Mavis Stouffer Park — Attraction in Ripon

My daughter and I, and our friends LOVE this park. It is a gem!! It has 4 different areas, plus trails/footpaths along the river side to explore. Mature trees for shade and beauty, and fun to be had in every area of the park--from the baseball fields, to the 2 playgrounds (a toddler play ground & a regular larger playground), to the baci ball grounds, to the volleyball courts in sand pits that are clean and safe, to the acres of grass in 3 different areas (one you get to via stairs that take you down close to the river). It is gorgeous and there's lots of parking throughout the park. It is my favorite park in Tipon. I'm sad that I don't live down the street from this park anymore. Dog owners beware: if you venture off on the trails near the river, there are ticks in the long grass in the Spring time. I pulled a huge tick off my dog's ear after a nature walk down to the river. And one suggestion: make the playground bigger, or add another playground somewhere in the park--one with swings, a tire swing, a merry-go-round, and other fun playground toys. That would make it by far Ripon's best park (which I could already argue it is, except for the blah playground features). There's another park in Ripon that's super tiny, but it has a merry-go-round, tire swing, and two standard swings, and we go there sometimes for those things, but it has no shade, no parking, no grass...nothing, except the playground. If that playground was put onto Stouffer park, we'd be there everyday. An important note: it's a great place for birthday parties, with two covered areas with benches and tables. The lower area is under a huge gazebo next to an expansive grassy area right alongside the river and next to the sand volleyball courts. In addition to birthday parties, I've been to a funeral memorial service there, and a wedding. Note: It would be nice if you didn't have to hike so far to reach river access (the river runs along the entire back side of the park, but it's a steep cliff side which is safely gated off or blocked with heavy vegetation so your kids don't fall down the cliff into the Stanislaus River). You have to hike along the footpaths/bike paths that lead out of the main park to reach the river's edge. It would also be nice if the party areas (the gazebo and the other covered benche and table area) had barbecue pits/grills. BBQ grills would make it perfect for parties. However, the park is never crowded, which is one of the main reasons I love it so much, and it it had BBQ grills and easy river access, it'd become so crowded that parking would be an issue. So maybe it's fine the way it is--except it really needs better playground areas. The kids get bored very quickly with the current...

This is a truly beautiful park that is lovingly maintained by the City of Ripon. There is a little something for everyone here. Up front there is ample parking, bathrooms, water fountains, picnic tables and benches, gazebos to block the sun in the summer, as well as a nice younger children's playground. Drive further down the driveway and you will find more parking, an older child's playground, LOTS of grassy areas to run or play games, bathrooms, water fountains, and beautiful scenery. Drive even further down and you will found more ample parking, a large gazebo with tables and benches underneath, fire pits with table and chairs nearby, a walking trail covered by lush trees, and trail access to the river. This is one of my favorite local parks to just take a long walk in with my favorite dog (all dogs must be leashed and the area does get patrolled by Ripon PD). You can walk all the way form this park to Salida on Hammet Exit if you wanted a long walk. The trail is mostly a dirt trail covered in beautiful colored leaves in the fall. The trees provide much needed shade in the summer. There is always park services on the grounds taking care of this vast park and they have always been friendly when I needed assistance or had a question. The park itself open from sunrise to sunset. Any and all organized activities (parties, sports practices, etc) MUST be approved by the...

This is such a beautiful park. Just minutes away from the 99. We were in the area all the way down at the end of the road. Huge open grass areas. Sandy volleyball courts with nets set up. A big gazebo. The bathrooms were closed. Possibly due to COVID. Parking can get packed depending on the day u go so I suggest to go early if possible. We went on Labor Day so it was packed. Easy access to the park from parking lot. We were mainly there for the river. Stanislaus River runs right alongside it. Entrance to the river may be a bit tricky. Also going up n down to the river can be tricky, bt we managed. There's a cliff up the way that some of us went jumping off of into the river. But be careful.. u have to make sure to jump into the deep end. We ended our day playing relay race with the kids n took a big family pic with a pretty scenic background. It was my first time there so I didn't get to scope out the entire park, bt some of the reviews tells me there's more to offer. We had such a great time here. We'll be coming here...