Redfield City Park has a bunch of unique, old-fashioned play elements that are hard to find. Traditional teeter totters and lots of animals make this a fun park to stop and play at; there is a shaded shelter with picnic tables for a meal as well.
Hanging Rock Park has unique sandstone rock formations, along with paved trails and lots of wooded scenery. The trails were pretty short, with wildflowers all around.
RRVT is a pay-for-use trail, with a daily or yearly fee. It crosses through several small towns on the west and southwest side of the greater Des Moines area; I have included the closest ones to the city. You can see a bit about all of the areas connected, on their website here.
