Beautiful park and easy access from the Metro stop. I love that there's fishing options out in the middle of the desert! If youd like to do a tour of the school or go into the Visitor Center, you will need to call and email ahead and there are several blackout dates around big events happening in the park. read more

Steele Indian School Park - Community Fishing Water Guidelines - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I have never experienced a municipal and legacy-based place in such a vast measure of depression and neglect. This potentially beautiful and historic as well as immense 72 originally 160 plus acre plot of land is residence to a dog park, playground, restrooms, basketball and volleyball courts, rest areas and a pond allowing urban fishing as well as the last buildings of the Phoenix Indian School. Although the property has been preserved and is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, and much of it transferred to the City of Phoenix in 1990 and now part of Steele Indian School Park - it feels like in disarray, dreary and unkempt! This naturally beautiful plot of land which over time has played an integral part to our First Nations, our indigenous native American's history, should be much better taken care of and improved upon. I sincerely hope the powers that be read this observance. read more

Love this park. Very chill most of the time, great to relax in when the weather is nice. Great birdwatching in central Phoenix. read more

Steele Indian School Park - Bird by Duck Pond - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I've been going here for over 10 years and I love bringing my dog to the small dog park. You do have to be careful if you take your dog to the big dog park though because I do see a lot of aggressive dogs going in there and the owners don't really pay very good attention to the dogs. I have heard dogs fighting and issues in bigger dog park. So, if you have a reactive dog, just avoid the dog parks and walk around. It is really beautiful here though, and the trees are magical and I really do love bringing my little dog there. I like that it's never too crowded. I did have kind of a scary situation happen here about four years ago, there was a man that was clearly high, talking to my dog and then staring at me. He scared me because he avoided me, but he was yelling at my dog and that didn't make any sense. I just asked some kind men to walk me to my car but other than that one incident, I've never felt unsafe since then. read more

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Really nice park. It has cute water features. Lots of places for picnics. It's a good place for outdoor gatherings. read more

Steele Indian School Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This 75 acre park is where I attended the 2025 Matsuri festival last weekend. This Japanese cultural event has grown so much in the last five years that the organizers moved it from Heritage Park to Steele Indian School Park. This park offers recreational facilities such as walking paths, volleyball courts, ramadas, a pond, called bird lake and is stocked with trout and bass for fishing. There is a memorial hall, veteran site and entry garden with arbor bridge to see. There are event spaces and amphitheaters which make it ideal for holding festivals or other local events. I was happy Matsuri was held here because I hadn't visited this park yet and learned about some of its history, There was one of several boarding schools on this land that the US government used to assimilate Native American children into Euro-American culture. In 1935 the school had 900 children. It closed in 1990 and now is a reminder of its complicated history. read more

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Arizona Matsuri Japanese Festival 2-22-25 Visit Better Than Chinese Festival. There were some concerns in one of the restroom buildings. There were no signs and one man came out of the women's restroom even though there were women inside. Bookoff- You made the biggest mistake of not bringing your used books selection and I came solely for that and you only brought your anime stuff. Shame on you! The Japanese Flea Market had at least a few books on their table. Note to people who are looking for used books, don't even bother going to this festival. Just go to their stores. Daiso- You didn't bring any snacks or drinks to beat Neko Mart of Tempe. Shame on you. On the plus side you were doing surveys that give customers 10% off on their future purchases. Mostly the same group of vendors came back. Taiko drums were the best. Beard Papa's Cream Puff line was long. I think it was okay regardless of my expectations. The good part was going to Paris Baguette on Central after visiting the festival. Big shout outs to Japan Airlines and the Japanese Consulate for being there. I would say bluntly this festival could be better but I guess it just depends on planning and budget and sponsors and sponsorship. Good turnout though. Good and chill crowds. read more

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I stopped by this park for an event on a Sunday afternoon. There was ample parking. The park has a bunch of ramadas, a playground, and an amphitheater. It's a fairly large park with some nice ponds and trees. I could see myself coming back here to read and walk around on a nice day. read more

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This is a high end recycle, repurpose, re-use project. Yes, thousands of Native American children were taken. from their families and homelands to this vocational education and training center. The United States Congress expected the Indigenous people in our part of North America to be 100% assimilated into my Northern European way of life. More importantly...All THat LAND! Could be "reclaimed". Native America is still here. Native America will stay here. It will continue to grow, develop and appear in the utmost beauty. The City of Phoenix has noted and honored the role of this Federal Institution, creating a historical sanctuary and respite for every visitor here. An oasis in this Land of Endless development and added heat. There are walkways, a Visitor's Center, Ramadan for gathering, ponds, canals, bathing spaces built into a piece of our Nnation's history and culture that cannot be erased or whitewashed away as long as this park shall live. read more

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Such a cool and beautiful park. The history is worthy. This park sponsors many major events. The park is right on the light Rail path too.

