• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Explore Des Moines
    • Winter in Des Moines
    • Our 10+ Favorite Des Moines Parks
    • Nature Areas and Parks in Des Moines
    • Des Moines Bike Trails Guide
    • Principal Riverwalk
    • Best Hiking Trails in Des Moines
  • Camping & Cabins
    • Best Fall Camping Near Des Moines
    • Camping Checklist [+ PDF]
    • Camping With Kids
    • Ultimate List of RV Essentials
    • Easy Camping Food Ideas
    • Iowa State Parks With Cabins
    • Des Moines Campground Guide
    • A Guide to Des Moines RV Parks
    • Cabin Rentals Near Des Moines
  • About
  • Contact Us
Des Moines Outdoors

Des Moines Outdoors

A Guide to Gray’s Lake Park in Des Moines

DSMOutdoors

kruidenier trail bridge
Kruidenier Trail bridge

Gray’s Lake Park is one of the most popular parks in the Des Moines metro area! With the city skyline as a stunning backdrop, the lake area offers much to do and see, all within walking distance of the city center.

Gray’s Lake is a 166-acre park, just south of downtown Des Moines, east of Fleur Drive. The park has a loop trail, beach, boat rentals, fishing, and much more! The great thing is, it’s connected to the city’s trail system, so you can access it by car, foot, or bike.

A Brief History of Gray’s Lake Park

Gray’s Lake started as an oxbow lake from the nearby Raccoon River. A rock and sand quarry expanded the lake to its current size of almost 100 acres in the 1950s. 

Residents advocated for the lake to become a natural recreational area. And once the city bought the land around the lake, it became Gray’s Lake Park in 1970. 

After the flood of 1993 damaged the area, the Kruideniers—a local couple—donated money to spur park renovations to help make it what it is today. This renovation was part of the inspiration for the development of the downtown area.

Gray's Lake
View from trail on the lake’s southwest corner

Things To Do in Gray’s Lake Park

Walk or Bike the Loop Trail

The Kruidenier Trail is a 2-mile loop trail encircling Gray’s Lake. The impressive pedestrian bridge, views of the city skyline, and urban park setting make it a popular trail. It’s well maintained and illuminated at night, making it safe and usable after dark. 

Experience the Kruidenier Trail Pedestrian Bridge (especially at night!)

The Kruidenier Trail pedestrian bridge over Gray’s Lake isn’t your average bridge. It’s also a work of art (designed by Cal Lewis)! The 1,400-foot long, 16-foot wide, illuminated bridge is the piece that completes the looped trail around the lake. Each night, its multi-colored lights and glass panels create a breathtaking display.

kruidenier trail bridge
Photo credit: Pixabay

Rent a boat

The Gray’s Lake Concession offers boat rentals on the south shore of the lake. Canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and pedal boats are available. Rentals are seasonal, so it’s wise to check the hours before you go. Life jackets are required and are available at concessions. For more area boat rentals, see our Guide to Des Moines Boat Rentals.

If you have your own canoe or kayak, access the boat launch near the northwest parking lot by the park entrance.

Gray's Lake Boat Ramp
Boat Ramp
Gray's Lake Concessions
Concessions

Bike the trails

Whether you want a 2-mile or 20-mile+ bike ride, Gray’s Lake is a great place to start. Ride the loop around the lake or hop on one of the connecting trails nearby to take in any direction you choose. See the Trails section below for more information.

Visit Gray’s Lake Beach

Gray’s Lake Beach is a swimming beach on the north shore of the lake. Free parking is nearby, as well as restrooms and a playground. 

Life jackets are available at the park. The water gets tested for high E-Coli levels, and the beach is closed if deemed unsafe.

Go Fishing

Gray’s Lake is a popular fishing spot, with easy access to excellent shore fishing. Largemouth Bass are a frequent catch. You can also catch a wide variety of other species, like Bluegill, Crappie, and Channel Catfish, to name a few. 

Play on the Playground

Kids enjoy the playground with swings and slides too. It’s near the beach parking lot on Gray’s Lake Peninsula.

Kruidenier trail
Lake’s southwest side
Gray's Lake Beach
View of the beach from the south shore

Trails in Gray’s Lake Park

Kruidenier Trail is the 2-mile loop trail that surrounds the lake. Access the path from the northwest or southwest parking areas.

Meredith Trail starts on the southeast side of the lake. It connects to the Kruidenier Trail and Bill Riley Trail near the southeast parking lot. This 5.2-mile trail runs from Gray’s Lake to the Principal Riverwalk and links to many trails downtown. For a loop back to Gray’s Lake, use the MLK Jr. Trail.

