In the cooler fall temperatures, the parks around Ames are great places to go grill some food and spend time outside. Listed below are just a few of the parks in Ames and what they have to offer.

Bandshell Park

Throughout June and July, you can go here Thursday nights and listen to the Ames Municipal Band play. The park, located on the corner of 6th Street and Duff Avenue, offers a large lawn to relax on and a playground for kids.

Brookside Park

This park is a popular place for people of all ages. Not only does it have a few playgrounds, it also has a couple of shelters, grills, walking and biking paths, a sand volleyball court, ball fields and plenty of open space. It is just east of campus on 6th Street.

Emma McCarthy Lee Park

This park is located west of campus on Ross Road. Driving through here, you will find shelters, grills, playgrounds, tennis courts and sand volleyball courts. 

River Valley Park

Located on East 13th Street between Duff Avenue and I-35, this park has many things to offer such as ball fields, shelters, grills, nature areas and sand volleyball courts.

Gateway Park

Home to Carroll Marty Disc Golf Course, this park also offers sand volleyball courts, a playground, nature areas and open spaces. You can find this park just off of Mortensen Road, just south of Wallace and Wilson residence halls.

Inis Grove Park

Inis Grove Park is at the corner of Duff Avenue and 24th Street. Here you can find basketball courts, shelters, a playground, horseshoe courts, nature areas and wide-open spaces.

Stuart Smith Park

The trails that go through Brookside Park actually go under Lincoln Way and lead you to Stuart Smith Park. Here there is a playground, picnic area, open space and, of course, walking and biking paths.

To reserve a shelter at any one of these parks or to see a complete list of Ames parks and picnic shelters, visit cityofames.org and look under the Parks and Recreation tab.