Des Moines Parks Perfect for Muddy Days
When the weather starts to finally warm up and the snow melts, playgrounds with lots of dirt or sparse wood chips can turn into mud pits. No worries! Many parks in the Des Moines metro area are perfect for these days. Here is a list of playgrounds with rubber footing (not all, but some of our favorites) around Des Moines, Iowa so you can get outside even if you don’t want to do a million loads of laundry! These are all parks you can visit without getting muddy and burning off all that stir-crazy winter energy.
Check out these other fun guides to rain days in Des Moines:
- Indoor Play in Des Moines
- Nature Indoors Around Des Moines
- Your Guide to the Science Center of Iowa
- Urban Air Adventure Park in Ankeny
Ankeny Library Playground
Address: 1250 SW District Drive in Ankeny, Iowa
The Ankeny Library Playground is a smaller playground with a fun interactive arch just outside the library. A fun space to play before or after visiting the Ankeny Public Library!
Ashley Okland Star Playground
Address: 5300 Indianola Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa
Ashley Okland Star Park is located on the east side of Des Moines. It offers a playground within a different park (Ewing Park), a hidden nature trail and so much more. This is one of my favorite parks to recommend for people who have a younger toddler and older child to entertain, there are lots of unique features for all ages. The rubber footing makes it ideal if you would like to avoid mud, too.
Colby Park
Address: 6900 School St in Windsor Heights, Iowa
Colby Park’s playground just received a whole new facelift and wow it is amazing! As you walk up, you see a large structure with two towers connected by a tunnel. This structure offers belt climbers and ropes to climb up and is perfect for the most daring of kids. There are also several slides coming from the towers. In addition, the entire space is on rubber footing making it the perfect playground for a muddy day.
Fox Creek Park
Address: 522 NE Westgate Drive in Waukee, Iowa
Fox Creek Park located in Waukee, Iowa is a fun addition to the Des Moines area spray grounds and parks! The playground offers so many areas to climb. If you have a climber this will be a paradise for them.
Johnston Commons Playground
Address: 6700 Merle Hay Road in Johnston, Iowa
The Johnston Commons Playground is located in Johnston, Iowa directly behind the Johnston Public Library. The area provides tons of green space, a walking path, and a basketball court, and is next to the Simpson Barn. The playground is a super fun playground structure that offers many slides, climbing options, swings, and more. The playground is all-inclusive and is located on rubber footing.
Inis Grove Park
Address: 2500 Duff Ave in Ames, Iowa
Walking up to the Inis Grove Park playground, your kids will be in awe. The nature-themed playground has many different areas to explore. This park is worth a road trip and is inviting to kids of all ages and abilities. This park offers many different play areas, rubber surfacing, and synthetic turf surfacing.
Iowa Arboretum
Address: 1875 Peach Ave outside Madrid, Iowa
The new Treehouse Village Playground at Iowa Arboretum outside Madrid, Iowa transports you to an immersive treehouse world. As you scan your paid ticket to enter the gate, you are welcomed by a wooden walkway with a treehouse gazebo. As you continue on the path, a long wooden suspension bridge takes you to the large playground structure. This adventurous bridge was the highlight of two of my kids’ days. They loved how it bounced and swayed.
Miracle Park in Ankeny
Address: 300 NW School Street in Ankeny, Iowa
Miracle Park is full of unique things to play with and climb. There are elements for kids of all ages and my only warning would be that I think it would be tricky with kids who tend to run off. The larger playground is very dense and it’s easy to lose sight of kids, I was glad that my son had bright green shorts on when we went. The rubber footing is great for younger kids who eat wood chips, for when you want to avoid mud, and for kids who struggle with uneven terrain.
Northview Park
Address: 4871 78th Street in Urbandale, Iowa
Urbandale Parks and Recreation recently added an all-inclusive playground at Northview Park. In addition to the new playground, the park has baseball fields. Northview All-Inclusive Playground is a playground that offers opportunities for children of all ages and abilities to play! The playground surface is rubber and squishy.
Riverview Park
Address: 710 Corning Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa
Riverview Park located in Des Moines, Iowa has gone through some major changes! It offers a ton of fun and is also an all-inclusive playground funded by Variety Children’s of Iowa. This park is connected by a paved trail to several of the main paved trails in the downtown area, as well as one of our summer favorites, McHenry Park.
Rotary Riverwalk Park
Address: W River Drive in Des Moines, Iowa
The Rotary Riverwalk Park is located along the Principal Riverwalk. A small park with a fun climbing piece, a few swings, and a bike trail across The Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge. Also located just north is the Lauridsen Skatepark. As you walk into Rotary Riverwalk Park you will see it is directly linked with Lauridsen Skatepark, so you can explore both at the same time!
Scenic Valley Park
Address: 1223 S. 24th Court in West Des Moines, Iowa
Scenic Valley Park was newly renovated in the Spring of 2023. This playground has two inviting main structures. The tall tower invites kids to climb, slide, and use their imagination. It instantly became a clubhouse for my kids and their friends. The kids love climbing through, over, and discovering the secret areas of the 2-5-year-old geometric circuit structure. Kids love climbing on the turf hills, running around, and playing gaga ball.
Sugar Creek Park
Address: 2955 Serenity Drive in Waukee, Iowa.
Sugar Creek Park is a neighborhood park located in Waukee, Iowa near Sugar Creek Elementary School. This park offers a ton of climbing opportunities, a high slide, a pickleball court, and a playground with rubber footing.
Terra Park
Address: 6300 Pioneer Parkway in Johnston, Iowa
Terra Park is located in Johnston, Iowa, and is loaded with tons of fun. Includes a playground, fishing, walking paths, and more. There are two different playground structures with rubber footing below.
Triumph Park
Address: 700 NW Douglas Parkway in Waukee, Iowa
Triumph Park located in the city of Waukee, Iowa is a pretty impressive inclusive park. The park includes an Epic Incluvie Playground, an 11-acre pond with an accessible fishing pier, walking trails, and baseball fields. The entire playground is fun for all ages and people of all abilities! Take a look at some fun details about the best playground in the Des Moines area.
Warrior Park
Address: 511 Orchard Hills Drive in Norwalk, Iowa
Warrior Park located in Norwalk, Iowa offers plenty of shade, playground equipment, and a unique ninja course. The ground directly beneath the playground and ninja course offers rubber footing.
Waterworks Park in Grimes
Address: 100 N James Street in Grimes, Iowa
Waterworks Park located in Grimes, Iowa has gone through a major renovation and now includes a sprayground and a large play area. It includes rubber footing and a turf hill for children to play.
