a lot of kids running around including my own and a friend's. Kids were not social distant. Two kids wore masks while their mom had one on as well. The rest of the kids were not masked. The playground is super fun! Slides, slides, and more slides. Rubber playground surfacing and updated equipment make it phenomenal. The mini zip line seat is the highlight! Rolling slide and horizontal rolling slide. Plenty of swings as well. The playground is an all inclusive one: accessible pieces of equipment that were created and designed that allows all children to play of different abilities, skills, and conditions. We love these playgrounds! Highly recommend visiting! Will be coming back if there are smaller crowds.

    I live right by this park and raised 50 dollars to help fund it, unfortunately my brother stole and…read morespent it, but its the thought that counts. Its a great park for all ages, adults too. Its got a zipline and a seesaw and a huge play set. I recommend visiting. Its a miracle park for handicapped people. And there is a bathroom nearby but its usually locked unless the miracle field is being used. I love going here at least weekly if not more. If you stand from the park side of the (well kept) trail, and go right down the trail. After a five minute walk there is another fun park with a little library. You have to cross the street once though (if you have little runners). I recommend the miracle park no question it is an amazing resource for disabled children and is wheelchair accessible. If you want to know about more good parks in the area, walker johnston park, terra park, and if you are willing to go for a 35 minute ride from the north view park area (urbandale), big creek park. I will leave reviews on these three parks for more information. - local helper, Via w.

    Photos
    Northview Park - Wide angle view from the opposite end of the entrance

    Wide angle view from the opposite end of the entrance

    Northview Park - Playground

    Playground

    Northview Park - Playground entrance

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    Playground entrance

    Imes Covered Bridge - Imes covered bridge

    Imes Covered Bridge

    4.9(8 reviews)
    8.5 mi

    The fabled bridges of Madison County, six in number, are largely inaccessible for those unwilling…read moreor unable to drive on gravel. One of the two exceptions is the Imes Covered Bridge, a 110 foot long town lattice truss design constructed in 1870 to bridge the Middle River by a carpenter named J.P. Clark. It has been moved twice-- the second time to its current location two miles to the west of Interstate 35, on the outskirts of St. Charles. There is a parking lot on site, and a paved bike path connects the bridge to a nearby tourist information center. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The best time of year to visit is fall foliage-- and Iowa does have a fall foliage website. We chose to visit in the dead of winter, in the hope that there would be snow on the ground to give the bridge a different look. The bridges are well worth a visit.

    As an avid amateur photographer and Iowa native... How can you not make the hop, skip, and a jump…read moredown (over or up) to explore the covered bridges of Madison County...? Here's a secret. I've never seen the movie or read the book, but I did run into Clint Eastwood and his entourage back in the day (1995ish). We weren't able to get too close though. Lol The covered bridges take you back to a much simpler time. When people and cars just weren't as complicated as they are now. The construction of each one seems to be a little unique and diffent from the next. It's too bad that they have been plaqued by graffiti artists, people who can't seem to leave things as they find them, and even arson over the years. If you live within a decent driving distance you can experience the bridges in all the seasons. It might sound a little silly, but as a photographer sometimes a few months can make a world of differece in your pictures...sometimes even days. While there is curb appeal to all the bridges Roseman is probably my personal favorite. The Roseman bridge location also has a nice little gift shop you can stop at to take home a momento of your visit (open May 1st through the end of October). Don't miss the shopping opportunities in downtown Winterset. Expect to get dusty, as most of the bridges are on gravel roads, and enjoy your visit!

    Photos
    Imes Covered Bridge - Imes covered bridge

    Imes covered bridge

    Imes Covered Bridge - The bridge entrance, with a size comparison to how big it is.

    The bridge entrance, with a size comparison to how big it is.

    Imes Covered Bridge - Imes covered bridge - oldest of the covered "Bridges of Madison County"

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    Imes covered bridge - oldest of the covered "Bridges of Madison County"

    Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge

    Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge

    4.8(5 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    Constructed in 1870 by Eli Cox, this 79 foot long timber town lattice truss covered bridge is the…read moresecond oldest of the six surviving in Madison County. Originally traversing the North River, in 1979 it was moved to its present location inside Winterset City Park. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. There is ample parking, and access to the park is paved. We recommend a visit at the peak of fall foliage, when the park is breathtaking.