Amazing place for Fourth of July celebrations. The park is huge and pretty clean most of the time. Unfortunately they do not have a lot of shade during the day. read more

Steele Indian School Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I love this park! It is lovely, quiet, and not over run with people. They have historical sites to learn about the history of the area (Indian School Rd.). Plus, they have a pond and various entertainments throughout the year. It is next to the lightrail, and just a stop or 2 away from the downtown library and other fun stuff downttown read more

This was a beautiful little park. Larger than I expected. Lots of walking and seating areas. Quite a few people fishing in the lake (AZ permit needed). Lovely if you're just looking for a quick walk in the city area. read more

Steele Indian School Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This review is for the auditorium of the park. We attended a concert by the music students of Rosie's house and found the acoustics to be very good, the seating was comfortable and the building was interesting with several historical narratives and photos. The student performances were also great, and such a worthy organization that provides music instruction for children. read more

Steele Indian School Park - Auditorium at Indian Steele Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Beautiful park and right off the Valley Metro! Nice park, volleyball court, basketball court with bathrooms near by! read more

Steele Indian School Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Park very conveniently located at Central Ave and Indian School Road. I don't like the park layout and could not find a toilet or water fountain. It is not very green and needs more trees for shade. There's nicer parks in Phoenix. read more

This is a really amazing park located in the downtown area in Phoenix Arizona it hosts a wonderful pond with ducks in it, also there is a dog park located there too. This park hosts lots of festivals I was there for one in particular the Caribbean carnival 2017; I have come to several of the Caribbean carnival's here starting off with the parade that starts at third Street and makes its way to the entrance of the park. It's a great way for the Caribbean people to take pride and show our culture. Be sure to come prepared with plenty of water because it can get rather hot out here in the Arizona sun. read more

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I feel like this is a very underrated park in town. It's large enough to exercise and walk around, it has plenty of space for your dogs to play, including two actual dog runs. The lake is a nice touch, and the playground is pretty good for my son. I think the playground could be expanded on given the overall size of the park. The most interesting part of the park is also the most underutilized, and that's the architectural garden layout on the south side. It's not particularly useful, but it's pretty. read more

This park has historical significance as well as being a great place to jog around or simply hang out and catch some sun. Check out the buildings and learn a little bit about this area. There is enough parking, most of the time, to accommodate most visitors. However, there will be times when the parking lot will be filled. This is a park where you have to create your own entertainment. When I was there the park was very clean and there a large number of people enjoying it. read more

This is a great park to relax at. I took my grandma to the ER at the VA and after grabbing some food, I found a spot by the fountain to lay down and relax. I was able to read and eat my food. Very peaceful watching the birds. Several people were there enjoying the park from walking to photography to fishing (you name it). Yes there were some homeless, but it's expected for the area. Everyone kept to themselves (covid) and kept in mind space for others. This is a great place to enjoy some time to myself while waiting for the ER to evaluate my grandma since I was not allowed to come in with her. The only downside was the bathrooms near the VA street were closed so I had to run to a grocery store. Still highly recommend I'm sure the closure of the bathrooms is only due to covid. I used to go to this park all the time growing up. It's a great park. read more

DO NOT TAKE YOUR DOG TO THIS PARK! My fully vaccinated 15 year old Pitbull is fighting for his life right now. Now I have a very healthy young Pitbull that has whatever Rango caught there! I have four dogs in total and whatever he caught at the park is spreading like fire! Vomiting and diarrhea for 4 days now an I am now a few hundy in and awaiting fecal results! And no, he DID NOT enter that dog park read more

Not my first choice Nice place to bike, walk the dogs, fish or hang around the lake. Lots of places for kids to play and have fun. Not my girst choice of parks to visit. Be aware there are the occasional homeless under a tree or on the paths. read more

Went to this park for my kiddo to play. The playground was great and there was shade at picnic tables to sit close by. The view is nice with the water around, we will have to come back and explore some more. Parking off of central is best for being close to the playground. read more

