Ada Hayden Heritage Park — Attraction in Ames

Review of ADA Hayden Heritage Park in Ames, Iowa:

ADA Hayden Heritage Park in Ames, Iowa, is an incredibly beautiful and peaceful natural destination, perfect for those who enjoy spending time outdoors. Named after Ada Hayden, the first woman to earn a Ph.D. from Iowa State University and a strong advocate for preserving Iowa’s prairies, the park is a tribute to her legacy in conservation and environmental education.

The park covers around 430 acres and features two large lakes, walking and biking trails, picnic areas, and scenic viewpoints. One of the most enjoyable aspects of visiting ADA Hayden Park is the abundant wildlife. You’ll often see deer, squirrels, and rabbits throughout the area, creating a true sense of connection with nature. It’s a quiet and picturesque place, ideal for a peaceful walk, jog, or bike ride on well-maintained trails that are suitable for all fitness levels.

The lakes are not only beautiful but also provide a fantastic fishing experience, with species like bass, bluegill, and catfish, making it a popular spot for anglers. Kayaking and canoeing are also allowed, offering a unique way to enjoy the park from the water. For nature lovers, birdwatchers, and photographers, ADA Hayden Heritage Park offers a perfect blend of natural beauty...

A former gravel quarry for decades, this park has been created around 2 side-by-side lakes that are each probably half a square mile in size. These lakes are very deep in some areas. There is a trail of asphalt that goes all the way around each lake for biking, walking, jogging etc.The view are spectacular at sunrise and sunset. There is a small pavilion covering 8 or 10 picnic tables and an equal number on the concrete patio adjacent. There are clean, modern, public bathrooms that are wheelchairaccessible. Wheelchair accessible entire park even a dock. There is no swimming or beach area because it is sheer rock walls that drop right off about 4 feet from shore. The fishing is hot and cold. There are a lot of fish in the lakes Lg Mouth, Sm Mouth, channel cat, perch, trout, bluegill, sunfish, and reports of fish way down where the lake is 300 feet deep that are the size of Volkswagens. ...

Ada Hayden is a place that all Ames residents should visit. It's just outside of town, has great running /walking paths with many ways to go around the lake which are ideal for people who may have limited time or mobility and don't want to go all the way around the entire lake.

They have pavilions, benches, swings looking at the water, and large open areas of grass for star gazing or picnics. You can also fish, boat, kayak, etc out there. It's a great place for school/camp trips for kids.

You can look up the distances for the loops online, but I'll post them below too:

Outside loop: 2.8 miles North loop: 1.4 miles South loop: 1.8 miles Figure 8: 3.2 miles

I love that you can pick a distance to run/walk or just go for a casual stroll after dinner in the evening. It's also a great place to look at stars or eclipses. Was able to get some pretty decent pictures of the moon out...