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!

Some recent upgrades make this park a lot better than it used to be. There are now two picnic…read moretables, a few benches and afternoon shade. Remember not to bring any food, but do bring a gallon of water to share and some grocery bags to pick up waste. Everything here is donations for this sort of thing. There is a big dog and small dog area, which is great for little dogs and puppies. This park is good for families, but watch your kids - dogs are literally sprinting in packs (thats the idea!) The only real negatives are the proximity to the highway (it can be noisy), and it is about a quarter mile walk from either parking lot, and bikers are riding on the same trail so be careful. Overall, you meet the nicest people here and it is a great place to spend an hour with your best buddy

The important to note that you can't ill up your car to the park. Instead you have to walk several…read moreminutes on the bike path before you reach it. While this might be okay to an active pup, any dog with hip issues may struggle. The park itself was not clean whatsoever- soda bottles, fast food wrappers, and packaging for miscellaneous items. The only reason I'm not giving only 2 stars is because my pups really enjoyed the layout of the park.

For $20/year this park is a great way to socialize and exercise your fur baby. Kids are not allowed…read morebut there is usually people who leave a jug of water and tennis balls for community sharing. They have doggie bags, and place to dispose of waste, to make cleaning up after your pet easy. If you tend to stick to routine schedule of when you go, you will get to know other regulars if you are looking for some socialization for yourself as well. Be sure to check out their Facebook page!

This park is huge! It is amazing that there is a long grass section and a short grass section. My…read moredog loves going here and running around on her own. There is no smaller dog section but if your dog is used to larger dogs, that isn't a problem. Plus the park is so big that you could go to the other side and not ever see the large dogs. Plus unlike the other parks this one has an activity course.

This place was great. My dog can run around and there is service waiting around if something…read morehappens. Didn't try the food but drinks were good.

We move it here. We go on average a minimum of 4 times a week. The employees are awesome, they…read moreknow the dogs even better than the owners a lot of the time. Everything that is needed to come here is pretty clear on their website. Food taste great as well. When my dog had an issue by running to hard, they were there to help right away. Not only did they help but they called the next day to check on him and also got him a get well basket along with a signed card. Honestly can't think of a single bad thing to say about this place.

It's a large and open space, separate spaces for large dogs and small dogs, but wow there's no…read morepolicing of the 'pick up your dog's crap' rule. For an expensive town and a park that requires a membership fee.....whew....

This regularly-tended dog park offers a place for Ames residents to let their dogs run and play…read moreoff-leash. There is a 2-acre fenced area for small dogs and an 8-acre fenced area for large dogs, so if you have a puppy or a small breed, you don't have to worry about your little guy getting trampled or roughed up by rambunctious big dogs (and if you have a big dog, you don't have to follow her around and constantly stop her from pinning that beagle/shih tzu/etc). There are multiple water fountains (near the entrance, further out into the large dog area) and always a fresh supply of mutt mitts. There are disposal units for full mutt mitts at various spots in the park, though the ones further from the entrance tend to fill up pretty quickly. There is a paved loop in the larger section for walking around the park while your dog plays, with multiple benches along the route. If you don't bring a toy with you, you'll probably be able to find old tennis balls or a frisbee lying around. This place has a friendly community vibe, complete with regulars (both dog and human), like the man and his developmentally-disabled son who come out on hot afternoons with big buckets that they fill with fresh water for the dogs. We've met lots of nice dog-people during our time at this park, though to be honest we usually know their dogs' names long before we learn the humans' names!

This is a good dog park that is well maintained. When you first get there you come to the shelter…read morearea and then take your dog in to the appropriate park. They have a big dog park and a small dog park which is nice that they keep them separated. Both parks have a lot of room for the dogs to run. The big dog park has a walking trail around in it and multiple big trees laying over for the dogs to climb on. If your dog likes to chase a ball there is plenty of room for that. On the big dog side of the park is access to the pond for dog swimming. The one thing I would like to see added to the park is an obstacle area with ramps and jumps and other things for the dogs to play on. Overall this is a very nice dog park to take your canine to, to play.

Park is super nice. It has two fenced in areas, both a good size. People and dogs were well behaved…read moreand friendly. Water fountains are available in both off-leash areas, along with water bowls. You do need a pass and code to get in, so just be aware of that.

Great campground. The bison / elk wildlife preserve is awesome. Located on the north side of…read moreSaylorville lake.

What an awesome campground! Has both electric and non-electric sites. Grounds are clean and well…read moremaintained. Pit toilets and shower houses are available. Large playground for the kids. Golf course and equestrian center nearby. Miles of hiking/walking trails. Loads of trees. Wildlife everywhere to enjoy. A bison and elk herd to watch. Plenty of outdoor activities to keep everyone entertained. Cost is low for camping sites, $20/day for electrical, $15/day for non- electrical. Firewood available for purchase near registration booth. Campground host is very friendly and helpful. Sites available in tree lined area and also overlooking Saylorville Lake. An excellent place for a getaway that is near both Ankeny and Des Moines (about 15 minute drive).

Like all Des Moines dog parks. We hate tourists. Des Moines would rather get $20 than welcome out…read moreof town visitors and their furry friends. You can only get a yearly pass and only 9-5 Monday - Friday from city hall. Gates have coded locks.. As someone who travels frequently I avoid places that don't welcome my dog and sadly I hope you do the same for my hometown

I bring my dog here a couple of times a week. In Des Moines, you have to register your dog every…read moreyear ($15), and can opt to get a pass to Ewing and another dog park ($20). It's split into a small dog and all-dog sections. The small dog side is larger than most dog parks I've ever been to. There is a code for entry, but it's definitely worth the money. The dog park has some of the oldest trees in Des Moines, and is a huge space for dogs to run around. There is a large tall grass area in the spring where you can see all sorts of fauna (like Monarchs) and the squirrels keep the dog entertained. People are very friendly and generally very responsible dog owners. I haven't been to a larger, more well maintained dog park.