    As an avid amateur photographer and Iowa native... How can you not make the hop, skip, and a jump…read moredown (over or up) to explore the covered bridges of Madison County...? Here's a secret. I've never seen the movie or read the book, but I did run into Clint Eastwood and his entourage back in the day (1995ish). We weren't able to get too close though. Lol The covered bridges take you back to a much simpler time. When people and cars just weren't as complicated as they are now. The construction of each one seems to be a little unique and diffent from the next. It's too bad that they have been plagued by graffiti artists, people who can't seem to leave things as they find them, and even arson over the years. If you live within a decent driving distance you can experience the bridges in all the seasons. It might sound a little silly, but as a photographer sometimes a few months can make a world of differece in your pictures...sometimes even days. While there is curb appeal to all the bridges Roseman is probably my personal favorite. The Roseman bridge location also has a nice little gift shop you can stop at to take home a momento of your visit (open May 1st through the end of October). Don't miss the shopping opportunities in downtown Winterset. Expect to get dusty, as most of the bridges are on gravel roads, and enjoy your visit!

    Photos
    Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge - Entrance to the bridge

    Entrance to the bridge

    Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge
    Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge

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    Gray's Lake Park

    Gray's Lake Park

    4.7(49 reviews)
    23.5 mi

    Wow! Beautiful lake and grounds, covered with grass and highly established trees. Walking and…read morebiking paths, along with a cool concession area, bathrooms and a park with swing set! I sat here and soaked up the warm air under a shade tree, drinking my coffee. No better way to end this work trip.

    I was fortunate enough to be able to be at Gray's Lake Park here in Des Moines, IA. The park itself…read morewas flat and featured a long bridge among many basic and lush amenities here. Definitely a place I'd want to come back to. One full circumference around Gray's Lake Park was approximately 2 miles and the fact that I was here doing more than just one of these loops around was proof positive that I was certified crazy. I was here for the annual Equilizer Endurance run event that featured a 24, 12, or 6 hr timed run. The park itself was beautiful and scenic. The lake was tranquil and quiet as i rounded the park with some reckless abandon and full crazy mode on. The bridge had some neon lighting installed on it. Initially thought it was something odd, but when night fell, the bridge illuminated itself and we could see it at all points around the park itself. I noticed that Gray's Lake Park has at least one centralized restroom facility on site, which is awesome for those who need them on any particular day. For my experience here at Gray's Lake Park, I didn't need to use it, which was surprising. I enjoyed the aspect that the park itself was accessible and lush at the same time. There are 2 main parking lots at the public's disposal. We parked at the main one that's close to Fleur Drive. There's also another one next to the restroom facilities. To be honest, October 29, 2022 was a great day to be here at Gray's Lake Park. I'm sure any other day would be as sweet, but I was here on that day doing what I do best: attempting to run a marathon or ultra in Des Moines, IA. The overall experience here at Gray's Lake Park in Des Moines, IA was as peaceful as grueling since I was here doing a stupid stupid thing. There were passerby's as well as families walking around and people choosing to do a picnic on a fine Saturday afternoon. Some people were wondering if there was a race going on, until they saw my race number. "Oh" they said. It was nice to see other peoples using the park on a Saturday afternoon, other than being active like how I was. Anyone and everyone can use the park for legitimate activities. Best thing is the restroom facilities on site, so you don't have to leave and go elsewhere and then return to the park for additional added fun. A friend of mine pointed out the city of Des Moines skyline when we were near the restrooms and it was nice to see that, hidden amongst the trees that lined the canal just beyond the walking path. Gray's Lake Park is suitable for all ages as well as pets, but keep them on a leash so they don't wander off unexpectedly. If you enjoy the peaceful calm and want stress to leave you temporarily, consider coming to Gray's Lake Park in Des Moines, IA. It is pretty cool if you are either in the area or just passing thru. Gray' Lake Park is located at 2101 Fleur Drive in Des Moines, IA. It's a few miles from the Des Moines regional airport, also on Fleur Drive. It's a place where you can go to chill before your flight if you need to and enjoy mother nature in her glory before leaving. Everything is wide open spaces, except for the restroom facilities. Best thing to do is bring your own stuff like chairs and tables, to enjoy a day here outside. Best bet would be to come here early to secure a good prime parking spot. I arrived here in a private vehicle and had a fun time here at Gray's Lake Park. If you are familiar with the DART bus system, consider the routes you need to come here. And as always, there's Uber and Lyft at your disposal. For the most part though, the experience here is immeasurable, especially because I ran a marathon here at Gray's Lake Park. Hope to be back soon, if travels and races allow me to do so. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

    Photos
    Gray's Lake Park
    Gray's Lake Park
    Gray's Lake Park - These two... they get so excited to go to the lake!

