Water Works Park - Facilties & Maps

Located on Fleur Drive directly across from Gray's lake, Water Works Park covers nearly 1,500 acres of open wooded areas. The park stretches from Fleur Drive west to 63rd Street , bounded by the Raccoon River on the north edge and Valley Drive to the south. Biking, jogging, picnicking, fishing and hiking are a few of the activities that park patrons enjoy. Picnic areas, complete with tables and grills, are located in several areas of the park. Large, open areas are available for team sports such as softball, tag football, and soccer. Arie den Boer Arboretum One of the world's largest collections of flowering crab apple trees can be found in the eastern portion of Water Works Park , adjacent to Fleur Drive . Collected by the late Arie den Boer, a renowned horticulturist, the arboretum includes approximately 300 varieties of crab apple trees. The annual crab apple blossom usually occurs the last week of April and the first week of May, attracting thousands of visitors to the park.  Click here to view the Park Map.

Located southwest of Des Moines (take Army Post Road west , across Interstate 35, and follow the signs), Maffitt Reservoir Park consists of a 200-acre lake and 600 acres of land. Fishing, picnicking, and hiking are favorite pastimes at Maffitt Reservoir. For the general public's convenience, several docks that extend nearly 20 feet into the lake are located along the shore. A nature trail of approximately 4.5 miles leads hikers around the lake. The reservoir was constructed in 1941-1945 as an additional raw water supply for the Des Moines Water works. To protect the water from possible contamination, swimming, boats, and other flotation devices are not allowed in the water. To further enhance the reservoir's high quality water, Des Moines Water Works recently purchased 105 acres of farmland surrounding the reservoir to provide additional watershed protection.

The purpose of and concept for the Arboretum is to provide watershed protection, a greenbelt gateway, and education opportunities to the metropolitan area. The landscaping and roadside enhancements will serve as a home for Iowa native prairie grass, flowers, wildlife and trees associated with American historic events. Click here to view the Maffitt Arboretum Map. Click here to view the Maffitt Depth Map.