Jester Park Nature Center – Granger, Iowa
Jester Park Nature Center is located in Granger, Iowa and is filled with tons of educational and fun things to do for all ages.
Zo-El Annett Woods: A Kid-Friendly Outdoor Experience
I love getting out in the outdoors with my kids. The problem is, my kiddos don’t always want to go on a 5-10 mile hike like me. So one of my favorite hiking trails to take them on is the one at Zo-El Annett Woods. Zo-El is a short drive south of Des Moines (around 30 minutes, depending on where you are coming from) down highway 28 thru the town of Norwalk. The wooded trail here is a smaller loop that any age level can handle. You get some natural elevation changes along with some stairs to climb and a wonderful suspension bridge to cross over. Plan to spend some time on the bridge to let your kiddos jump and play around!
Chichaqua Wildlife Viewing Area
This Chichaqua Wildlife Viewing Area is a part of the Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt, but it’s a bit of a drive from the main parking. There is a separate parking lot off the highway that leads to the cool viewing deck with binoculars. The gravel trail then turns into a grass trail, looping much further past.
Swede Point Park – Madrid, Iowa
Swede Point Park is a secluded woodland park with camping, a modern playground, and hiking trails. It is close to the High Trestle Trail bridge and makes a great spot to play before you hike or bike over the bridge! There is a fun little log to climb through and a unique swingset.
Strasser Woods State Preserve
Strasser Woods State Preserve is a 40 acre chunk of heavily wooded land with dirt paths, making it a nice place to take a hike if you’re over by the Iowa State Fairgrounds. There is no published trail map; the trail we explored to the right had relatively steep wooden steps for quite a while.
