F.W. Kent Park
F.W. Kent Park is a beautifully maintained state park in Iowa featuring a lake with kayaking and swimming opportunities, well-groomed hiking trails including a trail around the lake, picnic areas with barbecue grills and tables, and a playground suitable for children and families. The park is wheelchair accessible and offers a natural, scenic experience with forests, prairies, and wildflowers, making it a great destination for outdoor activities, family outings, and nature photography.
Reviews
A favorite location. This park is so pretty all seasons of the year. Plenty of picnic locations, hiking, a level walk around the lake, fishing, you name it. Everything is well maintained.
You can tell this is a well-kept park and that the staff takes pride in it. I was making my first visit here and brought a kayak along. Water was nice and clear. I also took some time for nature photography and birdwatching. Wish I lived closer to enjoy this park more often !!
A visit to FW Kent Park is the highlight of a drive in Eastern Iowa. I would give this park more stars if possible. This is a very large and magnificently maintained state park that contains trails, interpretive displays, the Johnson County conservation center, a lake, fishing and swimming opportunities, and many varied picnic spots. There is a campground I must admit I’ve not seen. This forested and prairie meadow nature experience is the essence of the beauty of Iowa. Wild flowers are in abundance at this peak time of year, July through August. On the trail we walked, there was an engaging children’s storybook walk along the path with posted pages of beautifully illustrated and touching story of a sweet woman who cares for seeds throughout the year. We loved the story along with our walk despite not having children with us. What a clever idea it was. On the same trail, there are bagged and marked moth catepillars/chrysalis, each explaining the stages and the moths that will hopefully emerge. We have been to this heart lifting park many times and look forward to the next visit soon as it is a lovely place to tour in the fall.
A wonderful park. Small lake to put your kayak in. A trail around the lake that you can run or walk. Lots of hiking trails to explore. Many interesting repurposed bridges with plaques to explain about them.
Very family oriented and is a beautiful place to spend the day and a well groomed hiking trail all the way around the lake or camp for however long you wish in a wonderful campground