Oh Lake Laverne! Such a happy memory of my childhood! This lake sits right in the middle of the…read moreIowa State campus, and is home to Lancelot and Elaine the white swans. I recently visited again in Dec 2017, and it was just as lovely as I remembered! I think they change out the swans though as they age, but the current two residents were super cute and lovely.

Really nice playground for kids to play on. They really need to treat their grassburrs and grass…read morestickers especially around the playground. Other than that, great place for the entire family.

We like dropping the boat into Big Creek. We don't have the best fishing luck, but it's been nice…read moreevery time. I've been to the beech a couple of times over the years. I've walked some trails too. Lots more to offer than I'm typing, but it's always a nice quick trip for us.

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!

This is one of the best kept secret areas of Saylorville Lake. When you first pull in there is…read moreparking for easy access to the bike trail. After passing that you come into the park and can either go left or straight. If you go left it takes you to the shelter and play area and if you go straight it takes you to the boat ramp and beach areas. The boat ramp is a two vehicle ramp so you can have two boats going in and coming out at a time. There is a huge double parking lot attached. The second part of the parking lot is also used for beach parking. The beach is really nice and has a couple picnic tables with shade over looking it. The shelter and play area is really nice. The play area is new and big and kiddos can play on it for a while. Right next to the play area is the shelter area. The shelter area is huge and in the shape of an L. It has fire places on both ends of the shelter. The play area is to the north of the shelter and on the south side of the shelter is a sand volleyball court and a baseball field. If you were going to have a family reunion or big party this would definitely be a good shelter to rent.

Great quiet and clean place for the kiddos!! There's a bike trail, restrooms and has a short walk…read moreto the waterside.

How lucky were we to find this! The county should be really proud of what they've done here. They…read morehave many very affordable sites, our has full hookups and it it cozy and spacious at the same time. The entire park is beautiful and even has a great looking public golf course. Easily reservable online, we were able to line it up same day and pop right into our pull thru spot as soon as we arrived. The is one street light in the campground and I wish it wasn't right next to site 26, but not enough to spoil a perfect evening. As our campfire dwindles in the late evening, we know the memories and appreciation we have will never fade. Thanks to Hamilton county for a truly wonderful park!

Lovely waterfalls Peaceful trails…read moreNot nearly as crowded as Ledges

High prices, average marina experience. Nice people there. Will be nicer once the construction is…read morecomplete.

Rented a boat and tube here and had such a great time. All staff were extremely helpful and very…read morecourteous to us "first timers." The weather ended up not so great so we'll be back for the 2nd half of our day. Such a great place!

This is a great multi-use park located near Valley Junction. They have a family friendly beach…read morearea, a newly installed accessible playground, dog park (permit required), walking/bike path, and boat house where you can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards. There are also soccer fields and baseball/softball diamonds close by. Lots of parking lots near various areas.

I am an Arizona Desert Rat who grew up in Iowa. I am visiting the beautiful small town of Norwalk,…read moreIowa and we have been fishing at Blue Heron Lake in Raccoon River Park. What an incredible job you've done West Des Moines! This place has it all! Swimming beach, boat launch, kayak and canoe rentals and a very nice wheelchair accessible fishing pier! We have been enjoying this place so much! Ok the kids and the girls are catching all the fish (I am Worm Boy and take the fish off the hook haha) Catch and release! I cannot say enough nice things about Raccoon River Park!

Absolutely gorgeous, well maintained ,clean and safe. Could use a few more water stationsread more

Nice swimming beach with boat and kayak rentals and a snack shop that offers $1 life jacket rentals…read morefor the kiddos. Lots of shade trees, picnic benches, shady grass adjacent to the sandy beach area.