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Raccoon River Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,650 Google reviews · Running trail in West Des Moines, Iowa · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Raccoon River Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Large sports & recreation venue with athletic fields, a swimming beach, fishing pier & nature trail.
What runners say about Raccoon River Park
“I spent some time near the beach area, which was clean and well-kept, making it a great spot to just sit and enjoy the fresh air.”
“Beautiful softball complex and a great a place to play.”
Playground! The new all inclusive playground is finished! I love that there’s an area that’s geared towards crawlers! My 12mo isn’t walking yet and he had so much fun. They used a fake grass for the little area and then that bouncy flat surface for the other areas. There’s a lot to do!
This is a huge waterfront park with tons of parking and areas to use for sports, walks, dogs, etc. There’s a cute little beach and paved trails running through out. The only downside is the dog park is not free, you need to scan a code and app to pay $5.
Beautiful large regional park property. It has all the bells and whistles including, fishing dock, lake, boat house with rentals, ball fields, archery, hiking and biking trails and more. Great paved parking large enough for any size rig or RV. I had full bars of Verizon 4G LTE Roaming.
I visited this park on a sunny afternoon and was really impressed by how much there is to do. The trail around the lake is perfect for a long walk or a bike ride, and the views of the water are very calming.
Trail conditions & character
“This is a huge waterfront park with tons of parking and areas to use for sports, walks, dogs, etc.”
“The trail around the lake is perfect for a long walk or a bike ride, and the views of the water are very calming.”
“Clean bathrooms and very nice shelters that were all rented out with families enjoying the day!”
“My only small issue was that the parking lot filled up very quickly, so it took a minute to find a space, but once I was out on the trails, it didn't feel too crowded at all.”
“There’s a cute little beach and paved trails running through out.”
Plan your run at Raccoon River Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitewdm.iowa.gov
- Phone(515) 222-3444
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–10 PM |
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