Raccoon River Dog Park

Or call (515) 222-3444 or email ParkRec@wdm.iowa.gov for more information.

• Steve
  Dec 14, 2023
  Large park in west Des Moines

  Large. OK maintained. Woods and open area. 10 acres. We met only one aggressive dog with an untrained owner on our first visit.

  On our 2nd visit, my Lab was attacked by a German Shepard, whose owner laughed. Filthy, with poop everywhere. It’s unfortunate as it’s not the dogs…it’s the humans.

• Valerie
  Jun 16, 2019
  Fabulous!

  Love this park. It is very easy to get a pass online. It is like being on a hike but the large area is entirely fenced. Volunteers distribute water jugs throughout the park. Wear bug spray in the summer. Great place.

• Ira
  Jun 12, 2019
  Need to get a pass in advance to enter.

  The park entrance is locked and you cannot enter without a pass (or passcode). Day passes are available, but you have to get them in advance. Their website does not allow you to generate a pass or passcode online. Bottom line, while traveling, my dog and I show up at the park. She's excited about playing with the other dogs, but we can't ente the park. I spent close to half an hour trying to generate a pass online. I tried using three different browsers on a phone, a tablet and a laptop but was never able to submit the request. The rest of Raccoon River park is nice and a great place to walk, but the dog park was pure frustration.

• Sarah
  Nov 18, 2018
  Wrong Zip Code!

  If you are searching for this place google it don’t click on the address listed it has the wrong zip code! This place is somewhat spacious but if your trying to avoid a somewhat aggressive dog it is hard here because it’s just one big circle. It is someplace to stretch the legs though.

• Rena panush
  More than a year ago
  BEST DOG PARK IN THE US

  I have driven with my dogs cross country round trip for 6 years and this park is by far the best I have encountered. In general the number of dog parks has increased but most of them are medium to large fenced rectangles sometimes with agility equipment and/or places to sit or picnic. This park is incredible with several different options for trail walking or just playing in s fenced enclosure. The trails are also within a fenced area. As to those who had trouble with aggressive dogs, I have found that to be quite rare in the many dig parks I have visited. Most dogs have a way of dealing with each other and do it better without owner interference. What looks like agressive barking and chasing is often the certain (especially herding) dogs play.

• Nate
  More than a year ago
  Plenty of room to Run!

  I'm new to this dog park and was hesitant at first with my rescue dog. After some getting used to, she absolutely loves the freedom to run around, and the space is amazing! She seems to have a good time whether it slow and we just walk the trails or there are plenty of dogs to play with. After a few visits, I'd say my experience is the people who use it help keep it clean and stocked (remove poop and bring in and out water jugs from filling station). The owners have been friendly and keep and eye on the dogs.

• Erin
  More than a year ago
  Beautiful & Enormous Park

  This park was an incredible find! We were just passing through Des Moines on a 20-hour road trip & thanks to Bring Fido were able to locate this as a pit-stop. We were here right at sundown, so there was only one other dog there, but it was incredibly spacious & clean! Well stocked with biodegradable poop bags, jugs filled with water throughout the whole park, and plenty of benches scattered around to sit on. Also has a separate area for small dogs for those who prefer that!

• Kevin
  More than a year ago
  Fantastic Dog Park

  We stumbled upon this dog park on a road trip and it was great. Lots of room for the dogs, plenty of bags to pick up poop, and the whole park was very clean and well maintained.

• K
  More than a year ago
  Weekend day pass

  My only problem with this park is there is no way to obtain a day pass during the weekends. We only visit 2 or 3 times a year and the trip is usually an impulse decision. So essentially It's not a weekend option for us and we have to go to the free Windsor Heights dog park instead.

• Karen
  More than a year ago
  Unsupervised and dangerous

  My year old Golden Retriever and I were excited for our first trip to this dog park. Initially it seemed great, lots of running room and a friendly collie to play with right off the bat. Half an hour later, discouraged after having my dog attacked by a very aggressive and territorial cattle dog and then a lab mix who's owner couldn't be bothered to look up from her phone until I started yelling, we left with our tails between our legs. No one was there to supervise and the owners of the aggressive cattle dog acted like it was THEIR park and my sweet, mellow puppy was an annoyance. We won't be back, even though I paid the yearly fee for a permit.

• Tiffany
  More than a year ago
  Terrible Park

  This is a terrible dog park. Owners of pets are extremely rude, they don't attend to their dogs, they don't pick up after their dogs, and don't follow rules of park. My dog was attacked on several occasions to the point that she bleed and had to be taken to the vet , one owner consistently will not control is his dog to point the where we are forced to leave park because of it's behavior. In the summer it is mosquito heaven. You can't get away from them. When we have contacted the office regarding owner issues we were told it was our problem. I will advice all of my friend with dogs to avoid this park and go to one of the better maintained parks area the Des Moines area.

• Julie
  More than a year ago
  day care provider

  My dogs love it here and its a great way to meet other dog lovers and exercise !

• Katie
  More than a year ago
  Great Park

  I take my puppy here a few times a week! It is a great park and lots of room for her to run and play. Depending on the time of day there is usually lots of friends for her to play with. They need to rope off a section of the lake for dog use!

• Becky
  More than a year ago
  Great Park

  This was a fairly new park when I visited in 2012. It's large, fenced in with two different areas for small and large dogs. Unfortunately it was VERY hot the day we visited, so my dog wasn't interested in doing a whole lot of running!

We dug up 2 pictures of dogs at Raccoon River Dog Park.

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