Photo taken 4/24/26…read more This is such a lovely place! We have been here several times, and we love it each time we visit. We've been here twice on field trips with my child's class, and several other times outside of that. There is an information center and plenty of outdoor activities. It's very well maintained, and the staff here are all wonderful. It's definitely a fun place for fishing or just simply walking around and enjoying nature. For those that enjoy birdwatching, this is also a great location to do so. The information center has quite a few activities for anyone interested in learning about any type of nature. You can ask for kits to inspect tadpoles or water creatures as well as binoculars for birdwatching. There's also a natural play structure for kids to explore. It's so peaceful and serene; this also makes it perfect for a picnic! There is a path that goes around the water, and there are also a few gazebos and benches for you to stop at to take a break or just enjoy the day.

This is a really neat park north east of Ames. It's the home of the Story County Conservation…read moreCenter and a lot of classes and programming. There are some deceptively long hiking trails here that will let you traverse the various biomes of the state of Iowa. There are wooded, riparian and native prarire areas along trails immediately adjacent to the park and it also serves as a great launching point and connector for the Skunk River Greenbelt system of trails that continue to the north. There are primitive campsites and mutli-use hiking and biking trails. There is actually a lot to do outside in Story County, it's just not obvious & McFarland Park is a great place to get acquainted.

This is such a lovely place to be! It's peaceful and clean. Also great for fishing. Definitely a…read moregreat place to clear your head and enjoy nature. The paved walkway is a huge plus and the map in the parking lot is quite helpful. It's very well maintained too. There are a lot of fun information boards along the path to read about the wildlife in the park as well. Ada Hayden is great for solo trips, or to bring your family and explore. All around, it's very accommodating to anyone who wants a little fresh air :)

This gem, located on the north end of Ames on Highway 69, is a sensational 137-acre mingling of…read morewildlife, water, picnics, family fun, fishing, running, walking, cycling, and birding that debuted over 20 years ago. It's named after Ada Hayden, an Ames native who graduated from Ames High and was a celebrated botanist and wildlife connoisseur who was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. from nearby Iowa State College (now Iowa State University). A City of Ames venue, with assistance from Iowa's Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Ada Hayden Heritage Park is an oasis at the top end of a growing college town. It is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy nature. Plenty of parking with lots on the north and south ends of the park, and the venue is handicap accessible. There is a walking path that cyclists also use, and it ranges from 1.2 to 3.2 miles in length. Dogs must be leashed. There is a beautiful bridge in the center of the large lake, and there were at least five bird species that day. According to a local, the lake is stocked with Rainbow Trout and Striped Bass by the Iowa DNR, and fishing is allowed, but not on the bridge. Boats without gas motors are allowed. There are many spots to sit and relax, with numerous picnic tables and a covered area available. Beer and liquor are prohibited. It is gorgeous and a wonderful tribute to an elite Ames contributor who was also a pioneer in her field. I'm looking forward to visiting again!

We had a fun time walking through the creek and enjoying the scenery. We had adults and kids…read more Really enjoyed seeing how much fun all the kids were having. They loved when the cars drove by and splashed them. Beautiful area. We considered hiking, but just too hot today. The creek walk was perfect. Definitely wear water shoes if you plan to walk the creek, and bring sunscreen and bug spray.

This place is awesome and always a destination when we need to touch Ledges State Park is one of…read moreour favorite places to take visitors when we want to show off just how beautiful this part of Iowa really is. It never disappoints. We've spent so much time here exploring, hiking, and driving through the water crossings -- which is always a blast, especially when you accidentally (on purpose) splash water all over the kids waiting nearby. So much fun. I have way too many pictures from this place, and somehow it still feels different every time we go. On our most recent visit, we brought Kim's parents to see the fall colors. We missed peak color by a bit, but honestly, it was still beautiful. Even when it's not at its "perfect" moment, Ledges is still worth the trip. If you want nature, scenery, and a spot that never gets old, this is it

The good: Kayaking/canoeing was about $40 per person, which is a great price for entertainment…read morethese days. The river itself was stunning, we had gorgeous weather, and they had a small concession stand with necessities like bug spray available for purchase. Unfortunately, I still wouldn't recommend this experience when there are other options around Iowa for a similar price. We were told when reserving that if the river was too low, we would have the option to reschedule, which I think is a great policy. However, our reservation was on the last day of the season, so realistically rescheduling wasn't an option for us. My biggest issue wasn't even the low river level as the kayaks were doing great in the water- it was that the representative checking us in allowed us to take out a single canoe for our group knowing we would be dealing with less than a foot of water in some areas. This was our first time canoeing and kayaking, so we were relying on the staff's expertise. I really would have appreciated someone recommending that we switch from the canoe to a more maneuverable kayak given the conditions that day. Instead, we ended up having to get out and push the canoe for a large portion of the trip. It was exhausting, and for some customers, it may not even be physically possible. As a first-time floater who brought out-of-state friends specifically for this activity, I wasn't expecting the river conditions to be perfect. We were prepared to make the best of it. What I did expect was some guidance from the company about how to have the best experience possible given the conditions that day. I'd recommend choosing Seven Oaks to be more proactive about advising inexperienced customers, matching the right equipment to the river conditions, and allowing some flexibility to switch boats once you arrive.