Bill Riley Trail starts at the southwest parking lot and extends east through Des Moines Water Works Park. From there, it turns north and east to Greenwood Ashworth Park. And on the south side of Water Works Park, it connects to the Great Western Trail. This popular trail runs south about 16 miles to rural Martensdale, Iowa.

Check out Des Moines Metro Planning’s interactive trail map and the Street Collective’s Regional Trail Map before heading out! Signage along the trails is great, but the maps are super helpful for navigating the trail network.

Map of Gray’s Lake

Credit: Des Moines Parks and Rec

Things To Do Nearby

Des Moines Water Works Park is just across Fleur Drive! It’s accessible via a pedestrian underpass on Fleur. Water Works is a vast 1500-acre park offering various activities. You can bike, picnic, and fish, and even go to a concert at the world-class amphitheater.

Greenwood Ashworth Park is approximately 3 miles from Gray’s Lake and has much to offer. You can reach it on foot or by bike via the Bill Riley Trail. Visit the Greenwood Lagoon, Ashworth pool, and the Rose Garden. The kids will love the playground and splash grounds!

For a beautiful hike through woodlands and small streams, go four miles west to Brown’s Woods Forest Preserve. There you’ll find several trail loops with sloping hills and tiny waterfalls. Hikes range from one to four miles.

Raccoon River Park is five miles to the west (and accessible by trail!). As West Des Moine’s premier outdoor recreation area, the park features a swimming beach, boathouse, archery range, ice skating rink, a dog park, and much more!

A couple of miles north of Gray’s Lake is Downtown Des Moines. There you’ll find restaurants, shopping, nightlife, and more! Don’t miss the well-loved Farmer’s Market that hosts over 300 vendors each Saturday through the summer. By bike or foot, you can get downtown on the Meredith Trail. 

Visit Gray’s Lake Today!

Gray’s Lake is at 2101 Fleur Dr, Des Moines, IA 50315.

From I-235, take Exit 7 and go south on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. MLK Pkwy will turn into Fleur Drive just south of Grand Avenue. Gray’s Lake is on the east side of Fleur Drive.

From the airport, head north on Fleur Drive almost four miles. Gray’s Lake Park is on the east side of Fleur Drive.

Park hours are 6:00 am to 10 pm daily. 

Free off-street parking is available in the parking lots throughout the park. There are parking lots at the beach and the park’s northwest, southwest, and southeast corners. Restrooms are at the beach, the northwest parking lot, the concession area, and the southeast parking lot.

More to Explore

Wetland Bridge Trail

Annett Nature Center Park: A Terrific Spot To Be Outdoors in Central Iowa

Little Paint Creek Campground

Yellow River State Forest: A NE Iowa Forest with Tons of Rustic Outdoor Adventures

facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet
PinterestSave

Filed Under: Fishing, Parks

Primary Sidebar

About Des Moines Outdoors

Des Moines Outdoors is a site dedicated to helping you find the best of everything outdoors in the state of Iowa. We’re native Iowans that, for over 25 years, camped, hiked, biked, and explored our home state. We encourage you to do the same.

There’s so much more to see and do in Iowa than many people imagine! Our goal is to help visitors and residents alike experience the best of our beautiful state.

Search

More Outdoor Fun in Iowa

Sign up for our seasonal newsletter on the best things to do and places to see!

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

    No spam, just four newsletters each year.

    Built with ConvertKit
    Winter scavenger hunt printables
    outdoor gift guides
    Rv Essentials

    Recent Articles

    • Tennis & Pickleball Courts in Des Moines: Find an Outdoor Public Court Near You
    • Winter Hiking Gear: Best winter hiking boots, pants & other gear you need
    • Trout Fishing in Iowa: Best trout streams and lakes, fishing tips, and more
    • Animal Tracks in Snow: Identifying the Most Common Animal Tracks
    • Midwest Winter Getaways: Top 10 Winter Road Trips in the Midwest

    Categories

    Footer

    Categories

    Archives

    DISCLAIMER/DISCLOSURE

    We make no express or implied claims or warranties regarding this website or results from using the information, content, materials, products, or services on DesMoinesOutdoors.com.

    Everything you read on this site is for entertainment purposes only. We do our best to keep up with the latest info on parks, trails, and other outdoor activities. But things change, and we don’t always know. 

    Outdoor activities can be dangerous and unpredictable. Use of the information on DesMoinesOutdoors.com is at the users’ risk. Users recognize this risk and agree to hold us harmless for any liability from the use of information on DesMoinesOutdoors.com, including, but not limited to, bodily injury, death, property damage, sickness, or disease. We assume no liability for the use of this website, any information on the site, or any inconvenience or injury resulting from information on the activities or places on this site.

    This site may contain affiliate links. See the full disclosure here.

    Copyright © 2023 · Des Moines Outdoors