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    These two... they get so excited to go to the lake!

    Waukee Triumph Park

    Waukee Triumph Park

    5.0(4 reviews)
    21.4 mi

    This park was a stop on a road trip for a leg stretch break. It's awesome, there is everything you…read morecan think of for a park. They have plenty for little kids and big kids. There's also a trail. An hour passed before we blinked! We will be back and highly recommend putting this on your list if you chase parks like our family!

    Can I be a kid again??? Even as the parent, this park is 10x better than I imagined it to be. It is…read moreimportant to note that Triumph Park is not only a playground but also a recplex of sorts with multiple ball fields, small lake with a fishing dock, and walking trails. But I am am here to talk about the playground portion because I was blow away! Everyone else must be as pleased and excited as I am because on a Friday evening the place was packed. Pulling up I was fearful I made the wrong choice seeing all of the cars and kiddos running around but there is so much to do on the playground and it is a large enough space that it still was enjoyable for my step daughter. I also want to note that my stepdaughter is upper elementary school age and parks are hit and miss given her size/age. Triumph Park playground is a HIT and reminds me of those expensive indoor obstacle parks you pay to go to - Did I mention this is a public park so it is FREE!? There is also ample parking since it is adjacent to the ball diamonds. One of my favorite parts is that the base (floor) of the playground is solid with a rubber mat or faux grass materials with padding underneath for a little cushion to protect your littles. Also no mess! - Who ever allowed sandbox/woodchip playgrounds anyways, yuck! I am not sure I can describe this next feature well but most of the structure is sort of built into the ground. The main portion is dug into a "hole" so the landscape itself is fun for the kids to run up and down, it is also lined with faux grass and cushion. (I told you I wouldn't describe that well, you will just have to go see it for yourself!). There is plenty of play spaces for little kids but the tall, tall slides for the big kids and towers to get to them are INSANE. I have never seen anything like it in a public, outdoor park. They also have really fun spins (literally) on a merry-go-round and teeter-totter, the kids really seemed loved these. I not sure how else to describe it other than I was extremely impressed. We will be visiting many times this summer and telling all of our friends!

    Photos
    Waukee Triumph Park - Triumph Park

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    Triumph Park

    John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

    John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

    4.6(92 reviews)
    24.7 mi

    We came here early on a Sunday morning and I highly recommend it because not only was the park…read moredeserted, there was plenty of parking close by. We wanted to see the iconic love statue while we were in the city and snap a photo, but we ended up spending a lot more time here than we thought we would. This is a beautiful greenspace filled with sculptures that range in style and size. My husband and I typically like very different styles and we were both able to find things we really enjoyed here so I think there is probably something for everyone. I particularly enjoyed "Nomade". It's a tall white metal sculpture made of words and the fact that it is so large meant we were actually able to go inside of it. It felt very immersive and it was cool to look up and see the words against the backdrop of a beautiful sky. There was another smaller white statue of a girl done kind of in an anime or cartoon style that I also really enjoyed. Although it's very walkable and makes for a lovely stroll, we did miss a few of the pieces because the park seems to be home to a small population of unhoused people and we didn't want to bother them as they were mostly still sleeping. The park is free and open to everyone so there is no reason not to stop and check it out if you're in the area. You have nothing to lose and a lot to potentially gain.

    Wow! Des Moines locals are certainly lucky to have such a special place in their city…read more The location is so easy to get to. Street parking was plentiful. The size and quality of this sculpture garden was impressive. The artwork was diverse and very interesting. The artists are very creative and talented. A must visit!

    Photos
    John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park
    John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park
    John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

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    Holliwell Covered Bridge - parks - Updated May 2026

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