Washington recreation

Washington offers an array of parks and facilities for outdoor activity. At locations throughout the county, residents can find activities like fishing, baseball, concerts and anything in between.

WELLNESS PARK

The newest addition to Washington’s list of outdoor facilities, the Wellness park is located just north of the YMCA. The area includes four ball fields, two soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, a parking lot, a centralized concessions and restroom building with a paved walking area and a connection to the Kewash Nature Trail. The park only recently finished construction, and plans are in motion to add a playground, more water access, and additional trails.

CENTRAL PARK

Washington’s Central Park, also called the square, marks Washington’s downtown, easily recognized by its iconic fountain. The fountain was built in the mid-1900s and renovated in recent years to include a computer-controlled system which includes the water in the fountain’s display to change every 15 seconds when in use. Central Park is also the home of the city’s band shell, and hosts farmers markets and municipal band performances every Thursday over the summer.

SUNSET PARK

At 40 acres, Sunset Park the largest park in Washington. The area is open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. One of the many activities available for children is New Dawn, a wooden play structure built in 1997, offering a multitude of slides and towers for kids to play on. The area has a number of swing sets and pavilions, the latter of which can be rented for special occasions. Other features are a dog park, basketball and volleyball courts, disc golf course, skateboard park, and the city pool right up the road.

NORTH PARK

North Park is a landmark of the Stewart elementary neighborhood, immediately neighboring the school itself. While considerably smaller than Sunset’s playgrounds, the area still boasts plenty of recently repainted equipment to play on, as well as a pavilion of its own, all at a manageable walking distance from houses on the north side of town.

MADISON PARK

What was once a half-block path with some bushes, benches and a sign was renovated in 2021, more than doubling the park’s size. Thanks to a donation of adjacent land from Sandra Jones Baird, the city had space to pour another sidewalk path, fix drainage issues, and install a pavilion, improving upon a beautified public space at the corner of East Madison Street and South Second Avenue.

KEWASH NATURE TRAIL

The Kewash Nature Trail is a 14-mile trail connecting the towns of Washington and Keota. It traverses through a variety of landscapes from rich woodland areas to brilliant native prairie openings. The trail starts at Sunset Park or D Avenue, near Fifth Street in Washington and is open to hikers, cyclists and cross-country skiers from 4:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Hunting, trapping, horses and unauthorized vehicles are prohibited on the trail.

LAKE DARLING

Lake Darling, located in Brighton, is the closest state park to Washington. Named after J.N. “Ding” Darling, a champion of conservation and nationally renowned editorial cartoonist, Lake Darling State Park provides ample opportunity for family picnics, lake recreation and woodland hikes. The park offers winter activities, including snowmobiling and cross-country skiing, and visitors are encouraged to cozy up in a year-round cabin for a weekend getaway. Schedule your next large gathering in the newly renovated park lodge. From its 302-acre lake to its wooded hills and valleys, Lake Darling offers something for every outdoor enthusiast.

MARR PARK

Marr Park is the county’s most developed public park and recreation area. It has 125 acres and is located just west of Ainsworth. It offers a place of relaxation and fun for locals and travelers. The park offers nature trails, playgrounds and camping grounds with full hookups and a nearby shower house. Fishing is especially popular in the park’s two human-made ponds.

Marr Park also contains the County Conservation Center, which includes a 180-gallon aquarium with native fish located in Tinnes Exhibit Hall. Steinbeck Conference Hall, Nicola Library, Dallmeyer Laboratory, and the conservation board office.

BRIGHTON BOAT ACCESS

The Brighton Boat Access is owned by the Department of Natural Resources and was acquired and constructed in 1988. The Washington County Conservation Board manages the property. Channel and Flathead catfish are the primary fish species harvested from the Brighton Boat Access. The site also includes a vault latrine, boat ramp, public hunting and camping.

BRINTON TIMBER

Encompassing 320.5 acres northeast of Brighton, Brinton Timber is particularly popular for the horseback riding it offers. There is an additional 12.5 acre white oak timber dedicated to the memory of Bill V. Horton.

The entire property is a preserve and wildlife refuge with over six miles of hiking and horseback-riding trails divided into six distinct loops.

CLEMONS CREEK SHOOTING RANGE

The Clemons Creek Shooting Range offers 20-, 25- and 100-yard ranges and a clay target range. The range is open to anyone certified to use it. All peace officers, certified range officers, hunter safety instructors and people certified by the WCCB may use the range. An archery range, also requiring certification, is available next to the shooting range.

CLEMONS CREEK WILDLIFE & RECREATION

Clemons Creek Wildlife & Recreation Area is open daily from 4 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. The area provides 290 acres filled with great opportunities for hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and hikers. Hunters in particular can find populations of deer, squirrel, pheasant, turkey and waterfowl here.