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!

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.

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.

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 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.

Only GOD loves you more than a DOG! #ReflexDogs Love &…read moreForgiveness PRIVATE PARK!! MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED! This dog park? May just be or belong to the apartments or condos that are on both sides of it. It does have a nice bathroom facility just belong, save yourself a drive

I have a 5 year old Great Dane and was so excited when I heard that Waukee was opening up a new dog…read morepark this Spring! We went to check it out yesterday and we loved it! It has its own parking lot with 21 spots so good parking. There are apartment buildings on both sides and I believe you can park there or on the street if the parking lot is full. What I really love about this dog park that is different from all the ones I've frequented in Des Moines and Ankeny was that they have bathrooms (for humans)! It's to the right of the dog park entrance and clean and convenient. They also have drinking fountains available in between. As you walk into the park, there is a large dog area and a small dog area which is great. We obviously checked out the large dog area. There is a height limit for the small dog area as you can see in the pics. The whole park is about 4 acres and has concrete walking paths that go around the park and also to the back entrance (yes, there are 2 entrances!). Each entrance has a water fountain and there's even 1 in the middle of the park so your dog doesn't have to fight for water and you can keep them very hydrated! There's also a shade structure right in the middle and a couple benches. Dog waste stations and bags are provided too. You do need to pay for a pass that can be found on the website but it's very easy to sign up. Overall, the park isn't as big as Raccoon River Dog Park or the Ankeny Dog Park but it still has plenty of green spaces for the doggies to run around, play, and do their business and still has some good extra ammenities. We will definitely come back again!

We've been taking our dog Otis to Unleashed Pets since last November, and we truly couldn't be…read morehappier. The facility is incredibly clean--it's obvious that cleanliness is a top priority, and they're constantly keeping everything in great condition. Otis has struggled with separation anxiety, but by his third day at daycare, everything changed. Now he gets so excited when we pull into the parking lot and doesn't even look back at drop-off. That alone says everything about how comfortable and happy he is there. He comes home completely worn out from playing all day, which we love. We actually drive 25 minutes out of the way just to bring him here, and it is worth every single minute. I visited almost every daycare in town before choosing Unleashed Pets, and I can confidently say this is the best one. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a place they can truly trust with their dog.

An outstanding facility with experienced owner and employees! A wide range of services is provided,…read moreincluding boarding, daycare, bathe-pet-yourself, and enrichment activities. The facility is impressive! It is spotless, and there are no smells. Our Golden puppy loves it here, and would open the door by herself if she could. As a dog parent you have lots of options, but Unleashed Pets is worth a visit.

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.

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 is our 78th dog park and we love it. I have a couple gate concerns which explains the 4 stars…read more We are only visiting, but went and got our dog park permit today at City Hall ($46.50) so we can 1.) go and 2.) to support it. What it has: Double gates Two large dog sections (big/all and small) Water fountains (3 of them w/ multiple spouts) Benches Shade And all grass (except for walk ways) Parking is crazy easy One Port-o-potty in parking lot Provisions for composting dog waste ..... great dogs, great people! Rules are enforced between the people and animal control who show up within minutes. What I would fix. First front gate has a big gap and my dog got out on my second visit, second lock the gate between the small section and the large dog section. My dog almost got out and into the large dig section when I did not want to commit to 8 acres of time and fun. There is zero reason to not walk around if you want to switch sections, and double gates should always be in place before someone comes or goes. Comment. Where I'm front you have to get a dog license and go get it you prove you have current rabies vaccinations. Here you only do that to use the dog park. This leaves much of the city not covered for rabies, no income to that dept, and stress to dog park staff to enforce the required permit to use the park. If I were the city I would investigate how the majority of other parks do it. Amazing place! I was very pleased with it.

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).

Colby Park has been updated! My son checked out the playground equipment and said it seems the same…read moreas the new equipment at Raccoon River Park. They added a splash pad which will be nice in the summer.

Colby Park is a great place yo spend time with your family and friends. They have an amazing new…read moreplayground and regularly host events like movies and live music. We just attended a pancake breakfast as part of the annual fall festival.