What a great small ski hill. Excellent instructors and learning environment. Not crowded. Priced…read moreright.

Moore Memorial Park is a short walking distance from my parent's home in northern Ames. The park is…read morenamed for Fern and Bertha Moore who operated a dairy farm here and donated their 90 acres of land to the City of Ames. It is said that Bertha Moore would enjoy negotiating with developers who tried to buy her valuable land that was (and is) located next to the golf course. She would hear them out, bargain, and then decline. In her will, she was always clear that she wanted the future use of her land as a place where children could play. During our recent family trip back to Ames, my son enjoyed wandering off to this Park and I'm sure would thank Bertha Moore if he could. He admires the pond, walks the paths that loop around, sits in the grass playing his Nintendo DS, sits and talks with his Dad and Grandparents on a park bench, and climbs up the observation tower with his cousins. In his younger days, he would enjoy himself for hours at the play structure. As I walk the loop myself, I particular enjoy the old farm buildings (silo and a machine shed), the trees, the Big Bluestem Shelter, and the acres of prairie grasses and wildflowers. This place is not as big as Ada Hayden, but it is my neighbourhood park and I'm sure that I will continue to enjoy the handsome layout and its many relaxing features.

Wowwww This is the park of all parks!…read more Worth the drive from Des Moines to Madrid, Iowa. Great "tree museum" if that's what you want to call it but it was very educational and well worth the time and money. Visited on a Friday morning with our homeschool community and it was a busy morning. Reserved a guided tour months prior for our large group and paid extra for the tree house playground experience. The guided tour was absolutely fascinating and our group learned so much about how to identify different types of trees and plants. The gardens are awesome even in the fall. Worth a second or third trip for the different seasons we have here in Iowa. The playground was MASSIVE and newly built. All wooded and just a walk away from the arboretum. My kids and the other students really enjoyed this playground. Safe and fun. Found lots of accessibility for all to play Highly

A lovely spot in the middle of Iowa. Offering classes, initiating preservation of monarch butterfly…read morehabitat, building pollinator gardens, and quiet places for a walk. Entry fee for non-members is $10 per person with reduced rates for children. Open year-round to the public, this sanctuary has facilities for meetings, parties, weddings, etc. A number of trails allow you to walk through the different gardens and enjoy and ever changing display throughout the year. We were so pleasantly surprised at this little slice of paradise so far off the beaten path. Established in the early 1980s by an Iowa family that owned a nursery in the region. Bird watchers, gardeners, and anyone that just enjoys beautiful flowers should check out the Iowa Arboretum.

Short on time but need to get back to nature? The Skunk River Green Belt is one of the best hidden…read moresecrets in the Ames area. Located just south of Story City this trail is a great place to take your dogs for a brisk hike. Although you can hear the traffic of the Interstate located less than a mile away you will see a lot of amazing wildlife and immerse yourself in dense, old growth forest that follows the Skunk River. There's an active beaver pond on one of the trail loops. There are large patches of native prairie that have a small maintained grass trail that meanders through it. I can personally verify that I have seen turkeys, coyotes and deer along with a great variety of winged creatures. This trail is best in the spring and fall, as the mosquitoes can get downright nasty in the summer months. The trail is a public-private partnership with easements. You'll walk through gated areas and may encounter a gregarious herd of cattle. It is possible to take a fortified 10-mile hike all the way to the Story County Conservation center if you're willing to walk considerable distances on rural gravel roads. The middle section of the trail "Bear Creek" is accessible from the southbound I-35 rest stop and has a scenic suspended bridge that crosses the namesake creek. Take a wonderful hike, then take a short drive north to Story City to grab a bite at the wonderful local restaurants.

We love this carousel. Unfortunately we didn't see the signs on Hwy 35 that used to advertise the…read morecarousel. We thought it had closed. It is happily still open and only $1. Stop by and help save the carousel. Only a few minutes off the freeway.

Gayle and I recently took a spin on the historical 1913 antique carousel. It was spinning during…read morethese summer months and for a $1 per ride, it's a heck-of-a deal. The merry-go-round is run by friendly volunteers and it's a time warp of the best kind.