Steele Indian School Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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April 27, 2019 - worst event in years - Native Nation !!! Do not go! Nothing went right at this event. The directions said to enter on 3rd Street & we were turned away. We finally found a place to park & went to the event booth as suggested. There we found 2 male ASU Gammage volunteers that only had time for their phones. How embarrassing for ASU & the event. Shame on Cornerstone Theater group. The Native Nation Marketplace was supposed to open at 11AM. By 12:15PM, there still was still less than half of the booths open. Out of frustration & 99 degree heat, we left. This event is falsely advertised & is an embarrassment to all Native Peoples. If you make money this way, you will pay much more in lost trust & damaged spirit. From this experience, we will AVOID anything at Steel Indian School Park. read more

I've been coming here fairly often and it's been, up until now, a nice place to go, day or night, and get out for a little bit. Now, though, at least tonight, it was a waste of time. For whatever reason, the father/daughter duo who apparently work the night shift decided to lock up the restrooms a full half-hour before the closing time of 10pm. Maybe I just come from a time and/or service ethos where you don't stop working (or, in this case, you don't start locking things up) until the announced closing time hits or has passed even. Suppose someone, including either of the duo, had had a bathroom emergency...well, actually, Staff probably have their own restroom facilities. In any case, it was extremely aggravating to find the bathrooms closed that early. read more

Great park for families to come and enjoy the day. There are trails to walk, so bring your fur babies so they can enjoy the walk as well. They have two dog parks also, one for small and one for large dogs. Nice playground for the smaller kids, picnic tables with grills and sinks, lots of open fields for sports or events, and a small lake where people fish. Park was clean with no trash laying around on the grounds. The only downside to this park is that anyone and everyone is allowed in, so there were several homeless people just laying around and occupying tables. This fact kind of made the experience I had here a little less enjoyable. Plenty of parking here. Bathrooms were clean. read more

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This 75 acre park is a true Phoenix gem. A CenPho oasis. Ever wondered about the origin of our major arterial street, Indian School? This is it, folks. "The" Phoenix Indian School was opened by the federal government in 1891, known then as the United States Industrial Indian School. And let's not beat around the bush regarding historical truth. The U.S. Indian Commissioner at the time declared in his opening day speech, "It's cheaper to educate Indians than to kill them." Which says it all. This school was part and parcel of a sad period of US history when our forefathers imposed an "Anglo-conformist" indoctrination program on our Native American brothers and sisters. Native Americans were sent to this school from throughout the western states, including California, Oregon, Colorado and Arizona, to be stripped of their cultural identity, forced to speak English, and learn how to be, I guess, "a real 'Merican." How utterly absurd, and ironic. But history is what it is, and it lives and breathes at this park where the school and many of its buildings still stand preserved today. The rest of the park features a soothing man-made lake, beautiful fields of grass, amusing sculptures, ramadas for local events, a dog park, and a great running path. There is a massive, beautifully lit at night, American flag in the center of the park, that honestly gives me goose bumps every now and then from how gracefully it is presented. The park is deeply intertwined with Phoenix's identity in my view, even though it was only created (as a park) in 2001. In part because of the history of the Indian School. In part because of its proximity to our downtown business community. In 2005, I ran an unforgettable and emotionally charged September 11 memorial 5K race here, so it's a part of my own "Phoenix story" as well. In mid-2007, two news helicopters with 4 people on board, 2 of whom were familiar faces to millions of Phoenicians, collided and crashed onto the park grounds, killing all of them. How amazing that the collision would occur here, in this park, instead of just a few dozen yards away where a crash could have impacted a downtown building or commercial center. Currently, a memorial is being constructed on the spot of the crash. Source for many of my facts: http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/phoenix/ read more

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It's amazing to see so much open space in the middle of a huge sprawling city. As long as you don't go on really hot days (yeah, I know, that means a really significant part of the year), this is a pleasant place to stroll and enjoy some quiet time. It's also easily accessible, especially since two of its entrances are near a light rail stop. You can see the original Indian School building here, and this is the venue for several big events and festivals throughout the year. The dog park area needs much improvement, and it is unfortunate that some reviewers put their 1- and 2-star reviews here are for just that, especially since the dog park has its own separate review page. read more

This park is pretty ghetto, sometimes homeless people are showering in the water fountains and others smoking some sketchy business. But it has 2 large dog parks, a big pond and fountains scattered about that are pretty. We enjoy having a large park close to where we live with a large enough area to get a good walk in after work. The weekends are MUCH busier here with little kids birthday parties and people taking pictures but week nights are pretty quiet and calm. read more

Location is lovely and beautiful, but a few people were sleeping on top of the benches and bathrooms are opposite the quality of the park. Great photographic opportunities here though! read more

Steele Indian School Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This is a nice, big park that is relatively clean. Perfect place to walk dogs, take your kids to play, etc. They should have more shaded areas and maybe even a splash fountain for dogs. They also should have more lighting at night time; it feels a little scary how dark it can be. read more

