Elk Rock State Park located in Knoxville, Iowa is located about an hour southeast of Des Moines, Iowa. It was the perfect little 1/2 day trip full of hiking, splashing, and tons of birds to see. We also packed a picnic to enjoy after our hike.
Jester Park Nature Center is located in Granger, Iowa and is filled with tons of educational and fun things to do for all ages.
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!
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 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.
