McHenry Park and Sprayground in Des Moines, Iowa
McHenry Park is one of Des Moines’ classic parks. A brand new playground was installed in the Fall of 2023 to go along with the existing sprayground. My kids loved playing here! The 5-12 year old area of the playground has a large C-shaped playground structure with a nature theme. There are many different areas to climb up to the structure uniquely. There is a merry-go-round spinner, two adaptive bucket swings, and two typical swings. My kids were excited that the existing large climber boulder was incorporated into the new playground.
The 2-5 area is synthetic grass turf with built-in bunny hills. The play structure here is simple but perfect for 2-5-year-olds. My kids loved the sign above it that said “Kids Only!” In the smaller kids’ area, there are two toddler bucket swings.
Bookmark this list of splash pads and spraygrounds across the Des Moines metro.
Address
McHenry Park is located at 1012 Oak Park Avenue, located 1/2 mile from the historic Highland Park Neighborhood.
Sprayground
McHenry Park’s sprayground has been a favorite in Des Moines for many years. As a parent, I love that the sprayground is next to the new playground structure. My kids love the two giant toad statues on this sprayground and the natural stream created by the sprayers.
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., May 1st to September 31st, free of charge.
Basic Park Details
Type: Places to play, places to play in water
Bathrooms: Yes, flushable seasonal restroom
Shade: large trees nearby but not shaded at the playground
Playground: 5-12 year old playground, 2-5 year old playground, swings
Trails: located along the Neal Smith Trail
Water: Sprayground
Official website: https://www.dsm.city/business_detail_T6_R69.php
Park Amenities
- 3 Open-air shelters, available for rent
- Large open field
- Street Parking
- Engineered wood fiber surfacing and synthetic turf surfacing
- Benches and picnic tables
Located Near McHenry Park
From the south side of McHenry Park, you can see Riverview Park. My kids love hiking down to Riverview on the trails.
With McHenry Park being less than 1/2 a mile from the historic Highland Park neighborhood, there are so many locally owned businesses to visit there!
- Get coffee at The Slow Down Coffee Co., 3613 6th Ave
- Donuts at ChaCha’s Hiland Bakery, 3615 6th Ave
- Find all the treasures at Des Moines Mercantile, 3707 6th Ave.