I have only been in Phoenix for under a year this is on of my all time favorite parks in my area so beautiful read more

Steele Indian School Park - Beautiful park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Great park for the entire family. There's also museum on site about the first class of Native American students who used to come to school here. read more

Steele Indian School Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This is a wonderful park! I love to walk around it in the afternoon. They also host a ton of events though they do a poor job of advertising. Usually I find out about the events just by taking a walk around the park. They also have a pond you can fish at which is very cool and most people here are friendly. They lose 1 star because hammocks are prohibited and it feels a little dark and sketchy after dark. read more

The best way I can describe the Steele Indian School Park is: "This land once was used as a place where Native Culture came to die and is now being used as a place where Native Culture comes to be revived" I have been to sooo many events at this park. The Native American Recognition Day Parade ends here and you can usually see members of different dance groups still dressed in traditional attire laughing and dancing or just catching up. With a powwow to follow. There are several gourd dances held there. Gourd dancing is a very important ceremony where veterans of the military are recognized and thanked for their contribution by their people and are honored justly. It's an amazing experience to go. Recently, the Arizona Indian Festival was held at the park. There were traditional villages as well as various dance groups and arts and crafts vendors and of course... frybread! The festival was a way to take in the different cultures of the many 22 tribes in Arizona. On "normal" days, it's a nice place to just be. The land itself has been blessed MANY times and I remember once, a medicine man had asked the Creator to have the park serve the people and asked the the land be able to take anything He has in store for it. Several years later, the two helicopters crashed and landed about 5 yards from where that man once stood. Since, I know of many groups who came out to rebless the land and I, as a Native American, see it as the park doing just what was asked. It served the people. That accident could have taken more lives then the ones taken. But instead, it landed in the park and the land took it. And is even starting to heal. It served the people that day. As horrible a tragedy as it was, it could have been truely devistating. Nearly all Natives have a story of the old Indian School in their family. And it's actions have caused many reprocussions. some natives were taught to hate their culture and traditional languages. And to this day, refuse to share their knowledge with their families. Some, had good times and like to sit around and laugh about their experiences climbing the fence to go run around in Phoenix. (my auntie has SEVERAL of those stories!!) In the 1800's and early 1900's, it was a tragic place to exist. But like I said earlier, our culture didn't die. We still sing. We still dance. we still speak our languages. We still grow and learn and teach our young ones. We, as a people, still live on. read more

My dog is an evil, energetic creature. He's vindictive and calculating. As such, I try to keep him too occupied to plot my death. I need a dog park. I've enjoyed going to Washington park, but the drive has proved to be a bit too much for me. Imagine my surprise when I found out that they recently upgraded the dog park at Indian School park! The new park is located off the 7th street park entrance, just north of Indian School. It's wonderfully landscaped, with plenty of grass and trees. They're actually in the process of building the big dog park, so right now the park is shared. Thus far I've only encountered friendly and responsible owners, so there haven't been any issues. Unfortunately there are two issues with the park. There are no water fountains inside the park, requiring you to bring your own. Also, the lighting kind of sucks, so if the lights from the football field aren't on it will be fairly dark at night. Regardless of the drawbacks, I'm happy to have found a new place to run the beast. If you live in the neighborhood, please come by! read more

1/2 of star for the REALLY crappy dog park. I would put money on the fact that the person that designed this dog park has never ever owned a dog. There's a good chance that this designer does not know what a dog is. The dog park is 100% granite, 0% grass. No areas to run in at all. There is a single water spigot about 300 feet outside the park. This place just sucks. ---The rest of the park is just fine. Few people around. Nice big open spaces. Bring a Frisbee because there is not much to do. Lots of Parrots in the trees and not too many bums around so that's kinda good. read more

Picturesque park with a lot of paths to walk down and a lot of grassy areas. The lake in the center was pretty with lots of ducks, and apparently you can go fishing there. Most people here are families or people walking their dogs, although we did stumble upon an apparently drunk guy asking us and our dogs if we wanted to be gangbangers (No thanks, not today!). read more

Dog Park? Who are they kidding?! This place was crap, and full of crap.. It looks as though people went in to this park just so their dogs could poop. There were no clean up mitts and it was small and stinky. Whoever designed this dog park should be kicked in the balls. No grass, all gravel and the one water spigot? That's right - outside of the park. Brainiack. I wish I would have yelped this before I went. What a waste. read more

This is a big park in the middle of the city. That is nice. The dog park here is LAMER THAN LAME CAN BE! There is ZERO grass only gravel and no drinking fountain. Worthless. read more